Nemo Maric: How Hoosac Prepares Players for College Hoops

Nemo (Nemanja) Maric, head coach at Hoosac School / ISA (AAA), joins Cory to unpack a true Euro–U.S. hybrid approach to prep school basketball development. Maric shares his journey from Serbia and a 13-year pro career to building a multinational roster under one roof—where 20+ countries train, lift, and study within a system that blends European team concepts (spacing, reads, ball movement) with American individual creativity (one-on-one scoring, athletic standards). He explains why multi-sport participation helps athletes’ decision-making and body awareness, how ISA–Hoosac runs open gyms that draw 100+ college programs, and why honest, low-turnover guards who kick out on paint touches translate fastest to college.

You’ll also hear candid guidance on playing time (earn it), parent communication (player-led first), college placement across D1/D2/D3/JUCO, and the real benefits of NEPSAC AAA competition for exposure and growth. Maric closes with a forward look at NIL-era pipelines, where schools may formalize multi-level systems from prep to college.

Families mapping the prep-to-college pathway: this episode delivers clear, practical next steps—no hype, just what actually works. 

💡 Key Topics

• 📌 Euro–U.S. blend for player development (spacing, reads + individual creativity)
• 📌 Global roster model at ISA–Hoosac and daily training environment
• 📌 College placement: open gyms, showcases, relationships, agencies
• 📌 NEPSAC AAA benefits: elite coaching, exposure, consistency
• 📌 D1 guard standards: low turnovers, decision-making, defense, kick-outs
• 📌 Multi-sport advantage: movement literacy, mental health, long-term upside

🏀 About Nemo (Nemanja) Maric

Head Coach, Hoosac School / ISA (AAA). Serbian-born, 13-year European pro, and architect of a Euro-style development system inside a U.S. prep framework. Maric’s teams emphasize spacing, reads, discipline, and skill—while preparing international and domestic athletes for college basketball.

🔗 Connect with Nemo Maric

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/hoosac.bb/
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/nemanja_maric_coach/
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/isa.hoosac/
Twitter | https://x.com/ISAHoosac
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/isa.hoosac/

🔗 Connect with Cory:

Website | https://www.prepathletics.com
Twitter | https://twitter.com/PREP_Athletics
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/prep.athletics/
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/PrepAthletics
Email | coryheitz@gmail.com
Phone | 859-317-1166

🔖 Subscribe to the PREP Athletics Podcast:

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Chapters

• 2:01 Nemo shares his upbringing: Serbia, Cyprus, diplomat family, early basketball
• 3:11 Centennial College story, mentorship, lessons learned
• 3:51 Cory asks about Hoosac + ISA structure
• 5:25 Cory asks how visas and teams work between ISA and Hoosac
• 6:03 How many teams Hoosac/ISA has
• 6:06 Nemo explains AAA, AA, and A divisions
• 7:15 Language barriers and coaching communication
• 7:25 Cory asks about player development philosophy
• 7:34 “Best of both worlds” development model (Euro + US blend)
• 9:34 College coach feedback on European vs. American styles
• 10:56 Nepsac multi-sport requirement
• 12:05 Why multi-sport athletes think and move better
• 13:04 Cory asks: How do you find your players?
• 13:08 Nemo explains international recruiting networks
• 14:07 Why international players still want US college basketball
• 14:12 Benefits of US system vs. European club system
• 15:55 Nemo’s honest approach to playing time + accountability
• 20:08 Cory asks: What is your college placement strategy?
• 22:16 Cory asks about AAA, AA, Single A differences
• 25:15 Challenges of coaching young, international rosters
• 27:19 Cory asks: What does it take to be a D1 guard?
• 29:04 Cory asks: What’s the future of prep school basketball?
• 29:11 NIL era, transfer portal, bold prediction about sister schools
• 34:54 Cory asks where families can contact Nemo

Transcript

Cory Heitz (00:00)
Welcome to this week's episode of the Prep Athletics Podcast. I'm Corey Heights and I'm proud today to have Nemo Maric from the Hoosac School in New York. They've got AAA team and Nemo is from Serbia and he talks about growing up the son of a diplomat and playing in different places. And then he talks about Hoosac School, ISA, kind of the differences there. You know, they've got kids from 20 different countries on their team and just an interesting setup. That's like nothing else.

