The Benas Podcast

NEW EPISODE!
(EP#94)

If you want to support this podcast (Ačiū!!):
Support: https://www.patreon.com/c/bmatke 

Homepage: www.bmatke.com
Sponsor: www.proballers.com

"Peppe":

Giuseppe “Peppe” Poeta is a former Italian national-team point guard who played for clubs including Virtus Bologna, Baskonia, Trento, Torino and Cremona. After retiring in 2022, he became an assistant coach at Olimpia Milano, then led Brescia to the 2025 Italian League Finals before returning to Milan. Since November 2025, Poeta has served as Olimpia Milano’s head coach, succeeding Ettore Messina.
Today, "Peppe" reflected on his playing career and how those experiences shaped his approach to coaching. We discussed practice habits, leadership, handling difficult losses and the lessons he has learned throughout his coaching journey. He also shared how he manages his staff and whether his identity has evolved since transitioning from player to coach. and much more!

Topics:
00:00 Intro 
00:30 Summer talk
03:10 Positive aura
05:14 Reflecting on his path
07:50 Mentoring young players
11:10 Negativity vs Positivity
15:30 Rational decision-making
20:00 Practice habits & approach
25:30 Leadership & Learning
31:30 ProBallers.com
33:30 Changing identity to coaching
42:00 There is no truth in basketball
49:00 Tolerance in basketball, 4 pillars
58:10 View on scouting reports
1:04:26 Coaching Staff Politics
1:08:00 ATOs

📢 Subscribe to my YouTube channel The Benas Podcast, if you want to stay updated! You'll find this podcast on all audio platforms as well.
👍 Press „Like“ ir and share this podcast to your network! 
#PeppePoeta #MilanoBasketball #Euroleague #HeadCoach #Basketball

Finding Peppe:
IG: https://www.instagram.com/peppepoeta8/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/peppe.poeta 

Finding “The Benas Podcast”:
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-b-podcast/id1558492852?uo=4 
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Bw5UJNSQLKo0wUybEIza3 
Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-benas-podcast

…or visit www.bmatke.com to find more info.

Comment, Like & Share here:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmatke/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bmatke/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/bmatke3

www.bmatke.com

NEW EPISODE!
(EP#93)

If you want to support this podcast (Ačiū!!):
Support: https://www.patreon.com/c/bmatke 

Homepage: www.bmatke.com
Sponsor: www.proballers.com

"Nico":

Nicolej Krickau is a Danish handball coach whose playing career ended early due to injury, leading him into coaching at a young age. He rose to prominence with GOG, where he developed several world-class players and led the club to back-to-back Danish championships in 2022 and 2023. Known for his modern, player-centered approach, Krickau later won the EHF European League with SG Flensburg-Handewitt in 2024 and is now the head coach of Füchse Berlin. He is widely regarded as one of the most innovative and respected young coaches in European handball.
Today, Nico and me talked about how he started to coach, what the similarities between basketball and handball really are, how he developed and currently coaches the best player in the world, Mathias Gidsel and many more topics that should interest you if you're a sports fan!

Topics:
00:00 Intro 
1:20 Cultural Communication
7:50 Coaching beginnings
13:00 Openness and authenticity 
18:30 Handball culture
23:50 Scouting Handball players
30:30 Coaching Mathias Gidsel
51:50 Culture: Germany vs Denmark
58:00 Coaching Culturally
1:09:30 Relating to Basketball
1:11:00 Improving a winning culture
1:16:40 ATOs 

📢 Subscribe to my YouTube channel The Benas Podcast, if you want to stay updated! You'll find this podcast on all audio platforms as well.
👍 Press „Like“ ir and share this podcast to your network! 
#NicolejKrickau #Denmark #Berlin #Fuechse #Handball 

Finding Nico:
IG: https://www.instagram.com/nicolej_krickau/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicolej.krickau 

Finding “The Benas Podcast”:
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-b-podcast/id1558492852?uo=4 
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Bw5UJNSQLKo0wUybEIza3 
Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-benas-podcast

…or visit www.bmatke.com to find more info.

