Interview with Luka Hrovatin coach KK Grosuplje (Slovenia)

Interview with Luka Hrovatin coach KK Grosuplje (Slovenia)

        How old were you when you started playing basketball? Why did you choose this sport?

I was about 7 when I first started playing basketball, but It was not till I was 13 when I actually started practicing it more seriously at a local club in my hometown of Vipava.

Who has taught you most about basketball?

A few people, each one at different periods of time and in different basketball fields. Definitely Ivan Ivanov (BC Vipava) as my first coach at the local club, he showed me the joy of basketball and gave me my first oportunity as a coach. Then Teo Hojč (now coach in BC Grosbasket) I learned a lot from him when I was his asistant, later on from Tone Krump (head of coaching department at Slovenian basketball federation) when he was sports director in Grosuplje. I have to mention Mateja Gjerkeš, Uroš Kranjc and Slavko Duščak amongst the others.

What has been the best moment in your sporting life so far? And the worst? 

The best moment was securing Slovenia's position in Division A as a head coach of U-18, after a really rough preperation period we had, as I took over the team only a few weeks before championship started, as the head coach resigned.

The worst moment for me is loosing every game.

Tell us about Slovenian league.

In Slovenia we have 2 leagues. The second one is at completely amateur level. The first one is more organized and consists only out of 6 teams. Three of the teams are also at amateur level, the best three teams are semi-pro. The quality of Slovenian league is not high, so the best three teams compete also in MŽRKL (Adriatic league, combined out of the best teams from former Yugoslavia). MŽRKL is a much higher level league and since there is not a lot of money at the clubs, the good thing is that young players get the chance to play and can develop in this league. The league is really well organized and it exists for 14 years now. This year also Reyer Venezia (Italy) joined. MŽRKL is developing and making progress every year. A lot of worlds best european players came out of this league (Milovanović, Petrović, Dabović sisters, Barič, Erkič, Poček, Dubljević, Ivanković,...)

What can you tell us about the training leagues where you trained the U-18, U-16 and U-14?

In Slovenia we only have about 25 clubs, so competing quality is low, that is why clubs had to organize on their own. We are lucky to have Željko Ciglar (Iva Ciglar's father and a good coach) that organizes MŽRKL U-15 and MŽRKL U-17 for a long time now. This is similar competition as MŽRKL for senior. There is a lot more competition around the region of former Yugoslavia, so the best can compete against the best and make progress.

In my club we do another thing. Every girl competes for her category, and also in B team of older category. This way every player plays at least two games per week, which is important for the development. We also go on two tournaments per year with every youth selection.

When was your debut in a senior league? What do you remember about that moment?

At my age I started working with senior team in this season only, before I coached U-18 and U-16 team. My debut was a few weeks ago against Domžale. To be honest I was nervous a lot before the game. I went for a long walk, talked to myself preparing the tactic for the game in my head. As the wistle blew everything was back to normal. We won by 40 points.

This is your first year as head trainer of ZKK Grosuplje. What are your goals for this season, , both individually and as a team?

My main goal is for my team and my players to develop. I see MŽRKL as developing league and that is also how I built my team. A combination of young, but very talented players and a few quality older players that can produce, all put together. With great staff and support built around them.

Of course we have competitive goals also. I want my team to play in at least one Slovenian final and in MŽRKL a placement in quarterfinals. Also our focus is set on winning U-16 and U-18 competitions, because 7 players of our senior team are still U-18, 5 of them U-16.

In 2013 in the league final between Athlete Celje and ZKK Grosuplje, both teams had very young, “high quality” players like the Slovenians;  Rebeka Abramovic, Eva Lisec, Ziva Macura or the Bosnian Marica Gajic. And in your own team, KK Grosuplje there were players like Barbara Sut, Alina Gjerkeš, Nika Ursic and Anita Kastelic; all of them are under 20 years old. Is it normal to see players that are so young playing, and during a long time in matches in the Slovenian league?

That is a good thing in Slovenian women basketball. We are not afraid to put a young player into the game.

Who has been the best player that you have ever trained?

Eva Lisec. She started playing basketball with me and Teo in Grosuplje when she was 15 and showed her talent right from the beginning. She progressed a lot in last few years and is now the most prommissing Slovenian young player.

Which has been the female basketball player that you have found most difficult to stop during a match?

