Vladimir Lucic reacts to Facundo Campazzo deal: 'I'm a little jealous'

2022-12-29 09:19

Vladimir Lucic revealed he will begin practicing at the beginning of 2023. He revealed he feels a bit jealous that players can now earn significant amounts of money playing for the two Belgrade teams, which he couldn't do when he was part of Partizan.

Credit: imago/kolbert-press - Scanpix
Credit imago/kolbert-press - Scanpix

When Vladimir Lucic played for Partizan Belgrade a decade ago, the club couldn't boast about its financial capabilities. This year, both Partizan and Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade are signing multimillion deals with top names from the European basketball market.

Talking with Mozzart Sport, Lucic admitted that he feels a bit jealous that he could experience it when he was still playing in his home country of Serbia.

"Honestly, I'm a little jealous, because I wasn't able to play in a team with such a budget and at the same time be in the city where I was born, grew up, in a club where I feel good. I had to look elsewhere for financial matters," he said. "On the one hand, it's good that the time has come for players to be able to play for big money in Belgrade, in the country where they were born, without having to go and look for it far away from home. It was not a luxury we could afford."

3-pointers this season

33%
8,1
Points made: 8,1
Accuracy: 33,2%
Place in standings: 14
Record max: 11
Record min: 5
Most made 3FGs: Luca Vildoza

"My income for five years at Partizan may be at the level of one and a half months' salary of some Crvena Zvezda players, and with some players maybe only one month's salary," Lucic gave an example. "I'm not only talking about my five years at the club but also the players we brought in during that period. The philosophy is completely different now, so it can't be compared."

The player later echoed the thoughts of Svetislav Pesic who said that the current state of the EuroLeague forces both Serbian clubs to sign foreign players often neglecting the development of local players.

"The current EuroLeague system and the public in Serbia, which is not easy at all, does not allow a team to be formed as it used to be. For example, to have two foreigners and ten domestic players on the team," Lucic said. "It's very difficult to bring in quality domestic players now, let alone young ones who will be in shape, patient in searching for their role, who can commit to working for a long period of time. Two completely different times, it's hard to compare them."

Lucic has been sidelined with an elbow injury since early December. The forward provided a possible timeline for his return.

"I got hit almost during practice four weeks ago. The first three or four days, the diagnosis itself, considering the problem I had with my elbow before, was more related to that. Neither the doctors nor I thought it would be a serious injury. After the examination by a specialist, a partial rupture of the ligament was confirmed, so I was given a prosthesis and a brace during the next four weeks. I should return to work at the beginning of 2023, first of all strengthening my arm, then getting in contact and team practices.



Comments: