Sunday’s PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup meeting between Meralco and Hong Kong Eastern was more than just a game for Nenad Vucinic.
It was an emotional affair for the Bolts’ active consultant, as it marked the very first time that he coached against his dearest ‘brother’ in Mensur Bajramovic.
He did steer his side to the 88-83 victory to end a two-game skid — and become just the third team to beat the guest team — but the result transcends far and wide how much the whole experience meant for the Serbian mentor.
“It was very difficult, very emotional for me today to coach against him. First time in my life we crossed paths. It was an honor,” he said moments after the match at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
“He’s a great coach, an unbelievable person.”
Because for a time, Vucinic had no idea how his good pal had been doing until he reached out to him about a decade ago.
The closest of friends lost contact for a while after a war broke out between their countries—countries they were actually serving.
“The war happened between our nations. I only contacted him about 10 years ago. And I didn’t know what happened in between, who may be some of his people, or family died in war, you know,” recalled Vucinic.
“So I wasn’t sure how he was gonna react when I contacted him. When I contacted him, he was like he met yesterday,” he added.
“He’s like a brother to me.”
Having been away from Bajramovic was really tough for Vucinic, as the former was a figure so important for him when they were younger.
“We go back to 1983 when I was a young player and I had to serve in the army,” said the 65-year-old, who hails from Belgrade. “We were one country, from one country, it was called Yugoslavia. He is from Bosnia, I’m from Serbia.
“We’re not one country anymore. But I served the army in his city,” added Vucinic, who played pro ball from 1983 to 2000. “And I practiced with the team that he was playing for. And he was the one who looked after me.”
“When you’re a soldier, you know, you cannot go out, so he took me out to his home, outside for meals and all that. And then when I finished the army, we stayed in touch a little bit,” he continued.
“And then the war happened.”
That’s why when they reconnected, the two would remain in touch “every day,” said Vucinic, and eventually reunite in the Philippines — of all places.
“Yeah! I mean, weird. Because I was coaching the New Zealand national team, he was the coach of the Bosnian national team, the Syrian national team, the Kuwait national team, and we never crossed paths,” he said.
“And he coached in Lebanon a year after I coached. So it was like we never crossed paths. And of all [places], the Philippines.”
It all became possible when Bajramovic and Eastern became a guest team for the ongoing conference, thus the joy of Vucinic with the development.
He really is, even though it was tough to figure in a chess match of sorts against someone so special to him when their teams collided at the Big Dome.
But then, moments such as this will only add even more color to a solid friendship that has been going on for 42 years — and counting.
“I was so happy,” said Vucinic, his face lit up.
“I was nervous, because I had to play against him. I know how good of a coach he is, and it’s difficult to be coaching against such a close friend. He’s like a brother to me.”
