The Real Madrid' star spent half a season under Panathinaikos's head coach at Anadolu Efes in 2021. And it did not go well
Recalling when Ataman coached Dzanan Musa at Efes
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In 2021, Anadolu Efes Istanbul signed a young and talented Dzanan Musa to play under head coach Ergin Ataman. Efes managed to lift the EuroLeague trophy at the end of that season but Musa saw very limited playing time, appearing in less than 12 total minutes over four EuroLeague games with nary a moment on court in the postseason.
Three years later, Musa and Coach Ataman will be on opposite sides when Real Madrid and Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens take the floor to play the 2024 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Championship Game.
When Musa left Efes, many thought his career had reached a dead end despite a promising start in which he was considered one of the top prospects in European basketball. Musa became the youngest player ever to win the EuroCup Rising Star award in the 2017-18 season when he played for Cedevita Zagreb. However, playing sparingly over a season and a half with Brooklyn in the NBA and then with Efes, his prospects had diminished.
"I said it many times. I came in the middle of the season and I couldn't expect to play as much, but you know my character, you know Ergin's character, so we had some words at the practices and outside of practice. But it is all respect from me to Ergin. They won... I mean, we won the title that year in EuroLeague so that is something you have to respect," Musa said at the Official Championship Game Press Conference, in which he still struggled to feel identified with Efes in 2020-21, using 'they' instead of 'we'. "They went back-to-back and he did an amazing job, so you have to respect that, and I learned a lot from him, Vasa [Micic], Shane [Larkin]. They helped me a lot to be in this position that I am right now."
Things changed for Musa changed very quickly when he left Istanbul. He signed with Spanish side Rio Breogan and had a breakout season, earning 2021-22 Spanish League MVP honors. Full of confidence again, Musa joined Real Madrid and was chosen to the 2022-23 EuroLeague First Team after averaging 14.8 points and a PIR of 15.9 in 41 games and conquering the EuroLeague title. This season, he broke the club's single-game scoring record in the 21st century, scoring 40 points in an instant-classic, four-overtime victory against Efes.
Even though Ataman led Efes to its first EuroLeague title that season, he has regrets about not giving Musa more playing time and hopes that is not in the back of his mind when the teams fight for the EuroLeague title on Sunday.
"Sometimes, as a coach, you make some mistakes. That season, OK, we won the EuroLeague. Dzanan came in the middle of the season, it was his first year after the NBA and unfortunately, I didn't give him a lot of time. It was bad for me and for Efes that we lost him and he went to Spain, and now he is one of the stars in Real Madrid, but I hope that tomorrow, on the court, he won't take the revenge for this!"
People laughed, but Musa could not resist answering.
"We will see about it"