CAKIC: “MEGA IS ON THE RIGHT PATH”

Mega Leks finished his fourth season in the ABA league in 6th place, which after last year’s finals, is the best placement of team in the regional competition. Pause until the start of the Super League was the right time to make the first intersection of the season with the General Manager of the club Goran Cakic. Although Mega this year had debuted on the Euro scene, participating in the FIBA ​​Champions League, the club did not give up his philosophy by which they become recognizable around the world – forcing of young players:

– The main goal of Mega Leks is the development and affirmation of young players. And this season, we, like last, were by far the youngest team of the ABA league with an average of 21.2 years after the end of the regular season. It is interesting that before the arrival of Predrag Samardziski the oldest player was Radosav Spasojevic who in February reached the age of 25 years. There are also eighteen year old Kostja Mushidu and a year older Vlatko Cancar who got the first serious chance in the senior basketball and shown that they deserve it,

said Goran Cakic and then continued the story of affirmation of Cllub:

– Last year injuries prevented Kaba to develop fully, but is this year so far made a great advantage, he is first rebounder in ABA league and second in the FIBA ​​Champions League. In addition to the main players Zagorac and Jaramaz, additional quality brought some more experienced players such as, Novak, Rebic, Spasojevic … Everyone is aware that Mega great springboard for their careers, and that by working with a coach Milojevic and coaching staff can improve a lot.

With a score of 11-15, Mega has reached the total score of 53 wins and 56 defeats for four years in the ABA league, where club did not go below 11 wins. In three of the past four seasons, Mega has been the most efficient team in the league. By winning sixth place in the ABA league Mega Leks achieved the second best placement in the regional competition. In addition, Mega this year for the first time went out on the European scene and participated in the FIBA ​​Champions League:

– We are glad that we were part of the premiere season of FIBA ​​Champions League. This was a valuable experience for both the players and management of the club. We received compliments from people from FIBA ​​for the organization and we are proud of. On the other hand, we consciously entered that the risk of playing on two fronts may disrupt our already well-established concept of training, which is why the results in the first half of the season was somewhat weaker. In the difficult situation in which we find ourselves at one point in the ABA league, we showed quality and character and with five wins in the last seven games, and completed the challenge in the right way. Playing ABA league is very important for our club and we are pleased that we made the continuity of good results,

said Cakic.

In a very difficult situation in which the basketball as a sport, Mega Leks was able to make a sustainable and distinctive concept for which arrive daily praise from around the basketball world:

– We have a great support that we had from the City of Sremska Mitrovica and hall PSC Pinki with which excellent cooperate for several years and that proved to be our reliable partners. Speaking of the organization of the club, I must emphasize that the challenges to which our immense successfully cope with is with the help provided by our sponsors who recognized and supported our concept and therefore we owe them a debt of gratitude,

said Cakic.

Especially from the NBA Draft in 2014 and last year, when on both occasions the club had the 3 chosen players, Mega has become the most famous European cell of young players on the way to the NBA. Therefore, in training and matches Mega Leks has become customary to attend numerous NBA scouts, where sometimes at the individual matches were representatives from more than 10 NBA teams:

– We are very flattered that attract a lot of attention from NBA teams. That in itself speaks about the quality of our work and that we are on the right path. We are proud of all our players in the strongest league, as well as our former players who build beautiful career in European basketball.

Number of players who directly from Mega Leks goes to the NBA from season to season is growing. After Nikola Jokic, who made a miracle in America, and who delights basketball experts, Timothe Luwawu and Ivica Zubac have very good rookie season in the NBA. This summer flight across the Atlantic will take Rade Zagorac, and maybe some of his teammates:

– Zagorac is located in the United States where he will take advantage of a break to the Super League in order to better prepare for the challenges that await him in the NBA. We hope that other guys will go through this year. All this is a great satisfaction for our work and especially coach Dejan Milojevic and the entire coaching staff that is very dedicated to their job.

All the work of Mega on recognition and promotion of young players recognized by the Euroleague, who to junior team sent a special invitation to participate in the Final Eight that will be held during Euroleague Final Four in Istanbul:

– Our second participation in the final tournament of juniors Euroleague, despite all the big names that will be found in Istanbul, is a great success and honor for our club. We made a step forward in working with youth categories where Vlada Vukoicic as coordinator of all youth teams is doing a good job. Juniors and cadets are at the top of the competition, and the pioneers have already won the Mini cup of Serbia and at the same time are unbeaten in the league. However, more important than the current result is that we from our youth squad to draw contour of the first team for next season,

finished Cakic.

Photo: Mega Leks / Ivica Veselinov