Zeljko Obradovic is universally recognized as the greatest coach in European basketball history, and his résumé speaks for itself. Equally important, however, are the words of Panathinaikos’ superstars — the players he will be coaching in Athens from next season.
The “Lord of the Rings” of European basketball returned to Panathinaikos after 14 years, and the internet was instantly flooded with tributes to the most successful coach the continent has ever seen.
“King.” “The greatest ever.” “The best in history.”
These are just some of the descriptions attached to Obradovic’s name, both in articles across Europe and in the reactions of Panathinaikos fans on social media.
His legacy is beyond dispute. The trophies alone — nine EuroLeague titles — tell the story. A look at his career and the influence he has had on European basketball is enough to justify every one of those accolades.
Yet when such praise comes from the players themselves — from athletes who have worked with him or competed against him — every word carries even greater weight.
For example, the captain of the seven-time European champions, Kostas Sloukas, has repeatedly spoken in glowing terms about Obradovic, whom he considers his “basketball father,” the man who helped establish him among the elite guards in Europe. The Greek guard has highlighted both the 66-year-old coach’s exceptional communication skills and his relentless work ethic.
Mathias Lessort shares similar feelings. The French center worked under Obradovic at Partizan and has publicly explained that the Serbian coach was the man who believed in him, gave him an opportunity and changed the course of his career forever.
Respect for Obradovic is not limited to former players, though. Even those who have only experienced his greatness from the opposite bench speak highly of him. Kendrick Nunn, for instance, had already shared his admiration for the legendary coach long before their paths crossed.
So here is Zeljko Obradovic through the eyes of Kostas Sloukas, Mathias Lessort and Kendrick Nunn. Six statements that perhaps capture the imposing stature of “Zoc” better than any analysis ever could.
Kostas Sloukas to SDNA, October 2016: “Obradovic has the gift of communication — You have to listen to him”
“Coach Obradovic has the gift of communication and knows very well how to handle every athlete individually. He has explained our roles in detail, we know what he expects from us and he trusts us. This is a process that will be repeated many times throughout the season because he likes talking to players and making them feel better. He is truly exceptional at that.
From the very beginning, he told me he wanted me to read the game, be more aggressive both defensively and offensively. He believes in my abilities and has made that very clear. That is why he asks me to read the game and identify the opponent’s weaknesses so I can score more points.
Everyone understands that Coach Obradovic is simple and fair. If he raises his voice, it is always about things we have discussed many times before. You have to listen to him, understand what you did wrong and move on. This happens with every player, at any time.
What matters is not the tension of the moment, but what he is trying to tell you. You have to learn how to handle it, otherwise you will have problems. That is his way and you have to follow it. In time, you realize that his approach is meant to lift your spirit and make you stronger.”
Mathias Lessort on Partizan’s official channel, March 2023: “Obradovic believed in me — I try to repay him every day”
“He won nine Euroleagues, there is no need to prove himself to anyone. Of course, people in Serbia would go crazy if he won the tenth. But it doesn’t change anything about his CV. Nine or ten titles, it’s not a big difference. He gave me the opportunity to play for him and be a part of his story. That’s a big deal for me. We got along really well, on and off the field. We trust each other. He believes in me like no one before him. Many doubted that I was right for the role of the first center in the Euroleague. But he has knowledge and faith in me, and I try to repay him every day, in every training session, in every match. Just to pay him back”.
Mathias Lessort to SDNA, July 2023: “He helped me be myself”
“For me, it is important to be allowed to be myself, to have the freedom to be Mathias Lessort and not just a player or a center.
Obradovic helped me be myself. He gave me freedom, allowed me to improve and helped me manage both my strengths and weaknesses in order to become the player I am today. It is truly special to be in such a situation, with a coach like him.”
Kostas Sloukas to SDNA, July 2024: “Practice was at 6 p.m. and he was in the gym from 11 a.m.”
“I believe Obradovic showed me how to work. Working with him changed many things for me. He taught me what it means to love what you do.
I like going to the gym in the morning to get some shots up when we have afternoon practice. Coach was there at 11 a.m. even though practice started at 6 p.m. He was there watching video, sometimes even sleeping at the gym.
That’s what people mean when they say ‘lead by example.’ No matter what time I went there, he was always there. Beyond basketball, you can understand all of this by looking at the titles.”
Mathias Lessort to SKWEEK, November 2024: “I wanted to play for Zeljko”
“At that stage of my career, I had ups and downs, but he elevated me. I joined Partizan saying: ‘I’m going to play for Zeljko.’ I knew how great a coach he was and how much he could impact me. He was the main reason I went there.
There are many stories about Zeljko. The craziest one I remember happened after a day off. We were making a lot of mistakes in practice. He started turning red, then purple.
After another mistake, he stopped everything and said: ‘Practice is over. Give me the ball.’ We sat on the baseline and he told us: ‘I understand you don’t want to practice today. You don’t want to play basketball. Since you want to be great athletes, go be great athletes.’ Then we ran for 45 straight minutes. He wanted us to think about our attitude. By the end, the floor was slippery from all the sweat.”
Kendrick Nunn in a EuroLeague flash interview, January 2025: “I have a ton of respect for Obradovic”
““I have a ton of respect for him as a coach and a person. We’ve never met personally, but for him to just embrace me at that moment it meant a lot. I was frustrated… Anger high, emotions high, and he just came to me, kind of healed me, trying to keep me calm, telling me to just calm down, and it definitely helped a little bit. So, I thank him for it”.