in the prep school world where they really try to bring the Euro style into their development. they send a lot of kids to lot of different levels of college in the U S and you know, we talk about his philosophies and stuff and I think it's going to be a good podcast for you to enjoy. Now, if you're watching, this is bananas, my puppy, we've had her two weeks. I think this is her third podcast. She's rustling around the background, right? So you might hear a puppy rustling in the background. There was no barking today, but she is now joined Maple as the prep athletics mascot and

The daughters wanted her, but when they're at school and dad's home all day, Bananas is hanging out in the prep athletics office and studio running around causing havoc. So I don't know. guess I greenlit this decision, but anyway, this is Bananas. If you're watching, she's a part of the team and she will be maturing and hopefully being potty trained sooner than later. And yeah, so that's what's going on here. ⁓ Yes. Be sure to go to YouTube and subscribe to our channel. That's where we got a lot of bonus content coming up.

Don't miss out on that and enjoy our conversation with who's sex school coach Nima March here in the prep athletics podcast right bananas, right?

Cory Heitz (01:59)
Nemo, welcome to the podcast. Yeah, so tell me, where did you grow up and how did you get into basketball?

Nemanja (02:01)
Good to be here.

A long story. I grew up in Serbia. I was born in Cyprus. My dad was a diplomat and so we kind of traveled a bit. I lived in Serbia, Belgium and then back to Serbia. Started training my parents. Saw that had too much energy. So they told me, you have to do some sports. We can't handle it anymore. I started doing basketball and fell in love with it. I was like 10. ⁓ Went to Canada after.

Again, my dad being a diplomat, played high school and college there. After that, I came back, played Europe, played Euro basketball for, I think it was like 13 years or so, played professional in mostly Eastern Europe. ⁓ And after that, a friend of mine opened up an academy in the States and he invited me to maybe help him out or do some work. They got in a partnership with Hoosac and the past four years I've been a coach here.

So basically that's how I became a coach.

Cory Heitz (03:06)
awesome

Perfect. What college you go to in Canada?

Nemanja (03:11)
Centennial college it's a small college I was the I was one of those high school kids that you know if I don't have a if it's not a d1 offer I don't like here a d2 offer you know I'm back in the days Information was not traveling as fast as it is now I don't have many people to mentor me as far as to like make a good decision I mean, I don't regret it because the coach I had there Gerard Kalsa ⁓ is you know one of the biggest influences in my life for sure a person I really

enjoy speaking to, enjoy ⁓ being coached by and definitely taught me a lot not only about basketball just like life in general and it ended up being a good decision.

Cory Heitz (03:51)
Awesome. Now tell me about Who's Sack and ISA. I know I need to get caught up on how this is, but break down how you explain to people what you've got going on.

Nemanja (04:01)
Okay, so basically International Sports Academy or ISA is in partnership with Hoosac. It's almost like a sports dormitory for Hoosac. we have about 40, international players that live in ISA and we take them to school and from school there they have a gym where they can practice and play all day long between themselves and get better. So this year we even upgraded to a-

They have a weightlifting area where they can do strength and conditioning. A lot of these kids come from different backgrounds, from European to South America to Asia. There's, I think, almost 20 different nationalities in one roof. So it's really nice to see them bonding and getting, speaking the most common language, which is basketball, and see all these different cultures.

mash up and you know get better and push each other and so on and obviously they go to Hoosac school which you know all the academics is there and all the prestige that Hoosac offers is there so it's kind of a mix of both let's say best of both worlds there's a lot of basketball for them to play and to so you know to work with themselves and also to go to a really good school.

Cory Heitz (05:25)
Gotcha. So if I understand this correctly, ISA is like a sports academy with kids from 20 different countries and WhoSAC issues the visas. You do the academics there and WhoSAC do they have their own teams as well that are separate from ISA as far as basketball?

Nemanja (05:39)
No,

the kids that go to ISA mostly are Hoosac They play for Husaks too.

