This time we got our interviewee thanks to our community. Matic Burjak, who runs KŠ Jezerniki Prevalje connected us to an interesting individual that comes from the USA. I interviewed Martin Knežević who also has Slovenian roots and is a coach who specializes in player development. He is also a person who can tell us the similarities and differences between the European approach to basketball and the NBA approach to basketball.
Mr. Knežević, judging by your name, you come from “our places”, but judging by your CV, you are based in the USA. Could you tell me a bit about your background and your roots? Are there any interesting stories about it?
I was born and raised in Los Angeles. My first passion was classical piano. I started playing at age 5, practicing every day for 2 hours. When I was 16, I went to North Carolina for a music festival. By the end of the six weeks, I was spending more time playing pick-up basketball with the locals on campus than I was at the piano. I think that was a sign of things to come for me. My family is from Montenegro, except my grandmother who is Slovenian. When I am not coaching abroad, I call San Diego home. That is where my family lives and I have a lot of friends. The beach isn’t bad either.
How and when have you developed a love for basketball? I read about your coaching days, but what were your experiences like as a player?
Like a lot of European kids, my first sport was soccer. Then, one day, I saw this tall bearded guy playing for the Lakers. It blew my mind that a Serbian guy was not only playing in the NBA but playing for the most famous team and in my backyard. Vlade Divac, and of course Magic Johnson who was passing him the ball most the time, inspired me to pick up a basketball and start dribbling. My experience as a player was at UC San Diego. I was not the best player but I was pretty athletic and did whatever the coach needed. We ran a Princeton offense so I learned all about moving without the ball and playing unselfishly.
What were your first steps in coaching like? Who was your first mentor or the one that influenced or helped you the most? When did you realize that basketball might be a viable career choice? Was there a single event that shifted your mindset, or was that always an option?
For years, people told me I should try coaching. I was an emotional player and I thought coaching would be a nightmare. But the opposite happened, I was calm and composed. Being on the sideline gave me the proper perspective and the ability to focus on the details .I resisted until one day I thought it might be good to just put some coaching experience on my CV. I was invited to coach the tryouts for a new summer league in Orange County, California. Doug Christie, the former Laker guard, would be leading the drills and scrimmages with me assisting him. He was so cool with me, asking for my opinion on players and what players to substitute in the game. I loved the feeling when I showed a player how to do something, even if it was a small thing, and then seeing them use it on the court with success. It was so much more rewarding than anything I ever did on the court. It meant so much more. When I left the gym that day, I was hooked – I knew what I wanted to do as a career. This feeling only grew more when, a couple of months later, I was able to help coach the Los Angeles tryouts for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the NBA G League. That gave me even more confidence as a coach and the motivation to keep pursuing a career in coaching. That might have been the most important summer of my life.
Reading through your bio, I was very surprised by the diversity of your coaching experience. You coached in Mexico, the USA, Lebanon, Canada, Vietnam, China, Denmark, and Romania. Your roles varied from head coach to assistant and lead assistant coach, while you also did some scouting in Spain for Real Betis. Could you tell us how those roles differ from one another, what makes you great in those roles, and which is your favorite role, if you could choose?
All of those roles go into what I do daily, from the individual player development and fundamentals, to the scouting and player evaluations, to the team tactics and strategy, it is all part of the coaching handbook. Coaching FIBA overseas has made me a better coach on so many levels. Over the last ten years, though, I have really enjoyed serving as head coach. Leading your own group every day and seeing them take on your identity, or at least the identity you help mold for them, is so rewarding. That being said, my focus right now is to work with the highest level leagues/players possible, no matter the role on the staff. Looking back, my time as an assistant in the NBA G League and NBA Summer League was probably my most enjoyable time and I would like to return to a similar role and level of basketball – helping high level players and teams improve every single day.
What were some cultural differences or culture shocks that you encountered while working in those countries? Any funny or interesting stories regarding that?
In my opinion, the cultures, levels of basketball, and environments are vastly different. Coaching pro basketball overseas is as much about the culture as the basketball, you have to not only know but respect both. All these past countries have helped to make me the person I am today, not only the basketball coach. In Culiacan, Mexico, we ran out of gas and had to stop on a road in town. We looked over at what looked like a large newspaper stand, only with candles. Turns out it was a chapel built for Jesus Malverde, the narco-saint. He was a Mexican bandit and folklore hero that many locals still pay homage to like a god. That is how much the cartels are interwoven into the fabric of Sinaloa and many other places in Mexico.
