Currently, the Serbian belongs to the Milan “Olimpia” club, but from 2020 to 2025 he played for Istanbul “Fenerbahçe”, so he definitely has something to compare and tell.
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In the interview, SK M. Guduričius was asked about the similarities between Š. Jasikevičius and Željko Obradović. Both coaches are known for their demanding nature, discipline, and very meticulous preparation for games, and the Serbian gave a concrete example of how this looks in everyday life.
“Let me give a concrete example. My freshest memories are related to Šaras. Before each game, preparation lasts two or three days, and after every training session, he is already sitting at his laptop. We stay to shoot around, and he watches basketball on the computer. He prepares for the opponent all day, looking for where we could attack them, how to defend, what we should do,” said M. Guduričius.
The “Fenerbahçe” guard was also particularly impressed by Jasikevičius’s constant companion – an A4-sized notebook in which the coach writes down many notes before each game.
“He writes everything down. He always has his A4-sized notebook, in which everything is written in small print before each game. Probably, it is a kind of reminder for him while preparing,” said the Serbian.
According to M. Guduričius, the meticulousness of preparation itself is not unique in European basketball – many top-level coaches work similarly.
However, Š. Jasikevičius stands out from others because his approach does not change regardless of the opponent’s strength or the importance of the game.
“Many coaches do this, but what impressed me the most is that he behaves the same way even in Turkish league games against the last team in the standings. Even then, that A4 sheet is filled from the first to the last line.
Unbelievable. I had never seen that before. That’s what those details mean. He approaches every game the same way, never underestimates anything. He knows he did everything he could, played his role, and then, of course, everything depends on us,” said M. Guduričius.
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It is precisely with such preparation that the Serbian associates the often seen emotional behavior of Š. Jasikevičius on the sidelines. According to M. Guduričius, the coach’s reactions come from the huge amount of energy he himself invests in preparing for games.
“That’s why he is so emotional and behaves that way on the court. He knows how much energy he puts in and that he did everything he could. Then he feels guilty when we make mistakes, lose concentration, or fail to do something he has repeated a hundred times,” explained the basketball player.
M. Guduričius added that he could describe Ž. Obradović very similarly, having also played under his coaching earlier.
“Everything I said fits Željko as well. It’s just that the experience with Šaras is fresher, so it is still very new in my memory,” he said.
When asked how the two famous coaches differ, M. Guduričius admitted that it is not easy to identify the essential differences.
“That’s a more complicated question. I would say there are not many differences, but of course, there are some. They are of different ages, and basketball itself changes.
I think one of Željko’s greatest strengths is that throughout his career he has been able to adapt and always follow trends coming from America or elsewhere. He was always close to them.
On the other hand, Šaras is youthful and energetic,” summarized the Serbian.
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