Cory Heitz (05:45)
Okay, so when you put on a jersey, the ISA kids, it's a Hoosac jersey, not an ISA jersey, is that correct? And how many teams?

Nemanja (05:51)
Yeah,

we did play some events. mean, our kids played some events and used the ISA jersey, which is usually off season, but you know, that's something else.

Cory Heitz (06:03)
Alright, and you guys are in tri- how many teams do you have there?

Nemanja (06:06)
We have

three teams. have a triple A, double A, and a single A team, usually kind of divided by age. So mostly triple A is all these guys, prep guys, playing the best leagues and so on.

Cory Heitz (06:17)
Gotcha.

Now with kids from 20 different countries, Nimo, how do you work the food situation?

Nemanja (06:26)
Oh, the food situation is the easiest one. The communication one could be a little bit harder. I remember one year we had, I was a triple A coach, it was two years ago. And we had a really good team. That year we beat Patnam and I don't know, some teams that are highly ranked. And I was really hard on those guys. Guys, you don't talk enough on the court. Your communication sucks, blah, And a couple of days after I'm...

Cory Heitz (06:30)
Really?

Nemanja (06:52)
sitting at home and thinking why, why, can I make them talk better? So I'm looking at my team and it's like 11 different nationalities. said, okay, maybe, maybe I'm expecting a little too much, but you know, the food, who's like has some really good food. They offer amazing variety. So I think everybody finds a way, you know, to, eat what they really like.

Cory Heitz (07:15)
perfect. Yeah, Igor is a former coach at Lee Academy and he said his team would never understand him until February because he had kids from all over the place. it's

Nemanja (07:21)
Yeah,

that's also something, yeah, for sure.

Cory Heitz (07:25)
Yeah.

Now walk me through this. When players are looking at your program, what do you do to get them better development wise?

Nemanja (07:34)
I think we kind of offer, I would say best of both worlds in a way. That's the way I try to describe it. Maybe it's a bit too simple, but that's the way really I see it. And that's the philosophy I try to kind of push through our program. Europe has a specific way of kind of playing. obviously whenever we speak about Eurobasket, we see the structure, we see the teamwork, we see the passing game and so on. So kids who are kind of raised in that way,

They tend to really understand space, they tend to understand time and screens and all of that. But sometimes they lack a bit of individual flair, the individual creativity, let's call it that way. ⁓ While in the States, what I've seen in many teams, now again, it's a stereotype because I've seen some schools that do an amazing job, especially in AAA and EPSAC, like they're really good coaching. But...

The tendency here is more kind of individualistic. So players are really good playing one-on-one. They can create their own shot. They understand how to do it. They understand how to play, how to be accountable on defense even at the one-on-one. But sometimes you see a lack of teamwork. You see a lack of structure. And what we try to do is kind of incorporate both of them. where you get, you know, if you make two threes in a row, you get to that Steph Curry step side 25 footer. But again, there is a...

there's a team accountability. So we try to kind of raise them through both where they understand what they need to do. And the coaches here are European. Mostly we had some American coaches in the past years. Mostly it's coaches with European backgrounds and it just comes out of us. I cannot be, you know, like, so we try to do it both. And I played basketball for...

for many years. So I kind of know also what it takes to go from the high school to college, from college to pro. And we try to push them in that way.

Cory Heitz (09:34)
Do you think college coaches and your conversation with them like getting players that are kind of brought up through the European system or do they prefer a blend or do they prefer the US style? Like what are you seeing in the feedback you're getting?

Nemanja (09:46)
I think it's also depending on what the coach's philosophy is at a particular college. But most of the coaches, they appreciate the European strategic part, let's call it that way. Every coach I speak with, there is a standard as far as athleticism goes. So all of them tell me players need to run, they have to move their feet, they need to be tough.

It's a standard that needs to be anywhere in the world. go like that. Like if you want to play a pro level in Europe, let's say a lower pro level in Europe, you need some kind of, let's say, athletic standard. And the higher you go, the higher the standard to the NBA, obviously, where is the most athletic guy. I think college demands that. But they also now more and more, especially in the last few years, I see that more and more the tendency is to go towards the European kind of

I don't want to use the word like smart players because there's a lot of bunch of smart players here, but that kind of like team smart oriented guys. So I see it more.

