Six years after winning the Euroleague, Devin Smith returns to the climax: "With all due respect to Real Madrid, we knew we would win." To succeed that way ") and the aspiration for the future (" to train at the BBC ")
Smith with the 2014 trophy
Photo:
Alan Shaver
The past decade was one of the worst in the history of Tel Aviv. The Yellows lost five championships, lost trophies and broke negative records in Europe, but they had one island of stability - Devin Smith.
The solid forward has been wearing the yellow uniform for six years, only two strangers did it in front of him and their name goes in front of them, Kevin Maggie and Nicola Wojcic. "Me and Maccabi had the same vision and drive to be the best," he tells "Israel Today" in an interview from his home in a small town near Philadelphia. "We had the same approach to basketball and I always felt that was where I was going to be."
As on the field, Smith also backed up with his actions. He finds that during his years in Israel, he was offered a number of nice money offers from senior Euroleague groups, but rejected them. "By the end of the 2012/13 season, I was already close to leaving, but after thinking I realized that it didn't make sense and made the best decision for me and my family, even though it was less money. And now, thanks to that decision, I became a European champion the year after."
Pearls and blue. The climax of the decade // Photo: Alan Shiber
"CSKA were in the market"
When Smith talks about the European Championship, he of course refers to winning the Euroleague in 2014, exactly today, six years ago, when he and his friends surprised Europe with victories over CSKA Moscow and Real Madrid in the semi-finals and finals respectively.
"The trip to Milan was accompanied by the confidence and feeling that one game must be won at a time. We didn't look past the semi-finals. This was the case. The CSCs were in the market since we never stopped fighting, so they let us go back to the game until the Tyros basket. After the semi-finals, we knew that with all due respect to Real Madrid, we were going to win. I was the calmest I have been all season. "
Smith claims that with all due respect to everyone, the biggest part of Treble that season belongs to coach David Blatt. "It was unbelievable how he managed everyone and provided personal and team confidence. We had trouble early in the season, and he slowly built our confidence and each game made a detailed game plan. People don't always understand that what players do in this particular game is thanks to the coach. He scored 25-20 points, but it all comes from the coach's program and David does it well. He arranged for Hickman and Rice to create situations for themselves and the rest of the players, and they were able to make us all the best of ourselves.
Rice. "Blatt has given him the freedom to create" // Photo: Alan Shiber
Kobe wasn't helping either
The 2014/15 season was a direct sequel to success, at least personally. After the departure of Rice and Hickman, Smith may have been the key factor in qualifying for the Euroleague quarterfinals, and his injury was the reason for being ousted in the playoff semifinals by Hapoel Eilat. In April 2015, he signed a very new and expensive contract, but then the retreat began, much because of health problems. He eventually reached an agreement with the team leaders - gave up his third season in his contract before retiring in September 2017
"I had an incredible time in Maccabi, but my last season was not good. I had problems and injuries and we came to an agreement that physically I just couldn't go on anymore," he explains.
As one who was in both the good years and the bad years of Maccabi, what's the reason for the difference?
"Coach and continuity on the roster. Unfortunately in the season that replaced Guy (Goodes, 2015/6) - a move I did not agree with - brought in tobacco which was good and then it was also replaced and it was not good. Ten Kobe Bryant can be brought in, but if there is no suitable coach with the right philosophy, it will not work. That's what they are doing right now. The current coach knows what he's doing, has players for several years in a row and it works. This is how it is in all major European groups. CSKA does not replace ten players in a season, Real keeps the roster, and so they do well over time. "
Real players. Lost head at game end // Photo: Alan Shiber
How do you explain the failure of the season? 2016/17 You had one of the most talented rosters in Europe.
"That season was really tough for us. I don't even know who all the coaches were with us that season. It was a crazy season, there was Erez, Remy - I loved Remy - and then that guy from Latvia (Einar Gatzkis; YM), Then you shivak. You can't succeed like that. "
"For example, Erez was good, but didn't fit the character of the players we had on the team. It was new for him to come from Hapoel to Maccabi and suddenly deal with so much talent and you have to manage a lot more players, and he didn't have the time to get used to before he left. Coach and you can't do that. Just sign the best coach you can and go for it. "
secretly. "Giving personal and group confidence" // Photo by Alan Shiber
"Opportunity to develop"
After retiring, Smith decided to move into training. In 2018/19, he worked as a player development coach at the Phoenix Suns from the BBC, and most recently served as an assistant coach at Iowa Wolves, the Minnesota Timberwolves development team.
"G-League has a lot of coach assistants, and it gives me a chance to see different types of training. Three hours before a game, we can be notified that players are going to the NBA teams and not playing, so it's weird, but I have fun and have a chance Develop as a coach and learn how to handle each situation, "Smith says.
"My ultimate goal is to be a head coach, I have an ambition for that," he concludes. The only team I will train in Israel. "