Sergey Kozin is the head coach of Dynamo Vladivostok. This is a new experience for us. Is it for you, too?
“It’s still not entirely familiar to me, either. I spent my entire career in one city, with my hometown club. So it was quite unexpected to make such a big career move. But that’s the life of a coach: today you’re here, tomorrow you’re somewhere else. So Dynamo Vladivostok is my club now.”
The offer came from faraway Vladivostok. How long did it take you to say that important “yes”?
“It didn’t take very long. Of course, after the tragedy, the possibility of something like this coming up was already there, at least in theory. We got in touch with my agent to discuss what might happen and whether I’d be ready to take an offer if one came along. I immediately said I was willing, because I needed to keep working. By that point, it was already clear that Nizhny Novgorod would not be competing in the VTB United League. So when Dynamo made me an offer, I didn’t spend much time thinking it over. I was mentally prepared to accept if an opportunity like this came up.
Naturally, I have been considering the offer because this was a major challenge for me. The team had already been assembled, with 12 players under contract at that point. I fully understood the difficulties I would face. I discussed it with my family, of course, and with people in basketball who know the Russian game. In the end, everyone agreed that I should accept the offer and get to work.”
How did your family react about it?
“When the situation with Nizhny Novgorod first came up, my wife and I discussed it and talked about possibly moving to a city in the European part of Russia. Vladivostok wasn’t even on the table at that point. She was prepared to move. But when Vladivostok became a possibility, she supported me, of course, she’s always up for anything. Still, there’s some uncertainty about how we’ll arrange our everyday lives. To be honest, I haven’t quite figured it out myself yet. The flights, the time difference, being in different cities, with my family there and me here… My family will be moving in October. I think that will make things easier, both practically and professionally.”
Pari Nizhny Novgorod suspended its operations. How did you feel when the final decision was made?
“I’m not even sure how to describe my emotions. At first, perhaps it was a little easier because I was with the National Team at the time. It’s always a bit easier to deal with problems when you’re busy working. So our training schedule was going uninterrupted. Zoran Lukic was there, too. He had also spent most of his career in Nizhny Novgorod, just like I had.
I was able to process everything while focusing on work. But then, one evening, after the news had officially gone out, I got home, opened social media, and saw players who had contributed to Nizhny Novgorod and helped build the club posting tributes. That’s when it really hit me.
The EuroLeague games, the VTB United League silver medal, the Russian Cup—the club had built a rich history during that time. I understood that things were heading this way, but when all those memories came flooding back, I felt sad that a club like this had ended up in such a situation. I hope this chapter will eventually come to an end and that Nizhny Novgorod will once again delight its fans with some basketball and make noise across Russia and beyond.”
Did you get a chance to say goodbye to the team? Were you able to get everyone together?
“Towards the end of April, after the season had finished, we already had a better idea of the situation. We didn’t have that many players under contract. We had verbal agreements with some of the team’s veterans and key players, and, so to speak, we were waiting for the green light. We waited until the very last moment. We had regular calls with the club’s management on Mondays, hoping for some news.
At a certain point, some players we had verbal agreements with could no longer afford to wait. They told us they had other opportunities and moved to different clubs. We stayed in touch with the players right until the end. But we never managed to get everyone together. After that, each player had to figure out his own future. In the end, only two players remained under contract. So there was no real farewell gathering.”
If the club hadn’t shut down, what would it have taken for you to leave?
“Honestly, I can’t imagine what that would have been. Although, as I’ve said, that’s the life of a coach: today you’re here, tomorrow you’re somewhere else. You never know how things turn out. As coaches say, you can sign a contract today and be fired tomorrow, finding yourself with another team. I knew I might have to face a change of club, city, or perhaps even country at some point. I guess I was very fortunate to have spent my entire life and career in my hometown, with my hometown club. Now it’s time to move forward.”
Another Nizhny Novgorod icon has changed teams, too: Evgeny Baburin has joined UNICS. What was it like seeing him in a green uniform?
“It was really strange. I watched the Spartakiad games and messaged Zhenya to ask how he was doing. They had some roster problems, and at 39, he had to play more than 30 minutes a game for three days in a row. He’s a real trooper, especially considering he still has the health and energy to do it.
If Nizhny Novgorod had stayed in business, he would have remained there for another season. Yes, it’s unusual to see him in another jersey. He’s already synonymous with Nizhny Novgorod. But I wish him all the best for the rest of his career—just not when he plays against Dynamo Vladivostok.”
It’s been a tragic and historic year for Dynamo under your leadership. How much pressure are you feeling?
“I wouldn’t say there’s any particular pressure. In my opinion, Dynamo deserved to move up to the VTB United League two years ago, when they won the Super League. Back then, I guess certain conditions weren’t met. Our job now is to make the team as competitive as possible and give every club in the VTB United League a real challenge. We understand that won’t be easy.
Every coach has his own views on life and basketball. Eduard Mikhailovich had one approach, and I have another. I’ll do my best to adapt my style of basketball to the roster we already have. We’re only just starting to build connections and establish relationships with the coaching staff and the club’s management. But things are coming together: we’re resolving issues and signing new players.”
Was bringing Ivan Strebkov back to the team your idea?
“Yes, it was my initiative. Ivan was one of the people I spoke to before signing the contract. I wouldn’t say his opinion was the deciding factor. He spent the last two years at Dynamo, and we know each other very well from our time at Nizhny Novgorod. I have a very good understanding of what he can do. He never played under me as a head coach, but I was an assistant coach when we worked together.
We spoke before I signed, and we also talked several times afterward, discussing his role on the team and how I see him fitting in. I’m grateful to Ivan for accepting our offer. I’m sure it wasn’t an easy decision at this particular point in time. I’m confident he’ll be valuable to the team both on and off the court.”
Dynamo has the most challenging travel schedule of any team in the League. Are you ready for that?
“My first conversations with the coaching staff, who already have experience dealing with this, and with the medical staff were about how to manage the team during all those flights. We discussed what to do when we travel to the European part of Russia and when we return, how to organize everything without wearing the team down.
For example, we practiced at 9 a.m. today because we arrived yesterday. Everyone woke up at 6 a.m. because Vladivostok is already seven hours ahead, where it was 1 p.m. at the time. I got up at 3 a.m. myself—that was 10 a.m. in Vladivostok. Jet lag can throw you off for two or three days.
We’ll do everything we can to adapt. Dynamo already has experience with this from its time in the Super League. We also have players who went through it last year. We have a fairly young roster, and the younger the players, the easier it is for them to cope with the physical and mental strain.”
How do you foresee Dynamo Vladivostok’s first season in the VTB United League?
“I see us as a team that has to compete in every game. We must not back down in individual battles and must always show fight. Fans in Vladivostok really love basketball, and you can’t fool them by simply going through the motions on the court. They can always tell.
I’ll demand that the team give 100 percent. Sometimes you can win a game without giving it everything, but then you don’t get the same satisfaction out of it. We have to stay fully focused and give everything we have on the court.”