Cory Heitz (10:50)
Got it, okay. ⁓ Do players need to play multiple sports when they come there?

Nemanja (10:56)
Yeah, Napsack rules require to be strict and players do multiple sports. believe that players until they reach, I don't know, let's say an age of 14, I think there's even a study done in Europe regarding that, that until you reach the age of 14, it's a good advice to do multiple sports just because your body develops better, your mind develops, you understand.

you know, spacing more, understand timing and so on. So I think it's really good for players as they get, you know, let's say 14, 15, they should already start to kind of be a little more specific. You know, I always say to all my players, find a hobby also, find a sport that you enjoy doing just because it's healthy to get your mind out of it a little bit. I see many players, young players especially, they...

only want to focus on basketball and they put too much stress, too much unnecessary stress on themselves if they underperform. I think having that hobby sport like Steph Curry has golf, I think it's very beneficial, especially in the mental part, the mental aspect of the game.

Cory Heitz (12:05)
Yeah, I've seen that study too, where it's good to play up until yeah, 14, which is freshman year, because those sports are going to only help you as a basketball player, right?

Nemanja (12:09)
Yeah. Yeah. ⁓

Exactly, exactly.

The better you develop the understanding of, know, every sport like ⁓ every sport adds like a sports IQ to it and the more sports IQ are combined, the better we will be even for the specific sport. So I've seen like in Europe, many coaches ask me like from NCAA when they come in say, how Europe is the development, is the training different? say, yeah, there is a bit of a different philosophy, but

And everybody in Europe played soccer growing up like 80, 90%. And you know, in soccer, it's not so much a one-on-one game. It's like a, it's a passing game. And if you understand the passing game, when you go on the court, most likely you're gonna, you're gonna catch it kind of quick where you need to move. So I think that's also a big part. And that's why it's advisable to do multiple sports.

Cory Heitz (13:04)
How do you find your players?

Nemanja (13:08)
Well, we're European. I played professional basketball for, like I said, 13 years. I have a lot of contacts in Europe. The owner of the ISA, or the academy, played pro basketball for also 10 plus years. So we have a lot of contacts in Europe and it's just kind of natural that we get a lot of guys from there. We speak with many agencies that find players and, you know, it's kind of, we go from there. So...

You know, some guys here in the States, also ask, well, a program like Patent, how do get those guys? Where do you dig them? Or, know, New Hampton or those guys that, you ⁓ they have better contacts here. We have a little bit better contact in Europe. And I think it's a good platform for European guys too. Because I think even for coaches who want to get European guys, ⁓ I think getting them, getting to see them play here helps their decision.

Cory Heitz (14:07)
And then the kids that are coming over, I'm assuming they want to play college ball in the US versus staying in the club system in Europe. Why would they want to come play in the US? Like, is that still a goal of a lot of European players or foreign players?

Nemanja (14:12)
Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah,

I think 90 per 95 % of them, the goal is to play a college ball. I think I think it's, know, college in the US is it's very beneficial because it allows you to do both to to kind of get a diploma, you know, get a let's call it a backup plan or something like that to get something that you know, you can lean on as your life goes on and you get to play basketball at high level with really high level conditions.

And it's a very unique setup where you play with guys your age. Okay, now with college, pushing the age limits the way it's pushing, but generally you play with your age. When you go to club ball, unless you're Luca Doncic and you're 18, you can play top level Euroleague. But most of these kids, they're in a pro team, but they're like 10th, 11th, 12th of the bench. They need time to develop. In college, you kind of get a chance after a year if you're...

something that's a year or two, you already have an impact, you're playing, you're living with guys your age. So I think it's a really unique setup. And now especially with NIL money being thrown around the way it's been thrown around, it's obviously even more attractive. But even before that, I used to say, like, kids are a bit spoiled. They speak about NIL money, nobody is, they take it for granted, free education, free, you know, all of it. So I think it's a very good road to take for all young athletes.

Cory Heitz (15:49)
What do you say to families that ask you about playing time?

