Pero Antic: "I regret there are no Macedonian clubs in ABA 1, but that is the reality"
Three-time EuroLeague winner Pero Antic praised the league's development, said missing an ABA title remains his only regret and praised coach Dusan Alimpijevic.
Pero Antic, the three-time EuroLeague winner who played for Crvena Zvezda early in his career, spoke about the ABA League as it marks its 25th anniversary and reflected on his own experiences in the regional competition.
Antic praised the steady progress of the league and noted how its organization and level have improved since he began his career. "Well, let me wish it another 25. I started in 2001, when the league was four years old. So you can see from the quality, from the organization, that every year it gets better and better. And I'm sure it will continue like that. I regret that there are no Macedonian clubs in ABA 1, but that's the reality and we'll wait for better times," he told Serbian media.
Missed ABA title and memories from earlier seasons
Antic said the one professional frustration he still carries is never winning the ABA League, despite claiming many other trophies during his career — including two EuroLeague titles with Olympiacos and one with Fenerbahce. He singled out the 2018 final against Buducnost as the moment that eluded him.
"Honestly, it was better in the past for me. The only thing I regret is that I didn't win the ABA League. I won many trophies, the EuroLeague and others, but the ABA League escaped me in 2018 against Budućnost, so that's the only thing. But it was an honour to play. Because in my time, in 2005, the last year of 2007, you know how all the players played. There was no money, we really played for our clubs, for the heart, for the soul," he added.
Looking at Europe as a whole, Antic ranked the Spanish and Greek competitions at the top and placed the ABA among the continent's leading four leagues. He expressed optimism about the upcoming EuroLeague season and singled out Panathinaikos, Fenerbahçe and one of the Belgrade sides as prime contenders.
He also had warm words for coach Dusan Alimpijevic, who is returning to the EuroLeague bench with Besiktas after previously coaching Red Star in 2017/18, the season Antic referenced. "I knew he would be a great coach. He showed quality long ago. I was four years older than him, but you know who is the boss. He is the boss — I am a player. This is just the middle, he will go even further. I wish him all the best. He is my friend, my brother, we talk constantly even though he is no longer my coach," Antic said.
Photo: press material from the event
