Kaunas “Žalgiris” team has met a new head coach, reaching an agreement with 38-year-old specialist from Austria Martin Schiller, reports the club’s website on Tuesday.
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The Austrian, who started his coaching career in 2004, has gained considerable experience in European basketball. Schiller has spent most of his career working in German clubs and has been an assistant coach for the national men’s basketball team.
“I will be honored to work in a club with such a long tradition. I am grateful to be able to train such a good team,” the club quotes the coach after signing the contract. “I hope to start working in Lithuania, a country that is one of the dominant basketball countries in Europe,” says Schiller in a special video for Žalgiris team fans.
“I think the team is very strong. I like that we have a strong core of players who are at the peak of their careers or will soon reach it. We have both veterans who can take the lead and young but very talented basketball players,” is pleased. Austrian specialist.
Since 2017, the coach has been the head coach of the Salt Lake City “Stars” team in the NBA G League, and this year he was recognized as the best coach of this league.
It has already been reported that the NBA G League season ended prematurely due to the Covid-19 outbreak, but by then the Schiller-led Salt Lake City club had won 30 and suffered 12 defeats, the second best result in the league.
The new “Žalgiris” coxswain is known as a coach with a clear system and the ability to include players in it, his team in the NBA G league stand out with an unusually clever basketball for this league.
“Žalgiris has done a lot in recent years, and I want to help you continue to progress, move forward and be a part of this journey,” the coach explains his mission to the club. “As far as my basketball philosophy is concerned, of course we want to be strong on defense. We will have clear defense rules that we will have to follow, creating a single defense like a fist. In an attack we have to use the whole field, play ball, make quick decisions, and use penalty area. We want to create a beautiful basketball for the eyes, which has been played so far. “
The club reports that after negotiations with the candidates for the position of coach “Žalgiris”, the management was most influenced by Schiller, who attracted with his great knowledge, versatility, discipline and ability to demand maximum results from the players.
“Martins is still a young enough, but already experienced coach who meets our requirements. His vision corresponds to the values of the club,” explains Paulius Motiejuns, the director of “Žalgiris”. “Talking to the coach, we saw how ambitious he was – our approach to work was completely in line. We believe that with this coach we can continue to grow as an organization.”
Kaunas “Žalgiris” has signed a two-year contract with a coach, who is increasingly valued on the other side of the Atlantic and is already in the eyes of NBA clubs.