Nemanja (15:55)
That's a good question. ⁓ We try to give everyone a chance. We really do here. think we there has been games where let's say, I think it was a couple of years ago, we beat a team that was ranked top three in the country. I can't remember exactly now whether it was Newman or St. Thomas more of their month. They're really high, high rank and we beat them. And then after a couple of days, we had a game. I can't remember who I don't want to throw out names, but

It really happened and you know the next game we played guys didn't play that much in the in the game that we won and because we want to give them a chance we want to know prove yourself have a chance so coaches ask us all about how you know you're not ranked I don't know top 20 in the country you're ranked like 30th or 40th or something like that I said well we give everyone a chance so there is games that we you know maybe we would have won I'm not saying we would beat I don't want to be arrogant like that but we try to give everyone a chance and

you know, if they underperform, well, we can't. So the parents that ask us, we tell them that for sure they'll get some playing time, they will get a chance. If they don't do well, they don't deserve it. If they don't have good grades, they don't practice. You know, this is something that we try to also push. So we try to keep it like fair, fair play for all. Everybody has a chance. But again, if you don't perform, if you don't come to practice, if don't work hard, if you don't have good grades, you don't get to play. So.

And even when all is said and done, that's not enough. Sometimes we have some of those.

Cory Heitz (17:25)
I know.

Do you know a story I like to tell? sent a kid to Navy prep a while ago and they only have like six or seven recruited athletes. And then the rest of the kids in the team are like lacrosse players or football players. And he would call me up exhausted saying he's playing too much. Right? So no one's ever happy. Right? ⁓

Nemanja (17:49)
Yeah, that's how it is. I understand it. Every kid has a dream. Every kid wants to succeed. Parents being parents, they want the best for their kids. Sometimes it happens that the kid doesn't really give the... doesn't tell the parents the true story. So had parents call me before, why is my kid not playing two games in a row already? And I said, well, did your kid tell you that he was in detention?

two days in a row. The kid tell you that he was not living by the rules that we make them live. Oh, he didn't tell me that. Well, he's saying the coach doesn't like me. No, you broke a rule. I have to punish you. Nobody's here to, I don't want to punish you, but if you do the wrong things, you don't get the place. So we can also go by that. And sometimes kids tend to be manipulators.

I have a three year old daughter and she's already manipulating me on a daily basis. So, you know, once they get to like 15, 16, 17, you know, the stories they tell and the stories we see don't often match.

Cory Heitz (18:57)
Correct, correct. Yes, that's going to be what coaches say from the beginning of time to the end of time. It's just part of it.

Nemanja (19:03)
Yeah. And you

know, for young athletes, one thing that I say also to all of them, even, you know, when we interview them and we speak with their parents, every problem that you have, come talk to me first. Like, if you're not happy with your playing time, come talk to me. I will tell you what you need to do. Like if, if I don't know, the light bulb went off in the night, you can't change the talk to me. Don't talk to your parents because everything that's said to the parents tends to be amplified by the time it comes.

Cory Heitz (19:16)
Yeah.

Nemanja (19:32)
full circle to me and and Okay, that's one part where I don't want to sound like I'm protecting myself but also the more important part is the moment you start to solve your own problems is the moment you kind of become a bit more mature you become you know from boy to man in a way and I think if you always Lean on your parents to solve your problems You know you tend to be a kid and if you solve your own problems and you kind of take your responsibility and accountability for your actions and you

It's the moment you start to mature. And I think that's something that I try to encourage them as much as I can.

Cory Heitz (20:08)
Yeah, love that. Yep, that's exactly what I think. What NEMO is your college placement strategy at WhoSec?

Nemanja (20:17)
So we have open gyms in the first couple of months, September, October, where kids play and we try to bring as many coaches as we can. So they have a really good exposure when it comes to our program. A couple of years ago, we had, think, all together, like, I don't know, the coaches that came to our gym, with the coaches that came to our games and showcases, they had over 100 coaches, 100 different schools that check them out.

