"They left their phones every night to keep them focused..." Stevan Mijović: It's questionable when the players slept before the America game

Last year, they didn't believe me either when I said at the start of preparations that we were going for a medal. They only started to believe after our loss to Spain, where we had a shot to win. This year, I again came with the mindset that we wanted to play and test ourselves against the Americans. It wasn't that my players didn't believe me, but my staff had doubts. Before leaving for the championship, my assistant Dejan Đokić sat there, a bit scared, saying, 'Stevo, you're talking about the French, the Americans...' I replied, 'Đole, I'm talking about it because I want us to achieve it, and we will.' And it happened. This doesn't just speak to my character, but also to the team's character, who, after last year, trusted me. By doing so, we showed character and reached the goal we set at the beginning. - Stevan Mijović

To be honest, I was secretly a bit worried because the preparation period went brilliantly, and then it crossed my mind that we hadn't peaked too early, that we weren't hitting our stride at the right moment, because we truly looked very good. In constant discussions with my assistants and Nenad Krstić, they reassured me that everything was fine, that it was all building up. Indeed, the final impression was as if we hadn't even separated, but simply continued what we had been doing last summer. They already knew me and my demands, they knew what to expect from me, and I from them. Roles were immediately distributed at the start, and somehow, it all progressed naturally.

I think it was easier for everyone last year because we all felt the pressure, knowing something was expected of us. I believe we lost the first game against Australia precisely because of that immense pressure. We expected – okay, it will start this way, but we'll overcome it in our own way, take the lead, and win the game. And then, when we realized it wasn't going that way, the pressure and tension became overwhelming. We were all surprised by Australia, who are a great team. In the end, we thought we had an easy group, but two medalists came from our group, second and third place, which shows how strong Australia is. Then, we started to relax from that pressure. My vision was just to help them relax as much as possible after that first game, where I felt the team's tension. I just tried to make them understand they could do it and not to feel pressure, but to enjoy it, because they deserved it. Now, looking back, it might seem that the loss then wasn't so bad, but at that moment, we didn't think that way.

It was incredibly difficult. We were all somewhat fearful, precisely because of what I mentioned earlier – the preparation period had gone so well, and I wondered if we had made a mistake, if we had missed our mark. However, I truly must commend the staff, from my basketball assistants to the conditioning coach and medical staff, who all did an outstanding job and kept me calm. Honestly, I wouldn't have succeeded without them, and certainly not without the boys. The way they reacted to it, we all had several meetings together, individual conversations, we rallied, and truly, we grew from game to game, and it was evident in the championship. And the amount of pressure we were under was clear from our celebrations after the quarterfinals and semifinals, how emotional we all were and how much it meant to us.

They are young, but, like last year, they are an incredible group of guys. Again, I say, if they weren't like that, they wouldn't have achieved these successes. We can talk all we want about their basketball qualities and talent, but if they didn't have those human qualities, if they weren't raised that way, if they weren't so punctual, if they weren't so mature for their age, this result wouldn't have happened. We all function together, I mean, us as staff and them, from the very first moment last year, when we had control trainings before official preparations. Somehow, I saw in them that stability, desire, and determination for a certain result, and that's how it went for two years. The chemistry among them is incredible – on and off the court. I was in communication with all the players after the European Championship, throughout the year, and this year we again showed that chemistry, that we functioned as one big family. Not once was there any problem. With kids, there's always something, whether they do something silly or don't go to sleep, but not with them. Their focus was on the result; we knew our goal, and until we achieved it... There's a story – both last year and this year, in both hotels we stayed in, there was a pool. All the other teams would go to the pool on their day off. They are kids, they see it and want to go too, but with us, it was clear what we did on a free morning – recovery, work with the coach, meetings, game preparation... And then, when we finished, they'd approach: 'Coach, can we go to the pool tonight?' 'Tonight, anything goes, after we win!' This shows how focused they are on the goal, on the result, and how much they enjoy playing for their jersey. They can't wait to come, to be together, to be at those preparations, to defend their country. I think that's priceless.

It's a different culture. What's good, that's another question. The result always speaks for itself in the end, but it's shown that there are no rules. I think we, as a nation, are accustomed to this system of work, we believe in it, and that's how we operate, and that's just how it is. We can't do it any other way because throughout the history of our basketball, we all grew up this way, and our boys are growing up this way. I think that's why we are so successful for our population size and country size.

Our first four games were against teams from other continents, and it was tough for us to play. The first game – Australia, atypical basketball, a completely different approach, different contact. After that, Venezuela, Ivory Coast, which had serious size, some basketball issues there, but serious size, then New Zealand, another continent. That's why we relaxed so much after the New Zealand game; I said, 'Now we're facing a European team, it's Lithuania, we know everything about them, we know everything. We've survived this, let's move on.'

We know Lithuania and Turkey very well; we played them last year, three times against Lithuania, twice against Turkey, plus we played both of them in the warm-up tournament for the World Championship. So, the game preparation itself was easier; we already knew what to expect, what kind of players they were, and certain principles, even though, as European teams, they are the most tactically demanding and required the most detailed preparation. Australia was our first game, where we didn't have enough information. We tried to gather some, but we hadn't experienced that live contact, hadn't seen them, and then they surprised us in that way. I think if we had seen them live, we would have played a better game; as it was, we were all surprised by that level of contact, which wasn't accidental, as those guys went on to win the bronze medal. All things considered, that New Zealand game in the round of 16 might have been the turning point for us. I think we prepared very well for it, and we had time to prepare, so, let's say, the preparation itself and the most new details were perhaps for that game. There were some unknown elements that we incorporated into our defensive system.

I'm disappointed with the competition system; we had two very tough games in the quarterfinals and semifinals. That final came on the third consecutive day, after those two grueling matches. We literally finished the semifinal game at 11 PM, and by the time we got to the hotel, dinner was over at midnight, I remember that. It's questionable when the players actually fell asleep, due to adrenaline and everything. In the morning, we couldn't go for a practice, do a 'walk-through,' so we just had a meeting and didn't have any quality time to prepare for the game. Consequently, we didn't have the strength to respond to their physicality and all those things. I'm glad the boys felt and saw that, because the Americans punished our every, even smallest, mistake – we'd miss an easy layup, and immediately concede a three-pointer on the other end; we'd lose the ball, and it's an immediate dunk on the other end. They punish everything. I'm glad they experienced that contact, first and foremost, and the size of those teams, which I've been telling them about since the beginning of last year, because without size and adapting to that toughness, they won't be able to play basketball at a serious level. Everyone knows how to dribble, everyone knows how to shoot, but how someone behaves in that contact, how quickly and effectively they react to certain defensive changes, that's the advantage, and that's where the difference between players is made.

I'd like to say, and I believe, that the difference isn't realistic. I think if we had been more rested, we would have, let's say, extended the game a bit and it would have been more uncertain. At certain moments, you saw, you watched the game, I think we were a bit unlucky... In the first half, we played, in one part of the game, excellent defense, then conceded a three-pointer off the backboard; we defended an attack, conceded a three-pointer at the last second. With all that energy we were expending, we didn't box out, that's all due to fatigue. And yet, the score was open; at halftime, it was a 12-point difference, even 10 points and a foul at the last second, so it was an open game, it could have gone either way. I'd like to see how the Americans would behave if they played three quarters in an open game, because they were up by 30 against everyone else by halftime.

They weren't just handed a spot at the World Championship; they earned it themselves by winning the European Championship, which qualified them. My talks and speeches always emphasized that they should enjoy it. No one gave them this; they achieved it themselves, and they should savor these games. There always has to be some degree of, I wouldn't say burden, but pressure. I never like to go into a game feeling relaxed. That means something's wrong; if I'm not feeling some apprehension, it means I'm not focused. I constantly tell them this – not pressure, but a certain tension, something before the match itself. But these guys, that's not an issue with them; they react so well to everything, even my speeches. We understand each other so well that I feel like even if I don't say anything, they already know what's going on. If you have strong character, like they do, and they truly showed incredible character... I tell everyone this: I've had the opportunity and luck in my career to work with talented young players, both in national teams and clubs, but no one has shown the character these boys have, this group, to come together like that, to display that kind of character.

That's been the case since last year. Last year, I was standing outside the hall, I remember it was three days before leaving for the European Championship, all the assistants were silent, no one dared to speak to me, I was fuming, head down, and the conditioning coach Nikola Ćušić approached and said: 'Don't worry about anything, we'll outrun the Germans,' and Germany was our first opponent. I was like: 'Come on, leave me alone, man, don't you start annoying me now,' that's how I reacted. Everyone else just looked at him, wondering what he was talking about. But we really did outrun the Germans. In that European Championship, apart from the loss to Spain, we won all our games by over 20 points. And that's not even talking about quality, but there was such fire in those boys' eyes, and it just continued here. You saw, the Lithuanians brought us back, but that last quarter... The Turks in a packed arena, in an incredible atmosphere... We wouldn't give up! I emphasize again their incredible character, which fuels me. Any coach can work in a hundred ways, but if the players can't accept it or don't fulfill it. They react to every situation, and when I'm down or my energy is spent, when I'm exhausted, they immediately lift me up. It's an incredible experience, I'm truly glad to have the opportunity to work with such guys.

I'm glad it happened that way; that's my success, I have to say it is, because when I started with them, we'd lose a game and it would be a somewhat relaxed atmosphere. Of course, it's not life or death, but a loss at that moment has to hurt, because we know we wanted to win. And now, after our two-year cycle, losing the final to the Americans, after everything we've done, they're upset! That means they didn't come to that game to lose; they wanted to win, they truly gave their all, and again they showed what desire and character they have when they were sad after such a game. And I'm glad it's that way, in that sense, because they are winners and they will be winners!