In Vietnam, it was bizarre to see people flocking to the ocean at 6 AM. It looked like some cult baptism ceremony. In their culture, the darker your skin, the worse you are looked upon, so they want to enjoy the beach without any of the UV rays.
Couple stories from my current season in China. When I arrived at the airport, the team manager had a huge bouquet for me. It was awkward having another man hand you flowers, but he swore it wasn’t romantic. Then, the other day, I was walking through the mall here and saw a huge boxing ring with kids in full pads fighting MMA. My first thought was, what a weird activity for kids while their parents shop. Turns out, they were having a tournament. Either way, you just don’t see this in western countries, not in front of a mall Starbucks location at least.
As your basketball influences, you named some Balkan ones and some NBA ones. Slobodan “Piksi” Subotić is someone Slovenian fans are very familiar with. Where did your paths cross?
I met ‘Piksi’ when I was a head coach in Lebanon. This was my first coaching job “overseas” after coaching in the G League and in Mexico. He was coaching the big club there and really took time out to make me feel comfortable in a new country. He was such a great player and his coaching style is loved by many players and coaches. The stories he told me from his time coaching in Greece are legendary. He really helped me out as a young international coach starting out and I am forever indebted to him.
Which other coaches were influential in your journey as a coach, and how?
My biggest mentor in pro basketball is Jim Kelly. He is a longtime NBA scout for the Dallas Mavericks. Prior to joining Dallas, he was one of the top decision-makers with the Toronto Raptors under Isiah Thomas. Jim is also a former coach with decades of experience leading professional clubs overseas. His knowledge of the game is unparalleled and he probably knows every single person in the world of basketball. My first coaching job was with the San Diego Surf, a local semi-pro team. Jim lived nearby and came to the first game of the season. We instantly started talking ball and I almost missed the starting lineups! Since then our friendship has grown every year. We talk once a week sharing thoughts on teams and players. Every time I talk to Jim, I learn something new. I also feel honored that a legendary guy like that seeks my input too. When our schedules both have us home at the same time, we get together for lunch and compare stories from the past season. He has been a huge help for me in my career and has really inspired me to keep grinding. Jim is truly one of the best guys in basketball!
Last season I had the chance to work with Milan Minic in Romania. He is probably the most knowledgeable basketball coach I have ever worked with and really fun to be around on a daily basis. His career has spanned decades, from serving as assistant coach under legends like Zeljko Obradovic and Dusan Ivkovic to leading teams like CSKA and Aris as a head coach. I would just pick his brain about every individual player development techniques, player fundamentals, and what can determine wins and losses while in training sessions. I worked with him only for a few short months, but my knowledge grew a lot.
Moving back to the NBA, I read you worked closely with J.B. Bickerstaff and Nick Van Exel. What were those experiences like, and what did you learn from them?
Wow, two great guys who really helped to elevate me in my career. I was on Kwik’s staff with the Texas Legends (Dallas Mavericks G League team). He can be tough, but once you earn his trust it is well worth it. He gave me more and more responsibility as the season went on and then, midseason, he promoted me. It meant a lot that he thought so highly of my work. I also did all of the video on that coaching staff, because I was the youngest coach and others were all former NBA players. I learned so much from him about preparing scouting reports for the team and doing video with players individual. His experience as an NBA point guard was invaluable for me to be around every day.
JB is an NBA head coach but you would never know it. He is just a regular guy with no ego at all. There is no filter with him, what you see is what you get. You could talk ball with him for hours easy. On the court, he is a great leader of men and his voice when coaching is one of the best that I have ever been around. I met his father Bernie (another great coach) when I was in the G League and he recommended me to JB’s coaching staff. That summer was a great experience for me, both professionally and personally.
I know JB will do a great job in Detroit and turn around that Pistons franchise quickly.
You also mentioned that you are a friend of Ognjen Stojaković and that his player development and scouting are second to none. Did he help you in any way develop as a coach or scout, and if so, how did he influence you?
