Much faith, little returned: Saša Obradović's basketball suicide

Ambitions were clear when Saša Obradović took over the red-and-whites. A seven-game winning streak in the EuroLeague showed that Crvena zvezda could compete with anyone. However, things changed in the second half of the season. The team's performance significantly declined, culminating in this heavy defeat in the EuroLeague Play-In against Barcelona, once again leaving them in tenth place at the end of the competition.

Zvezda committed "basketball suicide" in "Blaugrana." They allowed a player like Will Clyburn to dominate, hitting six three-pointers without a miss in the first quarter... None of the players matched Saša Obradović's energy. While his intensity was high, it clearly didn't transfer to the rest of the team. Some players, like Tyson Carter, tried to bring some energy, but it wasn't enough in the most crucial part of the season.

The losses proved costly, and their playoff position could have been much better. Losing games against Maccabi, Partizan, and Bayern meant the red-and-whites truly spilled milk that, from this perspective, is worth crying over. Many will first point the finger at Obradović as the primary culprit. Of course, he bears responsibility, but so do the players on the court.

Zvezda was consumed by the narrative of a EuroLeague Top 4 finish, by public pressure, and ultimately by expectations. Obradović, like everyone else, aimed for the Final Four, and such aspirations are commendable, but this entire narrative overwhelmed the team. Everything is being wiped clean, and they must start over. The red-and-whites need to hit the reset button after this defeat and seek solace in the Serbian Superleague and ABA League trophies.

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