Jonas Kazlauskas is visiting Madrid was interviewed by "Kauno diena" daily.
-Coach, what is your impressions about Lithuanian basketball team in this championship
- The team plays good, it's a pitty, that because of the flight delay I missed the match with France. It seems, that was the best game of lithuanians. Though there will not be weak teams in the quaterfinals, I think, Lithuania does not have much of a difference, whom to play with. The main thing is to avoid spanish as long as they can.
The style is a bit changed, and this is caused by the return of Šarūnas Jasikevičius. A lot of things are in his hands, and I am a bit scared, that the team is depending on him too much. But it is a joy, that Šarūnas is in a good shape, is hungry for basketball and makes Lithuanian offense more various, interestin and hard to predict.
Ramūnas Šiškauskas and Rimantas Kaukėnas are shining with self confidence - they are mature players. These three players are turning all the game of the team, are creating chances for themselves and the others. When all three are on court, the opponents are having hard times in their defense.
But there are more high class players in the team - Lavrinovič brothers, Robertas Javtokas, as well as Darius Songaila, who is especially dangerous in the three-second zone. These players know, what to do on court. Lithuania plays a team-oriented game, and this is the right way.
- Does the game of Jasikevičius differ after two seasons in NBA from the one he've been showing before getting there?
-He's looking event better now. But you can't be expecting, that he will be playing without turnovers, because he's improvizing and risking on court. Sometimes Šarūnas makes an assist, that it seems you can't miss. But first thing that you notice, is his irregular decisions. You can't learn that, you need a feeling for that. As Diego Maradona was in football - neither the fastest one, nor the stronges, but he always was taking right decisions.
-What oppinion did you form about other participating teams?
-Spanish look very powerful, they are shining with self confidence. Croatians, in my oppinion, got into the right shape a bit too early, because they were playing very well before the championship. It might happen, that now they will go down bit by bit.
It looks like Russians got stronger. This team reminds me the one, which was playing back in 2000. They are on their way back to the same road, playing good in the defense.
Greeks are not impressing so far, but they still are very powerful team. Slovenians have a lot of problems because of injuries, so it will be hard to play few players for whole championship.
- You had an offer to return to Žalgiris in winter. Why did you decline it?
-I had number of offers bt in winter and summer. I've been considering Žalgiris' offer really intensively, but I had a contract with Chinese federation and I couldn't find any weak places, according to which I could cancel it. I've said to heads of federation - "If you have any complaints, please bring them on and we may tear appart".
I had more lucrative offers in the summer, but I couldn't use them. Maybe sometimes this job gets annoying, sometimes you even have to go for a war with someone, but if the limits are not crossed, you can't spit on everything.
Speaking of Žalgiris, I think Rimantas Grigas and Darius Maskoliūnas are doing a good job. They changed the team within some time, and it shows, that coaches have put a lot of work in it. When the game improves right after the coach switch, it means, that there were some psychological problems. Grigas with Maskoliūnas changed the defence and other things in 7-8 games.
- The most difficult year is awaiting for you in China?
- Yes, not easy for sure. But there weren't any easy years, because China is not a basketball country, but they rise high demands. China does not have a strong league, where the players could develop more rapidly, so I have a lot of work.
- How you reacted to the critics, that there are not that much of victories in the tour in Europe, as it was expected?
- This is not quite correct information. As everywhere in the world, in China a human also have both friends and enemies. This information was published by a journalist, who is writing to one english internet site. When I asked about the complaints the heads of federation, they denied it.
But I was dissapointed by the European tour too. We played in the tournaments of highest level, where chinese have never played before - ULEB Summer league, Stankovič cup. We hoped to play with the strongest roster, so that's why we've chosen these tournaments.
Last year, when we came to Europe without Yao Ming, they were shocked. We were loosing to the "B" teams with 30-40 point difference. This year Chinese team have won in US for the first time - we won against Cleveland in the summer league. Four NBA players were in their roster. This game was shown on TV in China for three times.
I also will mention, that my job is hardened by the fact, that I still give directions to the players with interpreter. It takes a lot of time, and if you want to change something in the game, you have to do it immediately. It's good, that the players improve their understanding of english.
- But compliments from Yao Ming were real, not immaginery
- You see, he let us down a bit, when he decided not to play for the national team this summer. If we would know that earlier, we would choose different opponents and schedule. You can imagine, what that player means to the Chinese team.
Earlier chinese had problems in Asian games, which are the most important to them. When we started to work with Dell Haris, and later I left alone, chinese are winning the Asian games even without best players. But when they sent the B team with different coach, they won 10th place, loosing twice to Philipines. This is another prove, that China is not a basketball country, and only fool can't understand that changes, which took place during the last years. But the higher you get, the more enemies you gain. I look at all this phylosophically.
-During your work in China two players got to NBA
- When I got to China, Yi Jianlian was getting three minutes on court. But I have seen tapes, and had my eye on him. When I was questioned about the players, and we stopped on him, I've said, that I like him a lt and he will help us in the Olympics. They were shocked of the fact, that I am planning to invite him to the national team. The kid finished the olympics in the starting five. As well as Sun Yue, who participated in NBA draft this year. If I wouldn't come to China, he probably wouldn't ever played for national team.
- Will you leave China after Bejing olympics?
- Yes. I've already told that to heads of federation, so they would be searching for new coach. I have three young coaches working with me. Maybe someone of them will take my place.
