Professor Vlado Micovis beginning his second season in Milan after a big first year. He was picked to bring to the team his experience and leadership skills, but he was also a very efficient player on the court, while producing ona of the best seasons of his terrific career. The age be damned.

In the new Olimpia team his role will be probably even more relevant, not in terms of minutes and responsibilities but in terms of veteran leadership. “I wont’ change who I am as I’m getting older. I was always said that basketball is a team sport and as long as I feel useful on the court, that’s it. I like playing basketball obviously, my job is trying to involve everybody, to make everybody feel comfortable because I canm play two or three different positions. The team changed and the Coach expects from me to help the newcomers, talking on the court, outside the court. I’m trying to do everything I can do to win games and win titles”.

Micov is 33but his last season was great and his numbers grew during the final part of the season. “I’m 33 yes, I’m used to be the oldest player on the team. Christian Burns is my age but a few months younger. But yes I can play more, my body is feeling really good, I feel great, I don’t know how many seasons I will play but for sure I can still play some more seasons at a very good level. This year we started well, we won some games, some tournaments and there’s still time to prepare and be ready for the season”. Sensations are good. “We are much better – he says – If I compare this team with the last, we have more quality, better players in the sense that they are more experienced at the EuroLeague level and the quality of practice is better. Like I said we are doing well, but we have still to find the right chemistry since we changed a little. But so far I’m happy and positive. The goals is to win in Italy and make a big step forward and reach the Top 8 in the EuroLeague. With this means, this roster we can do it. With the new format, 30 games guaranteed, if you have an unxepcted loss or something bad happens, like last year for example when we had a tough schedule at the start with five very difficult games, we have to be ready for everything”.

Micov is leading with his example, few words but expressed at the right time in the right way, he’s a charismatic player who doesn’t show his emotions. Everybody saw his reactions when Andrea Goudelock made his now famous block to save the win in Game 5 of the Italian league finals. Micov was there, half a meter far from Goudelock. And… a sigh of relief and nothing else. He stood still. “Everybody knows who I am, I don’t have reactions, I don’t show my emotions. Off the court I’m different, but on the court I’m like that. At Galatasaray they called me The Iceman. And when we won the Eurocup, I went to have an interview with the Turkish television and before saying congratulations they said please give us a big smile. And so I laughed. But this is who I am, it depends by other people to accept it. I remember the situation, everybody was running, even thepeople sititng next to the court ran and hugged him. I was there and was like “Ok”. Yes I remember, it’s bad form my side, especially in that moment because he won the championship with that move, we dond’t how the series was going to continue without that move. So it was bad from my side”.

And as a leader he has more to say about the signing of Nemanja Nedovic. “Good, good player, last year he had a great season in Malaga and it was the right choice for him to try to make a big step forward. Milan showed interest in him and signed him. People, coming from the same country, said that Malaga last year finished 1oth or 11th, Milan was 15th, so what are you going to do in Milan. But Milan has a great plan, also Miek James came here from Panathinaikosand coming back from the NBA, other playesr were signed, Americans with Italian passaport, so they did a great job to combine Italians and Americans or foreigners. Personally, he’s a good player, he can play 2 and even if it’s not his position can help as 1 too, he’s a big and athletic, and he will help us a lot”.

Here you have the complete interview.