EUROPE: David Blatt in Olympiacos - time for new titles...

donmarco27 (47)in #basketball • 6 years ago

His career in Europe is a huge success. After winning EuroCup with Darussafaka, David Blatt signed a contract for 2 seasons with Olympiacos Piraeus, postponing plans to return to the NBA.

picture source : https://www.dailysabah.com

In FIBA basketball only the legendary Dusan Ivkovic can match it with a collection of titles. David Blatt (59), an American coach with an Israeli passport, won everything - Euroleague, Eurobasket, now EuroCup and medal at the Olympic Games.

Winning EuroCup in 2018 is another great triumph in the extraordinary European career of Blatt. He won Euroleague in 2014 with Maccabi Tel Aviv, won gold medal at the European Championships with Russia in 2007 and bronze at the Olympic Games. He won the League 6 times in Israel, moved to Russia and became the coach of the year, winning the European FIBA Eurochallenge Cup with Dynamo St. Petersburg. He moved to Italy ? He won the Italian league with Benetton Treviso in 2006.

Later, of course, was the Cavaliers stage, where he was employed before LeBron's decision to return to Cleveland. Blatt as the first coach led the team with James in the NBA finals, lost to Warriors 2-4. He was released in the middle of the second season, although the team had the best balance in the East at the time. His successor, Tyronn Lue, later won the championship with Cavs.

picture source : https://www.si.com/

Many rumors in recent months have associated him with teams looking for trainers in the NBA. However, the arguments of Olympiacos owners proved to be stronger. They can only be imagined, the amount of salary is not disclosed, but it is "the highest for a coach in the history of the club from Piraeus".

The task in the new club can only be one - regaining the Greek championship (this year again won by Panathinaikos) and return to the final Four in Euroleague. Last season, Olympiakos, although he had the advantage of his own floor, sensationally left in the quarterfinals with Zalgiris Kaunas. For the club that won Euroliga 3 times and played the Final Four 10 times, it is definitely not enough.

Before Blatt in Piraeus, there will also be a need to rejuvenate the team. The current leaders, the legends of the Greek basket - Vassilis Spanoulis and Georgios Printezis are already behind them. Will it confirm the theory that it turns almost everything into gold on European floors?