Interview with Milan Macvan after the trophy won with Partizan

At just 22, Milan achieved one more victory: "the future Zoran Savić" made one more step forward to reach "Unconqueror"

 

He just got one more victory. A few months after celebrating his 22nd Birthday - he won born on November 16th, 1989 -  Milan Mačvan added the "Radivoj Korać" Serbian Cup. Last season, at his first real experience as a professional player, he already won the Israeli National Cup and the Israeli National League with Maccabi Tel Aviv, and most of all he played the Final of Euroleague, losing to Panathinaikos Athens. Then it came the summer, with his important role in the new, young project of the Serbian National Team playing at the Eurobasket in Lithuania, and finally just a few weeks after coming back to Tel Aviv and starting the season, he accepted the offer to be loaned to get more space. But at the unique condition to go to Partizan Belgrade, where he immediately became the leader on the court, playing a sensational regular season of Euroleague as the Best Absolute Rebounder with 8.2 per game, more 15.3 points, 2.2 assists, 19.8 of valuation in 31' of average. He had a great impact, and now that he just won his first trophy with Partizan Belgrade, he is just focused on the next goal, called Adriatic ABA League...

Congratulations, Milan. One more big step made in the great path you started just one year ago, when you decided to sign for Maccabi Tel Aviv... What about if you think back to that day when you landed in Tel Aviv, practically starting your professional career growing up with Hemofarm?

"Last year it was a big season for me as I transferred to such a big club like Maccabi, where we won the Israeli League and National Cup. I got some good experience, and it was great as these were my first trophies won as a senior in a club. And as a result of our performance came the Euroleague Final, where we unfortunately didn't manage to beat Panathinaikos, but playing the Final Four as a 21 year old at the time was an amazing feeling... I only regret that we didn't manage to beat Panathinaikos but I hope there will be more opportunities in the future to do so".

 

Then it came the summer, having a very important role in the Serbian National Team at Eurobasket in Lithuania...

“As a reward for my hard work during the season came the invite from the Serbian National team to join them. We didn't achieve the results we had hoped for but the most important thing is that we stay together in the National Team and give our best in the years to come. This years Eurobasket was probably the toughest one in the last few years with all the NBA players who joined the competition. We started off pretty good, then lost to the French in the first group and didn't manage to keep playing as well in the continuation of the Championship. As far as my role is concerned, I was given the chance to show what I can do. I'm sure I could have done better but when we draw the line I'm sure that as a team and generation we will show much more in the years to come".

 

Which were the greatest memories of the Eurobasket experience for you?

"My best memory and brightest moment was playing against Dirk Nowitzki and winning over Germany. It's not every day that you get to play against someone like him, who is the MVP of NBA and the best player in the world. So that was unreal and he is someone who you can learn a lot from and he showed that he is a great sportsman. So, that is the moment I would was the best at Eurobasket (and when Milan was called to defend on him, Nowitzki scored only 6 points shooting with 3/9). As far as the game with Italy, that was one of the most important games in the first group. The Italians came with three NBA stars like Gallinari, Bargnani and Belinelli and many other great players like Manchinelli who plays for Milan and others. That was a very important win for us. We believed that we could win and at that moment is was true that we were a better team than the Italian team".

 

Coming back to Tel Aviv, you had to take a very difficult but important decision...

"Unfortunately, in Maccabi I wasn't given the proper chance and enough minutes to play. I was the youngest in the Maccabi team, and I was brought to Maccabi as a project for the future. Regardless, each time I was given a chance I didn't let them down and coach Blatt told me this when we parted. Unfortunately he couldn't give me enough minutes to play and in the end this resulted in my departure from the club for a loan. He spoke to me about a possible loan back at the Eurobasket but we didn't come to an agreement as I told him that I wished to stay in Maccabi. The season kicked off, I played two games and then had another talk with him. He told me again that he wanted me to go out on a loan and that in my place they would bring another guard. So I decided to go".

 

At that point, you strongly wanted to go to Partizan Belgrade. And when it happened, you put a link on your Facebook page to the song 'I am coming home'...

