ANKARA (2010 FIBA World Championship) – Russia National Team’s head coach David Blatt has given an interview to us (and FIBATV.Com) pre 2010 FIBA World Championship about the team, his past, the recent brawl and the championship.

David Blatt started his basketball career as a player in College Basketball. After his college days he went to play Israel. Blatt said, “I wanted to continue playing after college and I wasn’t good enough for NBA. When I found the chance to play in Israel I took that chance and I had 13 great years till I got injured”.

“After the injury I became the assistant coach of Israeli National Team. When I left Israel I started coaching Dynamo St.Petersburg. That’s where Russians learned my name and I became the head coach of Russia.”

“I never thought I would be working with Russia National Team. I grew up in the US as a child during the cold war. Last place I thought I’d end up in was Russia but I am very lucky that I went there. I learned a lot of things about Russia that I didn’t know while growing up. I realised how people are the same all across the world. No matter what religion, language or culture people are always people. Specially the basketball people.”

Russia National Team won gold medal in 2007 Eurobasket but didn’t qualify for the 2010 FIBA World Championship in 2009 Eurobasket and took a Wild Card to get to Turkey. Blatt said,” Our accomplishment in 2007 was historical. People don’t understand how big that was. First of all before 2007 people thought we were no good. They didn’t give us any chance. Secondly we beat Spain on the final game at their home in front of their crowd. And that was the best team Spain ever had. All their stars and players were in the best of their shape. In 2009 we didn’t have any of our star players. Kirilenko, Holden, Khryapa and Sasha Kaun was not there. Also our old players have just retired. We went to Poland and won 5 games and if you ask me as a coach and someone who knows basketball that was at least as big of an accomplishment as 2007. This year we are waiting for Khryapa to get better.  I don’t know how much he is going to be able to play and that is a big concern. No matter what we will fight till the end”.

While he was talking about the 2010 FIBA World Championship he said “World Championship is unlike any other. This is a very different organization. There are many unknown talented players from countries that you haven’t seen before. Lots of different styles and countries. I hope we make it out of the pool. Right now I don’t know how far we can go without Viktor. People have been watching this team for the last six years and they know we will always keep fighting. I can’t make any predictions now. In our situation, we need to stay humble but we sure are not going to leave without a fight”.

About the brawl between the Greek and Serbian players in Acropolis Tournament David Blatt said, “I wasn’t there but I watched from the television. You know it’s not easy to judge things when you are not there or when you are not involved first hand but there had to be a reaction like this. These kind of situations are not acceptable in basketball or in any sport. The thing that disturbs me the most was that the fans were involved in the brawl. I don’t know how they got there. I am dissapointed with all those players. We are setting up an example for the fans and if we act violently then they can act violently too. I love Sofo and I think what he was trying to do was to defend his team and I am sorry that he got dragged in the middle of everything. But Sofo being Sofo, he draws attention everywhere. A player must control his feelings at all times. I know it is easier to say that do but there were older players there and if they could control themselves this wouldn’t get out of hand.”

David Blatt also shared something he told his players during the meeting this morning “Basketball is a micro model of life. If you can’t even control your emotions while playing basketball, what are you going to do out there in real life when you face bigger problems that really matter?”

He added “This is all very upsetting but I hope everyone learnes from this”

LOC