EXCLUSIVE: Satoransky says 'LeBron great, but Jordan still the best'

With a past at the Chicago Bulls, the Catalan's point guard doesn't want to know about putting LeBron James, who just surpassed Kareem Adbul-Jabbar at the top of the NBA's all-time leading scorers, on the same level as Michael Jordan.

"Michael was a god," he said. "The States is a closed chapter (for me). Europe is my home. I'm proud of being Czech."

Six seasons in the NBA, where Satoransky had the privilege of calling the two cathedrals of American basketball, consecrated by Michael Jordan himself, the United Center in Chicago and the Capital One Arena in Washington "home".

"Beating Jabbar's points record doesn't make LeBron the best in history," he said with confidence. "(The) number one is MJ."

There's no doubt either that he would have found true happiness in Europe: "It was easy to give up the NBA. Both my family and I didn't want to live our whole lives in the United States." Also because "the level of the EuroLeague has grown a lot".

On the eve of the match against Virtus Bologna, the Czech playmaker confides exclusively to Flashscore...

FS: Does your ankle still hurt?

Satoransky: "Maybe it's true that I should have rested it a little longer, but it's equally true that we played EuroBasket at home. And it's for this reason that I decided to push it a bit and now I'm dragging myself along a little longer That said, I'm much better than last month. By now I'm used to playing with a bit of pain."

On January 5th, Virtus conquered Palau. What mistakes will you have to correct to win in Bologna?

"Virtus is a squadron, with many expert players and a great coach. We'll have to try to be faster because they're very strong in defence."

Just like you, Scariolo has also found his second home in Spain.

"I have enormous respect for him and not just for what he has done with the Spanish national team. I like him. He is a coach who knows how to adapt to different situations. Last year, for example, he no longer had the 'gold generation of of Spanish basketball', but he knew how to reinvent himself and win. Now he's doing excellent things in Bologna and he also did very well in Toronto, where he won the assistant ring. He's one of the best in his attention to detail."

Belinelli, once he had thoroughly enjoyed the NBA, returned home. Milos Teodosic, on the other hand, has always preferred Europe...

"Teodosic is a special player, probably the best assister I've seen in my life. He does great things and does them with admirable composure. He doesn't need to have a huge physique to be spectacular. Belinelli, on the other hand, was one of the best shooters in the NBA. He had a great career, also winning a ring with San Antonio. They are players who can make a difference at any moment."

The feeling is that the gap between American and European basketball is getting smaller and smaller...

"EuroLeague surprised me a lot. I knew it was a great competition, but this year it has taken a further step forward. Even for the public it is more and more spectacular, because all the matches are important. In the NBA it is different because you they play so many games that a defeat isn't all that dramatic. Here, however, all matches are decisive. The intensity of the EuroLeague is higher than that of the NBA."

You were on the court the day LeBron James surpassed Karl Malone for second place on the list of all-time leading scorers in NBA history. Did he ever imagine that he would be able to cancel Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's record too?

"Absolutely, I had no doubts. He has managed to maintain his level at a very high level over the years. He has changed his way of playing a bit - he no longer makes so many penetrations and shoots more from three, but he continues to be an animal and I was sure he could."

Tell us about LeBron. A moment you will never forget?

"As soon as I arrived in the NBA, one of my first pre-season games was against Cleveland, who had won the year before. I start on the bench and when my turn comes they make me play number three. This means that I should have guarded LeBron. And he me. Well, my first time in possession, I make a move and score with a hook. Of course I couldn't express all my emotion at the time, but I will never forget."

What do you think is LeBron's best quality?

"He has both the physique and the head. Until you see him up close you don't understand how enormous he is. Everyone talks about his points record, but I like to point out his intelligence. It is rarely talked about, he is one of those players who improve the performance of their team-mates. Suffice it to say that in addition to overtaking Jabbar, he is also fourth in the absolute ranking of assists."

Does this record make him the best in history?

"No (laughs), absolutely not. (Michael) Jordan is. Jordan, for me, will always be the best."

He played with both the Bulls and the Wizards, MJ's two teams... 

"Jordan is everything. He changed the way people approach not only basketball, but sports in general. He was a god. For us playing in Chicago it wasn't easy, because the pressure was enormous. They asked us to to be Jordan, to play like the Bulls in the 90s. But how could we do that if Jordan and those Bulls were the best player and the best team in history?"

Who, in your opinion, is the best player in the EuroLeague?

"Vezenkov is making the difference, in favour of Olympiakos. And then there are the three tenors of Efes. I really like Micic a lot."

In Barcelona, you met his friend Jan Vesely.

"It's always a pleasure to play with him. We also did in Washington and have always done it for the national team. Our chemistry on the court is fantastic."

What is your opinion of the current situation of Vit Krejci, the only Czech basketball player still in the NBA?

"Of course I wish him the best, but I can't help but notice that his situation is quite complicated. In Oklahoma City things were going better. Now, however, he is playing very little. We met last summer in the national team and I think really that it would be good for him to go back to Europe for a bit. And yes, because to gain experience you have to play many important games and right now, in the NBA, it's difficult for him to be able to do it."

Is the chapter of you with America definitively closed?

"Yes. And it wasn't difficult to decide to close it. I have many good memories of the NBA, above all that of having realised the dream I had when I started playing basketball. My children were then born in the United States and, therefore, the bond remains. But we like Europe."

Are you satisfied with how it went?

"I'd say the balance is positive. I've always known, however, that sooner or later I'd come back because neither my family nor I wanted to live our whole lives in the States."

Although you left very young, your bond with the Czech Republic is still very strong. You also financed work to restore the Prague courts where you started playing?

"It fills me with pride that I had the chance to do it. I come home every summer because I am very grateful to my country and proud to be Czech. The hope is to try to improve our basketball and I think that, all together, we will and are succeeding. We have brought 12,000 people to the arena to watch the matches of our national team and no one could have ever imagined this."

You were also one of the two stalwarts at the Tokyo Olympics...

"One of the most important moments of my sports career. It was a privilege to be able to do it. The only regret is that the stadium was empty and it's not the same thing. Having said that, I was still nervous during the ceremony."

After sixth place at the last World Cup, last season was disappointing for the Czech national team...

"What is happening between FIBA and EuroLeague is a real problem because the fans want to see their best players defend the colours of their national team. In our case, then, the level of the team changes completely if the coach can count on his four best players or if he can't. They should find a solution and allow us to play too."