Željko Obradović: “When we are healthy, things look really good”

Every word from Željko Obradović tends to carry significant weight. The Serbian coach is known for his humility and his cautious approach when discussing his teams, which makes his latest comments about Panathinaikos particularly notable.

Speaking to EuroLeague & Friends Made in Serbia, Obradović discussed the ambitions of Dimitris Giannakopoulos and the current Panathinaikos roster.

“Dimitris is ambitious, which reflects the kind of team he has built over the last few years, or rather the kind of team we have now. When we are healthy, things look really good. Of course, everything has to be considered in the context of the team. We really have a lot of injured players.”

“When we are healthy, things look really good”

That sentence is the key point of Obradović’s comments.

The Serbian coach has experienced very different situations throughout his career, from the star-studded Fenerbahce teams to the Partizan roster he helped develop and elevate, featuring players such as Mathias Lessort, Dante Exum, Kevin Punter, Zach LeDay and James Nunnally.

His current challenge with Panathinaikos is different. Obradović has inherited a roster featuring significant individual talent, but he has not yet had the opportunity to work with the entire group together.

The current injury situation has forced Panathinaikos to begin the season without several important players, including veterans and players capable of making a difference at the highest level.

Patience will be needed

The opening weeks of the season will therefore require patience, particularly with games coming in rapid succession while a significant portion of the roster remains unavailable.

Obradović’s confidence, however, is evident. Despite having been unable to coach the entire group together even once, he believes that the picture will look very different once Panathinaikos is healthy.

Exactly when that will happen remains uncertain. But the Serbian coach’s message is clear: he believes the full-strength version of Panathinaikos has the potential to be a very different team.

Source: SDNA / EuroLeague & Friends Made in Serbia