After the win against Zalgiris (94-60), the 2021 EuroLeague MVP and one of the best players of Anadolu Efes, Vasilije Micic, stayed modest.
“This game showed real picture for today. We played against a team that is not in its best place, the team has obvious problems. They are missing players, missing quality, but that team will be more dangerous on its home court, with its fans. But that wasn’t an excuse, because we are also in some strange momentum. We had excellent response after the last match, when you look at the approach to game itself.”
In the match against Zalgiris, Efes played its best defensive play till now.
“If you look only defense, it is little strange for our team. We aren’t strategically covering defensive part of the game as much as the other teams because it all depends on the personal approach of every player. It depends how everyone of us is taking serious its opponent and in that 1 on 1, later 5 on 5 fight. If we enter the game like tonight, from the first minute and not waiting the last two quarters, we can be really tough opponent. And in this match our approach was good, we were discussing between us what is the key of winning the games. As a team, we are talented on offense, but we also need to focus on defense and we need to play it all 40 minutes. Today it was on the next level and we need to continue like this.
The injury he suffered at the beginning of the season is behind Vasa Micic and he is now feeling well.
“I am OK now. In my opinion this unpleasant injury happened due to exhaustion. I started this season ready and healthy, but a lot of minutes on the court in every game caused that injury. I managed to recover in two weeks and today I reached desired level. So I am moving on, game by game.”
Vasilije Micic was the MVP of the last EuroLeague season, but modest as he is, he isn’t thinking about it at all.
“This MVP title I got last year, to be honest, I didn’t expect at all. I am not trying to get those things, not running after it. And also, this year, I don’t live in the past, my only focus is present, this moment. Things are happening really fast and we have only little time to celebrate. The times fly and pretty soon you have prepared opponents even more motivated now. This title is only confirmation of my work during all those years. The confirmation of that noiseless work, under the radar. Not many people can see that, but results is visible.”
The first Final Four for Vasilije Micic was in 2018 in Belgrade as a member of Zalgiris, but his role was different than the one he now has in Efes.
“During my whole life, I am always realistic. I am trying to be objective and I was always aware of my current condition and this way I was always able to accept my role on the court. With Zalgiris I had a totally different role, and I wasn’t lamenting because of that. I accepted and enjoyed 100%, but I realized where there was a space for me. The same was later with Efes. My role was supposed to be as a different playmaker, but thanks to my continuous work during all those previous years I was able to prove myself on the court. That first year in Efes was the most important year for me. I was able to realize than that it was the level I wanted to accomplish. And when you accomplish some level, you are supposed to continue with that in all the upcoming years, and it is harder than reaching the desired level. But, as I mentioned before, I am not prisoner of the past, what ever that past represents. I am always moving forward and everything falls into place.”
