Former New Zealand head coach Nenad Vucinic has been in the country for the past week.
And it’s not because he is just visiting his best friend and mentor Tab Baldwin.
The 56-year-old Serbian-Kiwi was tipped to be one of Baldwin’s consultants for Gilas Pilipinas in the 2023 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers.
But on Monday evening, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas announced that Baldwin “stepped down” from his post with TNT head coach Chot Reyes taking over.
With this, Vucinic’s status remains uncertain.
Reyes though is open to meeting the five-time NZ-NBL Coach of the Year as he is currently plotting who to get as part of his think tank.
Photo from FIBA.basketball
“I’m very open to working with him if he is willing to continue working with Gilas.
“I’m very open to meeting him, watching him work in practice, and taking a look at what he does wide open,” Reyes told Tiebreaker Times. “As I said, I still don’t have a coaching staff right now. It’s wide open at that sense.”
Vucivic began his coaching career with NBL club Nelson in 1996.
In 2001, Baldwin called him up to be his lead assistant with the Tall Blacks. Five years later, he was appointed to succeed Baldwin, who had been removed from his post and signed with Greek team P.A.O.K. BC.
New Zealand released Vucivic in 2014. He went on to coach in Estonia, Turkey, Italy, Lebanon, Japan, and China.
Besides Vucivic, Reyes also wants to meet with Baldwin so that they can work together leading to the World Cup next year.
Photo from FIBA.Basketball
“Of course, I’m very much open to working with Coach Tab as well,” said Reyes.