It has to be Nika Barič. She dominated every game in every category that she played. 

What measures would you take to promote female basketball?

I would give a support to men basketball clubs that starts working with women youth selections. I would try to get people at the games by offering a quality game program.

Also I would give a good think about lowering baskets for women games to make women basketball more attractive to watch.

How would you describe yourself as a basketball trainer? And as a person?

As a coach I think I am strickt but fair, I like to work hard but I never put quantity in front of quality. I'm also ambitious.. But this is probably how every coach sees himself. Actually you should ask the players.

If your teams management told you that money was no problem and that you could sign up any player that you wanted, who would you sign up and why?

I would sign Maya Moore, because she is most versatile and currently the best player in the world.

Many people think that a trainers work is just 2 hours of training a day on court. What would you say to these people? What is your work really like during the week?

If it was an easy job, everyone would be a good coach, but a few really are.

It's not about two hours. A good coach does four things in his training unit. First he thoroughly plans and prepares the practice, then he executes the practice, in which he understands and corrects the mistakes of the players and team and finally he analyse the training unit after the practice. A coach that skips any of this four steps is a blef and doesn't work on long term. And is not only about training unit.

My week starts on monday morning with coaching meeting, where we debate and plan our activities for the next week and analyse the games we had played on weekend. During the week we practice on some days two times a day, in between I do a lot of my work hanging on telephone talking to other coaches, arranging different things. And then as most of the people weeks end, the coaches actually really begins by playing games.

As a coach you need to constantly think about your education and progress, basketball develops and If you don't adapt and learn all the time, you stay behind.

Would you like to have time out of 1:40 like in the WNBA?

No, I think there is no need for that in Europe.

What do you do in your free time when you are travelling with the team?

I love talking to my assistants on the bus and listening to good music. As we get closer to the game I like to relax and prepare for the game in my head.

Is it really true when they say that managing relations in the changing rooms is more complex in the case of female teams than in the case of male teams.?

I wouldn't make any differences about male and female teams. Basketball is universal, team spirit and changing rooms principles also. I would manage relations exactly the same way.

In September 2013 the Hungarian team, Uni Györ, suffered one of the worst accidents in female basketball, when Akos Fuzy (trainer) and Peter Tapodi (General Manager) were killed and the most badly injured player, Natasa Kovacevic had her left leg amputated. What are your memories of the moment when you found out about the accident?

I was shocked, I had admired Nataša Kovačevič less than a year ago in Bucharest playing for Serbia U-18. It was a big tragedy for their families and for the Györ also. But I really loved how Nataša responded afterwards by showing her strong character. She is an inspiration to me.

In 2012 you were helping the trainer of Saso Rebernik in the Slovenian national U18 team during the Eurobasket that was played in Rumania. And in summer 2013 you were the Head Coach of the Slovenian national U18 team in the Croatian Eurobasket. What can you tell us about each of your Eurobasket experiences? In what ways were they different?

Eurobasket is special experience for every coach. The difference was obvious as I was only assisting Sašo the first year. Otherwise the goal, work and the pressure was the same. It is an enormous success for Slovenia to play in division A for the sixth year in a row now, and our goal is every year to secure our position in division A, so we can compete against the best.

I hope this year also our U-16 team makes a step forward and I believe U-18 team can finaly place between 8 after 2010.

Something terrible happened in your match against Serbia in the 2013 Croatian U18 Eurobasket, when some Croatian extremists starting chanting death threats as well as other insulting behaviour. How did you live out that experience as a member of the rival team? Did you ever think that maybe both teams would leave the court?

During the war, conditions in Vukovar were terrible. The war might be over, but it still goes on in the head of some people and I'm sory extremists responded that way. This conflict could easily be avoided by putting Serbian and Slovenian games in Vinkovci. if i remember correctly We didn't think about leaving the court, because there was no physicall contact made, thank God.

What would be your future dream come true, both individually and for your team?

On a short term for my team, I would like to win Slovenian championship and Slovenian cup, in MŽRKL I would like to place to Final 4. But we have to be pacient about this.

On a long term, for me to coach a male or a female team in european competition would be a dream come true.

In your opinion, what the best Five in European female basketball at the moment? And what about the WNBA?