Ogi is such a great guy, first and foremost. I met him years ago at NBA Summer League in Las Vegas but I really got to know him well when I was with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2022. I think he could scout an opponent in 5 minutes better than many people could if you gave them 3 hours. Also, his knowledge of player development is as good as I have seen in pro basketball. It is such a pleasure to talk basketball with him. He has given me a different perspective on the game so many times, I always learn something when we speak.
In recent years, international players have thrived in the NBA. The last MVP coming from the USA was James Harden back in the 2017–18 season. Why do you think international players have had an edge over US players in the last few years? Does it have to deal with coaching and development in the early years, or are we just witnessing a talented generation of basketball players from overseas?
The NBA has become a global game, and this is by design. If there is any doubt, just look at the media questions during the NBA Finals. The NBA game and the Euro game are blending into one. While American coaches are respected, the Euros are known for team tactics and strategies. When i got to Romania last season, Milan Minic assigned me to do all individual player development for all levels of the program. This is how much Europeans think of player development in America.
Which famous players did you coach during your career?
I coached current NBA players Ochai Agbaji and Isaiah Mobley at NBA Summer League, along with Nate Reuvers who played in Croatia recently. All the Cavs were with us in Las Vegas, actually, so I got to work with Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen, Isaac Okoro, and Caris LeVert too. Caris had just returned from a vacation in Croatia, that’s all he wanted to talk about!
In the NBA G League we had guys like Josh Childress and Chris Douglas-Roberts. I also got to work with a few of the Mavericks players on assignment (Justin Anderson, Jeremy Evans, and Salah Mejri). In China a few years ago, our foreigners included Chasson Randle, Julian Wright, and my fellow countryman Marko Todorovic who is now playing in Spain. All of these guys made me a better coach, either through watching how they worked or directly picking their brain on what makes them good players. I use this knowledge daily with other players of all levels, it all translates onto the court.
What are the main differences in player development between the USA, Europe, and other parts of the world? What is your approach to player development, and what would you recommend to young coaches just starting out?
To work with a pro player you have to know where he has been and where he wants to go. Yes, everyone wants to help the team win but these guys also have career goals. If you can speak to them in those terms, my coaching tends to really hit home. It also shows them that you care about them. You have to know what makes each guy tick and what buttons to push. You also need to know how to communicate with each player. Some guys want that face-to-face ‘real talk’, some guys prefer a low-key text checking in after practice. You have to know which to use for each player.
Which would you say is more important when it comes to coaching, tactical and basketball knowledge, or so-called “soft skills” and team building?
They both are important. I think as head coach, you must make sure your daily practice plan incorporates team strengthening aspects woven into the fundamentals and competion. As the season goes on, games will create team building on their own so you can focus more on tactics and strategy. The coaching staff has a huge role to play here. As the “good cop”, they often have a better pulse on the team vibe and can let the head coach know from time to time if the group is fragmenting at all.
Do you watch the ABA League and maybe the Slovenian Championship closely? If so, what do you think of it?
Last season I was in Belgrade and Montenegro for a break and got to watch a few clubs live (Partizan, Zvezda, Buducnost, Bologna, Gran Canaria). I was surprised by how many ball screens and attacking the switch, a common thing in NBA basketball. That being said, the slower pace and increased physicality made for much more exciting 4th quarters, something I’m sure European fans are used to.
Your next destination will be one that you are familiar with China/CBA. What was your first experience in China like and what were some culture shocks that you experienced when you coached there for the first time? What will you do differently now comparing to your first time coaching in the CBA, since you have experienced that environment before?
I’m very excited to be returning to the CBA in China. The import players are a very high level, often recent NBA players. The Chinese players all play hard and are coachable. The league treats their foreign coaches really well, on and off the court. It is refreshing. I will have a bigger role this time I think, which means I will have to be more efficient. This is about more than just time management but rather communication. Many Chinese players don’t speak English, meaning the translator has to be with me while I communicate. Less is more – too much information will get lost in translation, especially in games. Our team will use Hudl Sportscode so it will be good to work with the same program as NBA and EuroLeague clubs.
Conclusion
I would first of all like to thank Martin, for taking the time out of his busy days in China to answer all of my questions. We got a unique viewpoint from someone, who coached not only in different countries but on different continents. I wish Martin all the best in his basketball journey and I hope that we might see each other in Euroleague, Eurocup or ABA league one day.