Comment, Like & Share here:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmatke/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bmatke/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/bmatke3

www.bmatke.com

NEW EPISODE!
(EP#92)

If you want to support this podcast (Ačiū!!):
Support: https://www.patreon.com/c/bmatke 

Homepage: www.bmatke.com
Sponsor: www.proballers.com

"Tutis":

Tuti grew up playing basketball in a basketball family and eventually transitioned to coaching. He accepted an assistant coach position within the Zalgiris junior program before eventually transitioning to the pro team and working under four different Head Coaches, most notably Andrea Trinchieri his last season. This season (25/26) Tuti took his first head coaching job with the London Lions and won 4 trophies his first year!
Today, we talked about his early season challenges as a first time Head Coach and how to recover from heartbreaking losses and steering his team towards new heights to win trophy after trophy his first year. Tuti also shared his experience of being an Assistant coach, what leadership and culture mean to him, preparation, how he balanced his long-distance family-life and much more!

Topics:
00:00 Intro 
1:30 Language fluidity
4:50 Son of "Sabas"
9:00 Young Assistant Coach
12:45 Collecting Database
15:50 Epiphany as an Assistant
19:30 Being a filter
25:39 When do you feel ready?
26:40 ProBallers.com
30:41 Approach in Preparation
35:30 Learning curve
38:40 Mentorship & Discussions
44:00 Recovery after hard losses
49:00 Winning the "Quadruple"
52:00 Culture & Leadership
55:30 Long-distance family life
58:00 ATOs

📢 Subscribe to my YouTube channel The Benas Podcast, if you want to stay updated! You'll find this podcast on all audio platforms as well.
👍 Press „Like“ ir and share this podcast to your network! 
#TautvydasSabonis #Tuti #LondonLions #Zalgiris #Kaunas #Head Coach

Finding Tuti:
IG: https://www.instagram.com/tsabonis11/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tautvydas.sabonis.3 
X: https://x.com/Tsabonis11 

Finding “The Benas Podcast”:
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-b-podcast/id1558492852?uo=4 
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Bw5UJNSQLKo0wUybEIza3 
Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-benas-podcast

…or visit www.bmatke.com to find more info.

Comment, Like & Share here:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmatke/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bmatke/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/bmatke3

www.bmatke.com

NEW EPISODE!
(EP#91)

If you want to support this podcast (Ačiū!!):
Support: https://www.patreon.com/c/bmatke 

Homepage: www.bmatke.com
Sponsor: www.proballers.com

"Dražen":

Dražen Orešković’s coaching career has mostly been built as a high-level assistant coach in Croatian and European basketball, with a focus on player development, tactics, and national-team work rather than long-term head-coaching roles. He moved through youth and assistant positions before establishing himself in top-level professional basketball. He has worked as an Assistant Coach at the National Team level with Bosnia as well as Croatia. Also worked in the Euroleague with Khimki basketball and is currently a youth level coach in Aleppo, Syria. He also trained Jusuf Nurkic individually during his time in Portland and shared his experience in the NBA.

Dražen has a rich coaching experience spanning across different cultures and continents and today we talked about all things coaching abroad. From being an assistant coach on the national team level during all competitions as well as his current experience in Syria and how he goes about adapting to a completely new cultures abroad. We also talked about living in the US, him training Jusuf and the Croatian basketball culture change within the team.

Topics:
00:00 Intro
1:38 Why do you coach?
9:45 Developing Jusuf Nurkic
17:45 Youth competition in Syria
41:12 ProBallers.com
47:20 Croatian Basketball crisis & culture
1:08:04 ATOs

📢 Subscribe to my YouTube channel The Benas Podcast, if you want to stay updated! You'll find this podcast on all audio platforms as well.
👍 Press „Like“ ir and share this podcast to your network! 

