Sašo was able to meet Saša at the Union Olimpija vs. Efes game.

Sometimes good friends who are meant to be have a kinship in which coincidences occur between them no matter how far apart they may be from each other. When Sasha meets his fans, it is often said that he has the ability to make them feel like he is their good friend even if they have only met him once. Native Slovenian fan, Sašo Rozenberger, can attest to this and some coincidences as well. Sašo has been a fan since the beginnings of Sasha’s pro career and is one of the many European fans who welcomes Sasha in playing basketball in Europe once again.

Could you please tell us about where you are from?

I am from Novo Mesto, the eighth biggest city in Slovenia. Novo Mesto has a population of around 35,000. Basketball is the no.1 sport here in Novo Mesto, but there is no comparison to the other states’ countries.

How long have you been a Sasha fan and when did you first see him play?

When I first heard about Sasha, it was when he was playing his last season for Udine, Italy (season 03-04), and then I became his fan. He is a 3 point-killer and I love his playing style and his passion for basketball. I was watching almost every single game when he was playing for the Lakers and Nets. When he was playing in Italy in the beginning of his career and I saw him playing for the first time, I had a good feeling that he will succeed one day and become a great basketball player.

How does it feel to have Sasha back playing in Europe?

It feels good, it’s much easier to follow his matches because there is no time difference. And what I have seen till now, I can say that he has adapted to European basketball quite fast.

You just recently went to see him play at the Efes vs. Union Olimpija game and you also were able to meet him. Would you tell us about that?

Yes, I saw Sasha in Kranjska Gora, where Efes had a friendly match against Union Olimpija. After the game I talked with him. I expected that he would act like a superstar but it was completely different. Sasha is very friendly in private life. When we met, he talked to me like we’ve known each other for years. The biggest surprise was his attitude, he was down to earth, very relaxed, funny. It was a great pleasure that I could meet him, he shows his greatness everyday on and off the court. And I respect him like a basketball player and a person too.

Back when Sašo had longer hair - Vujacic style.

How do you feel Sasha is contributing to the Anadolu Efes team?

When Sasha was playing in LA he couldn’t fulfil his potential because he wasn’t a regular starter. But now at Anadolu he is a regular starter, leading player, and one of most important players at Anadolu. The team is built from many excellent players (Sasha, Ilyasova, Kinsey, Savanovic,..). This is not a one-man team, together they form one of the best teams in Europe. But we have to mention that they have a great coach and great fans too. Sasha can contribute to this team, mostly with his 3-point shots, his calmness at key moments in the game and his great defense. He’s already popular amongst fans.

You seem to have a synchronicity with Sasha, you are both Slovenian, your names sound similar (Sasha is spelled, Saša in Slovenian), you both play basketball and there was even a coincidence about your hairstyles! Can you tell us about that?

In my opinion there are a lot of very funny coincidences.Yes our names are very similar,  but there’s one difference, his name (Sasha) origins from the name Aleksander, and can be given to men or women (Sasha). My name, Sašo, is pronounced, Sasho in English, and sounds very similar, but it is a name given only to men. And about our haircut, when Sasha had long hair, I had long hair too and then when I decided to get it cut, the next day I saw Sasha on TV with his haircut too. I didn’t even know he was going to cut his hair too….

Has watching Sasha play basketball helped you with your own playing? If so, in what ways?

Yes of course. When I was younger I was inspired by him. I watched his style of playing, his attitude, confidence. I think that the most important thing is that he believes in himself. No matter if he misses 10 shots from the play, he believes in himself that he can do it, and when it comes to the crucial part of the game, he scores. And of course there is the hard work in training, you have to be more that 100% on every training so you can give your best in the match.

Sašo, playing basketball for his team.

If you could say something to Sasha, what would you want to say?

Sasha, I wish you all the best in your career. That you will manage to get to the final four in Euroleague with Anadolu. And of course that you get (at least) one more championship ring in the NBA. One more thing, there is my friend – Luka Kregulj who is also a fan of Sasha and Efes, he wishes him and Anadolu all the best. Of course there is also my translator Rok Tomšič, without him I couldn’t write such nice answers.  He’s not a follower of Sasha, but I can see it his eyes that he admires him, and wishes him all the best