Welcome to the 21st edition of our blog interview series!
This week, we are excited to share an insightful conversation with Pavle Tasić. For the past seven years, Pavle has been an integral part of BC Mega, serving as a strength coach for the youth categories and women's team for five seasons, and in the last two seasons, he has taken on the role of strength coach for the senior team.
BC Mega is recognized as an NBA talents factory, holding the impressive record as the global leader in the number of players drafted from outside of US colleges, with a total of 16 players to date. Notable names include Nikola Jokić, Vasilije Micić, Goga Bitadze, and Ivica Zubac, among others.
Pavle Tasić
As a youth strength and conditioning coach at Mega Basketball Academy, what were the biggest changes in the basketball program that you have initiated over the years?
Actually, there are no big changes in my work. I try to learn every day, to see something new, and from time to time, I try to implement new things. But the focus with young players is to work on the basics, to teach them the technique, and most importantly, to ensure they do the exercises correctly. On the court, I emphasize proper landing, changing direction, running technique, sliding, etc. Where I may have made changes is in how I try to connect with the players because every player is a unique person, and that comes with experience.
From your perspective, what makes the Mega unique compared to other basketball academies?
Mega is unique because our main focus is on developing the players, working on their basketball skills as well as their personal characteristics. In this system, they are allowed to make mistakes because we don't chase results; we focus on developing their game.
How do you balance the pressure for short-term results with the long-term goal of developing players for the next (professional) level of basketball?
It's all about good programming. When you set a long-term goal, you have to follow the small steps and build everything brick by brick, with patience. However, the transition period from youth to professional basketball is possibly the hardest. Coaches have to do everything to make that easier for the players, but ultimately, it all depends on the players.
Player development at Mega spans across different age groups. How do you customize strength and conditioning programs for younger athletes (ages 10-14) versus older players (ages 15-18) to meet their unique developmental needs?
Younger players (ages 10-14) don’t have a strength and conditioning program in our system. Everything they do is through basketball. What I advise coaches is to develop abilities (coordination, speed, reactive speed, strength, etc.) through games—something that will be interesting for them. We start serious programs at age 15, or maybe earlier if the player is really talented. It’s very important that, at that young age, coaches have a good education in the theory of sports and a solid understanding of the sensitive periods of growth.
Basketball game is getting faster and faster. The decisions during the game have to he made in a split of a second. How do you develop young basketball players reaction speed?
The sensitive period for developing speed and reaction time in kids is around 15 years old. As I mentioned in the last question, I try to do everything through games. There are a lot of drills you can use to get players to compete against each other, like a relay. You can also use visual and sound cues that players have to respond to, especially while dribbling the ball or practicing defense.
What is the Academies approach in recruiting and talent identification to maintain a competitive roster year after year?
That is a question for someone else who works in our system 🙂 But in my opinion, when we recruit new players or young talents, the most important thing is that they are good people first. After that, you look at their potential, physical abilities, measurements, etc.
What advice would you give to youth coaches on balancing the demands of training and competition with the need for rest, recovery, and academic commitments for their student-athletes?
Nowadays, there are many platforms, programs, and applications that can help you track fatigue levels, sleep quality, and everything else, and that is a good thing. But there is nothing more important than direct communication. Coaches must build a strong relationship with their players and maintain constant communication. At a young age, kids have a lot of responsibilities at school, and when you add basketball training to that, their whole day is filled. Coaches should be mindful and follow the principles of sports science while adapting to the specific situation they face. One of my rules is that the team must have one rest day each week, no matter what.
There are 16 basketball players from Mega Basketball Academy who where drafted in NBA, with 3 time NBA MVP player Nikola Jokić being one of them. Compared to some very talented players you have trained but never reached their full potential, which factors in the formula for success in sports contribute to such a different outcome?
This is a very hard question to answer, but I will try! 🙂 I think that as a player, you have to be committed 100%, but there is still a part of luck that you need. Basketball has become very physically demanding, so one of the conditions for getting to the NBA is to be well prepared. You have to be committed both on the court and outside of it (nutrition, sleep quality, recovery, education, etc.). In every training session, you must give your best. One of my friends always says, "If you do your best, basketball will give back to you in the best way." I know I didn’t say anything new, but this is probably the way you should approach it if you want to succeed.
