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Interview
with Dejan Tomasevic one of the best European forwards
Marko Majkic
:
How would you see the situation when for example Montenegro separates
or tries to separate from Serbia? What steps would you take then? Would
you still play for Buducnost?
Dejan Tomasevic: I am professional
player. I don’t think about this possibility, but if it comes true I
will stay in Buducnost.
Marko Majkic
:
After a disappointing Euro campaign with Yugoslavia, what are your
personal, and team goals for the 2000 Olympics? What will be considered a
good achievement?
Dejan Tomasevic: I don’t agree with
your opinion that was disappointing campaign. In that moment, under all
problems with the injuries that bronze medal was like the gold one to us.
I have to say again that we were without five playmakers…
We plan to go at the Olympic Games with the strongest team and we
will try to defeat Dream Team. In Atlanta we won a silver medal and that
was a great success. It will be nice if we get this target again. We have
a quality for final game and we shall see what we are able to do in these
40 minutes.
Stratos
Prokopiou : This
summer there were many revelations about your name and about you coming to
A.E.K. It was said that A.E.K made a higher offer than Buducnost. Why
didn't you come? Did Ivkovic change his mind because you are not a 'clean'
pivot? I would also like to say that it was nice of you to say 'Thank you'
and mention what we did (not that much) during the time of the NATO
attacks. Molim brate, it was our pleasure.
Dejan Tomasevic: It is true that AEK
called me. One moment I thought I would go to this club, but after I got
offer from Buducnost I did not want to reject my friends and officials
from Podgorica. Also, it is true that offer from AEK was better in
financial details, but the main reason for Buducnost was a motivation to
get some big success with one of Yugoslav team. I think that Buducnost is
able to go very high in European league. Greeks are only nation which
support us in the hardest time and once more I have to say: THANKS!
Subotic
: Which team is
gonna win Euroleague? I like your play just keep going, and I think you
are one of the best European players.
Dejan Tomasevic: It is not too early to
give any predictions. The most important games will be played in February
and March next year. These games in groups are some kind of preparation
games for elimination round. Everybody is trying to get better position
for eight-final round. In elimination games many factors are important:
who is in a better shape or who avoids injuries… There are four or five
teams which are main candidates for the title.
Alessandro
Bonomo : Do you plan to play abroad
in the years to come ? Have you received offers from abroad ? By the way,
I'd like to congratulate with you for the great Euroleague season you are
doing.
Dejan Tomasevic: I will go abroad but I
don’t know when. In this moment Buducnost is best “foreign” club for
me, every player wishes to play in the club like this one. I am close to
my hometown, my family lives close to Belgrade, too. I am very satisfied.
Samuelson
: How would you
explain your big improvement this year? Have you practiced a lot in
the summer or is it your movement from Partizan to Buducnost?
Dejan Tomasevic: There are many
factors. But, as you know I have good seasons also in Partizan, too. I
have more experience, also I am a father of beautiful daughter… It is
also one of reasons of my better statistics. But it is not my target. I
would rather talk about five straight wins of my team instead of myself.
Samuelson
: How would you
explain a player like you that has 21 points per game and 8.5 rebounds per
game not being chosen to the Eurostars?
Dejan Tomasevic: I don’t know. It is
a poll…
Boris
Djukanovic : Dejan, I am a
big fan of yours and the first time you impressed me was that celebration
in Belgrade after Athens'95 when you sang a little "poem" about
someone. Ha, ha. I am glad that you made it in basketball too. Now, you
are one of the best players in Europe, do you see yourself in the NBA in
near future? And what do you expect from next year Olympics?
Dejan Tomasevic: I would like to
impress people for some other things, not only to remember me for this
“poem”. But I don’t feel guilty for singing that poem. I spoke many
times about NBA. I am not dreaming about NBA because I don’ like this
kind of basketball. European basketball is closer to me.
Shai Keshet
: What do you
think that Europe needs to get to the level of the NBA ? What we can do?
Dejan Tomasevic: The difference between
Europe and NBA is getting smaller. In near future some European teams will
be strong enough to be equal to NBA teams.
Mislav
Mustapic : As the leader and
best player of Buducnost, how come your team was not performing as well as
they are now? You came from 5 straight losses to 4 straight wins!
What caused the sudden change? Does Vladimir Scepanovic still bring
a negative attitude towards the team as I heard? Congratulations on the
victory against Partizan (68:66).
Dejan Tomasevic: There are two
important reasons for our bad performances at the start of the season.
First of all there are five new players and we needed a time to get team
chemistry. Also, this is a first time for Buducnost to play Euroleague and
this is new experience for some players and officials in the club. Third
is that we chose Sarajevo for home court. Budapest is warmer than
Sarajevo, this is second home town for us. Two months ago I said that we
will need at least 50 days to put everything at right place. I don’t
know what was a problem with Scepanovic, it is a question for him. But it
is obviously that the team chemistry is much better now.
Vladimir Ilic
:
What will be the starting five of the Yugoslav national team at Sydney
2000?
Dejan Tomasevic: I hope that will be :
Djordjevic, Danilovic , Bodiroga, Divac and Rebraca.
Cagatay Konuk : Do you
think it was a good decision for the Yugoslavian League to keep its
borders shut to foreign players? By the time FIBA frees all the borders to
foreign players, what should be the strategy of Yugoslavian basketball on
this topic?
Dejan Tomasevic: I think there are many young players in Yugoslavia with
big potential, and they deserve a chance. I agree that foreign players
could play in Yugoslavia but they have to be better than Yugoslav players.
Boris Car : When did you start
playing basketball and what inspired you?
Dejan Tomasevic: When I was 17 years old I saw that I am better than my
friend and I started to play basketball seriously.
Boris Car : What is your ultimate
goal in life?
Dejan Tomasevic:
My family.
Boris Car : Which person do you
most admire and why?
Dejan Tomasevic: My grandfather.
BY EUROBASKET
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