European:

Jelena Milovanović

Sonja Petrović

Sandrine Gruda

Sancho Lyttle

Nika Barič

WNBA:

Maya Moore

Elena Delle Done

Tina Charles

Brittney Griner

Angel McCoughtry

Which are the under 21 players who have the brightest future in European basketball?

Eva Lisec

Marica Gajić

Angela Salvadores

Aleksandra Crvendakić

Zala Friškovec

You were actually in Lugo in the summer of 2012 playing in a tournament with the national U18 team. What are your memories of those days? And what about the city of  Lugo?

I really enjoyed Lugo. It was a complete surprise for me. First of all it was a real hot summer in Slovenia that year, but in Lugo it was very cold and windy, which I loved actually. The sun set was at 10pm almost, which was very late for us, in Slovenia it sests at 8pm. I loved the food and hospitality of people (Antonio's of course). I remember We were discovering the city of Lugo with our physicall coach Žane Bortek, when we got lost jogging around. Good memories.

Who’s your favourite female basketball player?

Maya Moore

Who’s your favourite male basketball player?

I really admire Kevin Durant. From Slovenian players I like Jaka Blažič (Red Star), he is yet to shine the brightest.

Who is your favourite trainer in female basketball?

Miguel Mendez and Pierre Vincent.

Who is your favourite trainer in male basketball?

Gregg Popovich

What’s your favourite sport apart from basketball?

Football

Which basketball match would you show to your children or grandchildren?

1990 Fiba world championship's game between Yugoslavia and USA... 99:91.

Your idol?

I don't have an idol but I really respect work of Jose Mourinho, Alex Ferguson, Zlatko Zahović and Andrea Massi

Favourite food?

A good steak, medium rare

Favourite drink?

Aperol spritz

Favourite place to travel.

Italy, France

Favourite film?

Gladiator

Favourite singer or group?

Sam Smith

What’s the last book you read?

Andrea Pirlo-I think therefore I play

An adjective that defines you:

Hard working

An important person in your life:

My family members

Another sport you like practising:

Swimming

Have you got a pet? What’s its name? Tell us about him.

I had a dog named Oxa. It died few years ago, She fitted my mood every time.

The last moment of play in the game. Who is at play with the last shot?

It might sound a bit selfish, but me.

Choose the best between the two and explain why.

Sue Bird - Laia Palau

Sue Bird, legend and captain of thr USA team

Lindsay Whalen - Celine Dumerc

Celine Dumerc, because she is one of the best european players for a long time now

Diana Taurasi - Evina Maltsi

Diana Taurasi, because she is Kobe Bryant of women basketball

Maya Moore - Frida Eldebrink 

Maya Moore, because she is Lebron James of women basketball

Sylvia Fowles - Lyz Cambage

Sylvia Fowles, probably the best centre in WNBA

Candace Parker – Sancho Lyttle

Candace Parker, top three players in the world for the last ten years now

Erika Da Souza - Sandrine Gruda

Sandrine Gruda, she is one of the best european basketball player

Damiris Dantas – Emma Meesseman

I like both the same

Bria Hartley – Skylar Diggins

Bria Hartley, I think there is a lot more to come from her

Elena delle Donne – Alba Torrens

Elena delle Donne, because of her difficult path to becoming one of the best players in the world

Sonja Petrovic – Queralt Casas

Sonja Petrović definitely, she is almost 2.00 and can play forward perfectly

Ticha Penicheiro - Svetlana Abrosimova

Ticha Penicheiro, because she has the most assists in WNBA history

Breanna Stewart - Brittney Griner

Britney Griner, cuz she is the only women that can dunk seriously

Leticia Romero – Olivia Epoupa

Leticia Romero, because she thinks when she plays

Shoni Schimmel – Odyssey Sims

Odyssey Sims, a born attacker

Jhon Calipari - Mike Krzyzewski

I like both, Calipari because he is the best at developing a player, but I have to choose Coach K, because he is the definition of winning

Geno Auriemma – Jeff Walz

If I picked Coach K, I also have to pick Geno Auriemma, for the same reason but in women basketball

Pokey Chatman - Natalia Hejkova

Natalia Hejkova, because she is European

Alternating-possession rule – Jump ball

Jump ball, compete for every ball

40 minute game – 48 minute game.

48 minute game, but I don't know why

Finally, what would you reply to those people who say that female basketball isn’t real basketball.

Nonsense