"In the end, if I was going to go anywhere I wanted it to be to Partizan because at the time it was a team that could offer me the most as far as my development and also coming home. So in the end we came to an agreement and I am very happy that I am here now. I put that link to the song, because for me at that very stressful time it was very important to be around my family and to come home. So when the option of Partizan came up, I had no dilemma. As this is the club that offered me the most, a club where I could continue to develop and apart from that also be at home with people dearest to me. So, I think that I have a lot of room to keep developing now".

 

And so, after being a "rival" with Hemofarm, you immediately became an "idol" for the black-white fans...

"In truth, I have been a Partizan fan since I was a little kid so when I was playing at Hemofarm it was always important to win. Now that I am playing for Partizan, my childhood dream has come true I am glad that the fans are supporting me and the rest of the team and hope they will continue to believe in us. There is something unique in the way they always support the team: for example, standing up and singing all together the song they use as a sort of salute to us at the end of the games, regardless of whether we win or lose. They support us in any case and this is one of the things that makes Partizan so special. I am very happy we won the Serbian Cup as a thanksgiving to all of them for the amazing atmosphere they are able to create around us everytime we play. The atmosphere at Pionir is unreal, especially when big teams come to play. It is an arena that can fit around 7000 people, but in these sorts of games we have more than 8000 people cheering for us. It's not easy playing in front of such an audience when you are on the opposite team".

 

You just won the Serbian Cup, now there is the Adriatic ABA League to focus on for the coming months...

"Partizan always has the greatest ambitions at mind and this season is no different. Unfortunately we didn't reach the qualification to the Top 16 of Euroleague, but now our goal is to help Partizan achieve the highest possible success and be as good as possible. This year the Adriatic League is much more competitive with the presence of Maccabi and there are some very strong teams, but we want to continue to play our game and try everything to get the best result possible in the competition, it is a must when you play for Partizan".

 

Even if the team is very young and lost Pekovic. But the atmosphere inside the team seems to be something special.

"The atmosphere in the team is really visible on the court, we stand by each other and offer our full support. I know how much my teammates helped me when I first joined the team and we all support each other. There is a sort of hierarchy and a family atmosphere in the locker-room and this is one of the things that makes Partizan so great".

 

There is another player represented by INVICTUS Sports Group who is making big things, Marko Čakarević.

"I've known Marko since the youth World Championships where we achieved a great success together. I am very glad that we are in the same team. I respect him as a player and as a person. He has shown that he has the quality to be in Partizan. He played excellent while he was in Radnicki and as a reward for his great work came the offer from Partizan. I think he made a great choice and got the opportunity to play in the Euroleague for the first time. His quality is certainly that he can play on 3 different position. He can play as 3, 4 or he can even take the position of point-guard when defense is a bit more aggressive. So he is definitely a very important part of the team".

 

For the moment, at just 22, Milan Mačvan achieved one more trophy. And you made one more step forward. A lot of people say that you could be the "future Zoran Savić", and if you think that he achieved every kind of trophies in his career, winning 19 finals out and 21 player... You just have to continue like this!

"We practically have a family relationship, as well as I've known his brother Goran for six years now and Zoran a bit shorter than that, and when we had to decide about signing for Maccabi last year and then be lo loaned to Partizan this year, we all agreed that it would be best for me and  we decided together. They always help me to make steps forward in my career, time will tell that we made the right decisions".

 

As well as Zoran Savić, he never spend time talking about himself. He prefers to let the court talk for him, and day by day he is continuing to show to be on the right way. At just 22, he already achieved very important results: he won three gold medals with the Serbian Youth National Teams (U18 European Championship 2007, U19 World Championship 2007, U20 European Championship 2008, a silver medal at the Senior European Championship 2009, and he was the MVP of the Nike Hoop Summit 2009 and the Eurocup Rising Star 2009. More, he won the Israel Cup and National League 2011, and he was the Euroleague finalist. Finally, always in 2011 he was selected at the NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavs with the #54 absolute, 2nd round. This is Milan Mačvan. What will come next?