Ex-NBA coach Erdem Can says league is ‘science fiction’ while EuroLeague is ‘art cinema’

Former Utah Jazz assistant coach Erdem Can recently gave an interesting interview that touched a variety of subjects, including the ever-popular debate about the differences between the NBA and Euroleague. If it was just any personality taking about it, it might not get a lot of press, but this Turkish trainer is a very well respected tactician that also has experience in the U.S. league. 

Today, he’s at the head of Anadolu Efes Instanbul and even won the EuroCup Coach of the Year award earlier this year. The 43-year-old has developed a convincing coaching style that brings out the uniqueness of European basketball.

“Being an assistant coach for nine years in an important position as a decision maker in an ambitious EuroLeague team like Fenerbahce gave me an important experience,” Can recalled. “I accepted Anadolu Efes’s offer considering the advantage of knowing how the new generations played and having observed how the league in the NBA works.”

Erdem Can talked about NBA and European basketball differences 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/vEHQIm6Ic9

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“Experience is very important; every day, you gain new experiences, and then you grow and develop,” he said. “I think that the one season I had with Turk Telekom was an experience, but the fact that this is my first year in the EuroLeague is a disadvantage in this sense,” Erdem explained.

The Turkish coach then shed a light on all the experiences that have helped him transform into a successful trainer. “I had a plan in my head that I had been trying to create for years, both about the team structure and the game I wanted to play,” he shared. “I had a lot of experiences with the coaches I’ve worked with, both the things I should do and the things I shouldn’t do.”

This was the first moment in the interview that the first-year coach for Anadolu Efes made an analogy between the NBA and European basketball, as he boasts experience in both continents.

“Nowadays, the game in Europe is getting closer to the NBA in terms of rhythm. For now, it is not possible to replicate it precisely because of the rules in Europe,” Can explained. “Because, in the NBA, there are some advantages and disadvantages created by the defensive rules and the different size of the court.”

The Turkish coach prefers European basketball but believes they also have a lot to learn from the NBA

Even though Erdem prefers to watch Europe’s game, he knows their competition still has a lot to learn from the NBA. “I think there are two approaches that can be transferred from the NBA to Europe: player relationship management and training models,” he said.

Can then added: “I believe that we need to prepare for the games with training that emphasizes quality rather than quantity. At this point, I have to say that I am singling out young players.”

When asked to address why he believes the EuroLeague is more interesting, he talked about how the NBA has mostly grown as part of the entertainment industry. “In terms of the spirit of the game, European basketball is much more technical and fun to watch,” the 43-year-old expressed.

“I usually explain the difference between the two in this way: NBA basketball is like a big-budget Hollywood science fiction movie. You can enjoy it with popcorn in your hand. European basketball is like a modern art movie. Every scene is precious, the lighting, the music in the background, the choice of scenes…” he concluded.