They started celebrating when everyone came out of the locker room. Parents and friends were there, they brought flares and flags, and the players lifted them up. Then the celebration began, and it was truly beautiful.

Last year, we weren't followed at all, honestly. Before the championship, no one talked about us, no one called or asked for any statements. This year, I had countless calls, requests for reports, but I put all that aside. I didn't want it; whenever something came up, I'd say it wasn't possible, asking them to wait until it was over, because I wanted us to go there in peace, focused on our goal. I somewhat succeeded in that; I maintained their focus. As much as I and my staff could keep everything away, we did. Every evening, after dinner, the boys would leave their phones to ensure a peaceful sleep, and they'd get them back in the morning. But during the day, they surely read things, and it's impossible to control that better in today's media world.

I must commend, although I don't like to single out individuals and believe every player contributed significantly in their own way, Nikola and Matija Lukić emerged as team leaders, Nikola being the primary one. His teammates accepted this, and they did so because he behaved excellently. Not once did you sense or see any deviation from him. His focus is incredible. This year, he arrived as a true professional, and you can clearly see what he went through during the season. He arrived injured, but was with the team almost from day one, perhaps two or three days late due to club obligations. He was with the team, working on recovery with the conditioning coach and medical staff, doing whatever he could on the court, being with the team, communicating, watching practices, and truly acting like a real leader, on and off the court. Not once did you see him deviate or behave differently from the team; quite the opposite, he behaved impeccably. And when the team leader, a player projected to be so important, acts that way, then everyone else just follows, and the other guys embraced it and grew together. He played well, but everyone else played well alongside him.

I had those questions there at the championship from some of my colleagues, other coaches, but honestly, no one personally contacted us, no one called us, nor did I see any lack of focus from Nikola. We had no problems, nor did we need to react. Everyone was there with the team, focused, everyone was doing their tasks, and the result itself speaks to that; if there had been problems, we wouldn't be where we are.

We discussed his career, how, what, where... We have a special relationship, the two of us, and we talk about it constantly. But, of course, all of that was before the preparations began, before the championship, and then when the championship started, the focus was solely on the games, on preparing for the matches and opponents.

I have many colleagues and friends, and we constantly sit and talk, and no one has an answer to this; no one knows what's best for the player himself. That's a question perhaps for more experienced individuals – what do more seasoned coaches think about it? Personally, I don't know, I truly don't know, I have no opinion, and I don't know what's better. My only thought is what happens when they finish and what will happen when those players can't go to the NBA and return to Europe. That will be very interesting, and we'll see what it looks like when that first gap occurs, when a player who went there returns to Europe. Right now, serious money is involved... What is it, how is it, what's better for a young player, is it better to develop in Europe, to be in a serious senior team with a role, which no one can promise him because results are primary, or in America where he has some security of finishing school, financial stability, serious training, is closer to the NBA, these are some questions to which I, as one of the younger coaches, have no answer. I'm not wise, and I'm looking for answers myself, honestly.

I must commend the federation; they truly provided us with maximum conditions, year after year. I've been here a long time, first as an assistant for four years in U16, U17, U18, U19 – only U20 I haven't been with – now I'm the head coach, and I can truly say that our conditions are excellent, both the length of preparations and the environment we spend our time in. I'd like to thank the federation for making that possible. Regarding the senior national team, I must thank and commend coach Dušan Alimpijević, who, from the very first day he became coach, called me, wished me luck, and said he was there for whatever I needed. We've been in touch monthly since then, checking in, asking how things are. He appeared at that tournament in Istanbul, watched the game. We were down by 20 points, he addressed the boys, hugged me in the hallway, like a friend, to relax me: 'Come on, coach the game as you do, don't let me burden you, free yourself, just go for it...' We ended up turning the game around and winning. I think there's a healthy atmosphere among everyone, among the other coaches. We spent preparations together, we're all in communication, talking, and I think that's very important and means a lot to both coaches and players that we're all together, because we're all here for our country, for Serbia, and for something that's the most beautiful thing you can experience in a career.

Once again – thank you. I guess I deserved it, he told me so, but in any case, many thanks to him for everything. For me, everything I've experienced in these two years is the realization of a dream, and now this opportunity I'm getting, I think there's nothing more than that, there's nothing bigger in sports than being in the senior national team. I think the same for the young guys, and I'm glad we think that way, that it will give everyone an incentive to work.

In these two years, how everything has turned around, I have no words... I was emotional in the locker room after everything, when we finished, and now too, this call from the senior national team, I think, is the crowning achievement of a coach's career. That's how I see it.

We finished the season at AEK extremely successfully; we were in the BCL final, the FIBA Champions League, taking second place, unluckily losing in the final. In the Greek championship, we were among the top four teams, reaching the semifinals, which was our goal. Working with Dragan Šakota was a huge and invaluable experience for me. I felt so much more stable and better during this championship than before, and I truly believe I've made significant progress alongside Dragan, and it meant a lot to me. I hope to continue our collaboration in the future, but we'll see; summer is ahead, so slowly but surely.