#DrazenOreskovic #CroatiaBasketball #SyriaBasketball #JusufNurkic #Development

Finding Luka:
IG: https://www.instagram.com/oreskovic.drazen/ 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drazenoreskovic/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61583896873114 

Finding “The Benas Podcast”:
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-b-podcast/id1558492852?uo=4 
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Bw5UJNSQLKo0wUybEIza3 
Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-benas-podcast

…or visit www.bmatke.com to find more info.

Comment, Like & Share here:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmatke/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bmatke/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/bmatke3

www.bmatke.com

NAUJAS EPIZODAS!
(EP#90)

Jeigu norite palaikiti ši podkasta (Ačiū!!):
Support: https://www.patreon.com/c/bmatke 

Svetaine: www.bmatke.com
Remejas: www.proballers.com

"Sonko":

Darius Songaila – vienas ryškiausių savo kartos Lietuvos krepšininkų, daugiau nei dešimtmetį rungtyniavęs NBA ir Europos krepšinio elite. Su Lietuvos rinktine jis iškovojo 2003 metų Europos čempionato auksą bei Sidnėjaus olimpinių žaidynių bronzos medalį. 
Baigęs žaidėjo karjerą Songaila pradėjo trenerio kelią kaip asistento vaidmenyje – Žalgiris Kaunas štabe talkino Šarūnas Jasikevičius, o vėliau San Antonio Spurs organizacijoje dirbo šalia Gregg Popovich. 2025 metų vasarą jis treniravo Lietuvos U20 rinktinę, o šį sezoną tapo BC Šiauliai vyr. treneriu.
Šiame epizode su Darius Songaila kalbėjome apie jo kelią nuo NBA žaidėjo iki trenerio darbo aukščiausiame lygyje. Aptarėme NBA naujoko realybę ir linksmas užduotis rūbinėje, darbą trenerių štabe bei patirtį San Antonio Spurs organizacijoje šalia Gregg Popovich. 
Taip pat kalbėjome apie svarbiausias pamokas iš NBA, trenerio filosofiją, pirmuosius žingsnius vyr. trenerio rolėje bei darbą su BC Šiauliai komanda. Ir, žinoma, dar daugiau istorijų iš ilgametės karjeros krepšinyje.

Temos :
00:00 Darius Songaila – Intro
02:00 NBA naujoko užduotys & rūbinės kultūra
08:00 Šiuolaikinis bendravimas ir komunikacija
16:40 Adaptacija Europoje & žaidėjų rekrutavimas
24:50 Tapimas treneriu ir naujo identiteto paieškos
30:00 Trenerio darbas & žaidėjo limitai
41:40 ProBallers.com
49:30 Pirmosios vyr. trenerio pamokos
55:50 Gregg Popovich pamokos ir žinios
1:05:50 Kokį identitetą nori perteikti komandai?
1:14:40 Darbas su sporto direktoriumi / Ginu Rutkausku
1:18:30 Asmeninis gyvenimas ir aukos
1:24:00 ATO situacijos

📢 Prenumeruokite mano „YouTube“ kanalą „The Benas Podcast“, jei norite nepraleisti naujausių epizodų! Šį tinklalaidės epizodą taip pat rasite visose garso platformose.
👍 Paspauskite „Patinka“ ir pasidalykite šiuo podkastu su savo tinklu!

#DariusSongaila #Treneris #NBA #Siauliai #GreggPopovich 

Rasit “The Benas Podcast” čia:
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-b-podcast/id1558492852?uo=4 
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Bw5UJNSQLKo0wUybEIza3 
Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-benas-podcast

…arba aspilankykite www.bmatke.com .

Komentuokit, spauskit 'like' & dalinkites 'social media' kanaluose:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmatke/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bmatke/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/bmatke3

www.bmatke.com