He does not have the aura that there is around Zhlimir Oberdovich, Ettore Messina or Ronas Jasikevicius, maybe not the charisma either.
Pablo Lasso has no oiled PR system, no papers or pose, he will not provide headlines.
He does everything modestly and seems to have great power in his simplicity.
In practice, it is possible that the coach who will meet Maccabi Tel Aviv tomorrow is the best in Europe at the moment.
Lasso is the coach with the longest experience in the Euroleague team (season 11), and more at a club like Real Madrid.
Only the legendary Lulu Saines lasted longer (14 years).
It is not certain that Lasso, who is signed until the end of next season, will not break that record.
Hugo López, who has been his assistant for five years, says he is at the peak of his maturity: "The combination of his experience as a player and as a coach brings him to the best spot."
When Lasso was appointed to the prestigious position in 2011, many raised an eyebrow.
He came inexperienced at these levels from a small group called Lagoon.
It seemed to be big on him.
After doubting his appointment, they began to criticize him for the distribution of minutes and the style of exchanges.
Real were patient, and at some point after the loss to Maccabi Tel Aviv in the 2014 Euroleague final, he started a great career at the club. You can not survive 11 seasons at such a stressful club if you have no way and without delivering the goods. .
During his time the club has won the Euroleague twice, alongside five championships and five trophies.
Lasso's special way is made up of several elements.
The coach who has twice been named coach of the Euroleague season is first and foremost a long-distance runner.
When Lasso stands on the lines, he is not just a game manager but an entire season.
At first there were reviews of the rotations, then they realized he was thinking far beyond the upcoming game.
Managing staff full of talent, depth and ego is close to perfect.
He manages the locker room well, much thanks to his attitude towards the players.
You will not hear him criticize them in public.
Along with nurturing the youngsters, he gives a lot of respect and weight on and off the field to the veterans, Sergio Yui and Rudy Fernandez.
He manages to keep everyone satisfied.
"He knows how to deal with the players on a daily basis," Lopes explains, emphasizing that Lasso's method of play reflects this: "He gives players the freedom to show off their talents under some rules. It's great because they do not feel bound."
Not to be alarmed by crises
Lasso (51) is a champion in crisis management.
His peace of mind seems to serve him here.
During his long time at the club he experienced quite a few waves of injuries and problems in the squad.
He did not panic or look for excuses and always knew how to get out of the crisis.
In 2018, he took off from such a crisis to win the Euroleague.
Also this season you have not heard a word from him about the fact that Anthony Randolph and Trey Tompkins have not yet started playing due to injuries.
That does not stop him from leading Real to a great season.
Doncic.
He also broke out under Lasso Briel,
Another significant element is nurturing young people and improving players.
Lasso does not hesitate to throw the "kids" to the floor at a very young age, and also to give them a major role.
It started with Nikola Mirotic, continued with Luka Doncic, Osman Garova, Carlos Allussen, Tristan Vukcevic, and this season the new project - 17-year-old coordinator Juan Nunez.
At the same time, quite a few players like Pekondo Campasso have been upgraded to superstar status.
This process is excellent for the club's image, but also makes a lot of money when a player moves to the NBA.
All of these, along with the titles and achievements, make him the perfect coach for the club.
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