-Coach, what is your impressions about Lithuanian basketball team in this championship
- The team plays good, it's a pitty, that because of the flight delay I missed the match with France. It seems, that was the best game of lithuanians. Though there will not be weak teams in the quaterfinals, I think, Lithuania does not have much of a difference, whom to play with. The main thing is to avoid spanish as long as they can.
The style is a bit changed, and this is caused by the return of Šarūnas Jasikevičius. A lot of things are in his hands, and I am a bit scared, that the team is depending on him too much. But it is a joy, that Šarūnas is in a good shape, is hungry for basketball and makes Lithuanian offense more various, interestin and hard to predict.
Ramūnas Šiškauskas and Rimantas Kaukėnas are shining with self confidence - they are mature players. These three players are turning all the game of the team, are creating chances for themselves and the others. When all three are on court, the opponents are having hard times in their defense.
But there are more high class players in the team - Lavrinovič brothers, Robertas Javtokas, as well as Darius Songaila, who is especially dangerous in the three-second zone. These players know, what to do on court. Lithuania plays a team-oriented game, and this is the right way.
- Does the game of Jasikevičius differ after two seasons in NBA from the one he've been showing before getting there?
-He's looking event better now. But you can't be expecting, that he will be playing without turnovers, because he's improvizing and risking on court. Sometimes Šarūnas makes an assist, that it seems you can't miss. But first thing that you notice, is his irregular decisions. You can't learn that, you need a feeling for that. As Diego Maradona was in football - neither the fastest one, nor the stronges, but he always was taking right decisions.
-What oppinion did you form about other participating teams?
-Spanish look very powerful, they are shining with self confidence. Croatians, in my oppinion, got into the right shape a bit too early, because they were playing very well before the championship. It might happen, that now they will go down bit by bit.
It looks like Russians got stronger. This team reminds me the one, which was playing back in 2000. They are on their way back to the same road, playing good in the defense.
Greeks are not impressing so far, but they still are very powerful team. Slovenians have a lot of problems because of injuries, so it will be hard to play few players for whole championship.
- You had an offer to return to Žalgiris in winter. Why did you decline it?
-I had number of offers bt in winter and summer. I've been considering Žalgiris' offer really intensively, but I had a contract with Chinese federation and I couldn't find any weak places, according to which I could cancel it. I've said to heads of federation - "If you have any complaints, please bring them on and we may tear appart".
I had more lucrative offers in the summer, but I couldn't use them. Maybe sometimes this job gets annoying, sometimes you even have to go for a war with someone, but if the limits are not crossed, you can't spit on everything.
Speaking of Žalgiris, I think Rimantas Grigas and Darius Maskoliūnas are doing a good job. They changed the team within some time, and it shows, that coaches have put a lot of work in it. When the game improves right after the coach switch, it means, that there were some psychological problems. Grigas with Maskoliūnas changed the defence and other things in 7-8 games.
- The most difficult year is awaiting for you in China?
- Yes, not easy for sure. But there weren't any easy years, because China is not a basketball country, but they rise high demands. China does not have a strong league, where the players could develop more rapidly, so I have a lot of work.
- How you reacted to the critics, that there are not that much of victories in the tour in Europe, as it was expected?
- This is not quite correct information. As everywhere in the world, in China a human also have both friends and enemies. This information was published by a journalist, who is writing to one english internet site. When I asked about the complaints the heads of federation, they denied it.
But I was dissapointed by the European tour too. We played in the tournaments of highest level, where chinese have never played before - ULEB Summer league, Stankovič cup. We hoped to play with the strongest roster, so that's why we've chosen these tournaments.
Last year, when we came to Europe without Yao Ming, they were shocked. We were loosing to the "B" teams with 30-40 point difference. This year Chinese team have won in US for the first time - we won against Cleveland in the summer league. Four NBA players were in their roster. This game was shown on TV in China for three times.
I also will mention, that my job is hardened by the fact, that I still give directions to the players with interpreter. It takes a lot of time, and if you want to change something in the game, you have to do it immediately. It's good, that the players improve their understanding of english.
- But compliments from Yao Ming were real, not immaginery
- You see, he let us down a bit, when he decided not to play for the national team this summer. If we would know that earlier, we would choose different opponents and schedule. You can imagine, what that player means to the Chinese team.
Earlier chinese had problems in Asian games, which are the most important to them. When we started to work with Dell Haris, and later I left alone, chinese are winning the Asian games even without best players. But when they sent the B team with different coach, they won 10th place, loosing twice to Philipines. This is another prove, that China is not a basketball country, and only fool can't understand that changes, which took place during the last years. But the higher you get, the more enemies you gain. I look at all this phylosophically.
-During your work in China two players got to NBA
- When I got to China, Yi Jianlian was getting three minutes on court. But I have seen tapes, and had my eye on him. When I was questioned about the players, and we stopped on him, I've said, that I like him a lt and he will help us in the Olympics. They were shocked of the fact, that I am planning to invite him to the national team. The kid finished the olympics in the starting five. As well as Sun Yue, who participated in NBA draft this year. If I wouldn't come to China, he probably wouldn't ever played for national team.
- Will you leave China after Bejing olympics?
- Yes. I've already told that to heads of federation, so they would be searching for new coach. I have three young coaches working with me. Maybe someone of them will take my place.
Comment