We try to bring from Division 1, Division 2, Division 3, Juco's, like we try to, you know, show it off. And that way, you know, I know kids could be a bit delusional thinking they're a much higher level than they are. So we try to bring all the schools, like, so they can see them. And it's up to them. Like once a coach is in a gym, I cannot, you know, shoot the tree for him. I cannot.

done for him. Like he's got to do the right things. He's got to, you know, perform well and show gratitude. I think this is like some of the things that every coach likes to see. And then it's up to them. Then if that doesn't work out, if they don't get the kind of the attention, we try to also speak with with various agents that help us with this with various ⁓ agencies that do college placement. ⁓ And we also try to call as many people as we can. And we try to find

I think 90 % of our kids, had some kind of, ⁓ I don't want to say offer, but they had like some kind of scholarship or financial aid given to them by the time they were done. So you know how it is. Some schools, they don't want to say scholarship. They like to say financial aid. We kind of know what it is. And ⁓ we try to, you know, give so every kid that been in this program had at least two, three options.

after to go to a school where they had some, you whether it's 50 % or four rides, whatever.

Cory Heitz (22:16)
Got it. Now, you're unique in that you guys play AAA, AA, single A, right? So you're seeing the differences in each. What are the benefits of playing in each class?

Nemanja (22:29)
⁓ I think you know like for the for our single a team now it's not necessarily compete in a single a class they're just called single a it's young kids that basically live under the same roof with the older guys and those younger kids they can see what it takes like they really see the young guys how dedicated they are how how focused they are in the gym how focused they are in school because

Like I mentioned before, we try to keep them like all A's and B's, like if you have a C, you don't practice, you don't play and things like that. And we don't let them use the gym if they have a C and so on. So we had teams where oftentimes the single A has the most kids with great problems. Triple A is rarely anybody with problems with their grades. Like everybody is serious about it. Like they know why they're there. And for young kids to see it, and you can see the first year, there might be a bit...

less discipline, but as they go, see what it's about. So I think that's one huge benefit for the kids alone. For us, obviously, for me, the biggest benefit is to see the growth. You see a kid that comes in at 15, lives at 18, 19, or something like that. Let's say if we're fortunate enough to see him for three or four years. And to see the growth is, for me, the biggest benefit, to see him come in as a kid and then live as this young adult who's kind of...

taking life in his own hands and it's a huge benefit. I don't know if I answered the question. I don't know if that was the direction you wanted me to go to, but that's the way I see it.

Cory Heitz (24:02)
Well, you've got some people that aren't in the AAA that say it doesn't matter, but you're playing the AAA with your top team and like, what are the benefits of being in AAA in your opinion?

Nemanja (24:12)
No, I think the AAA league of all the leagues that I've seen is for sure one of the best conferences in the States. When I even compare it to Europe, it's a top level, top level teams, the top level coaches, all the stereotypes kind of go away when people say, oh, in the States, they're running gone, play the AAA and you'll see it's not like that. Like coaches really know their stuff. They're really...

some fun X's and O's, fun battles I had in the past years. I don't want to name any names, but I really mean it. Every coach that's there, every team that's there brings their own stuff and they're really good. In the past years, I don't want to name names. If I name names, I'll leave someone out. don't want do it, but I really believe that. I don't want to just sweet talk the AAA. think it's a great league. I think...

Every player that's recruited that goes to a Division 1 after the AAA has a really high chance of playing in the college because they already know, they're already educated basketball-wise on a high level. So seeing that and seeing where we need to be and how consistent we need to be, you cannot allow one bad game. You really have to try every game if you want to make it. The home courts, the traveling, all of that is, I think it's a really, really good conference.

last, let's say five years, the national championship, when you have national prep championship, like out of 16 teams, four or five are from Napsack AAA. Out of final eight, four or five are Napsack AAA. Usually in the last four, there's two Napsack AAA teams. mean, it speaks enough. And then the other teams, let's say like Patnam that are not in Napsack AAA, but we play with them and they're from this area.

Cory Heitz (25:50)
Yeah.

Nemanja (26:07)
Like, know, usually we have like 10 teams out of 16 are from New England and it's to be in such a high competition. It's like, you don't need to play, tell the players work harder. They need to like, they see who they're going up against. And usually playing against such a high level, like competition breeds, how does that quality, right? Is that how the saying goes or something like that? Competition makes you,

be better, like it's just your natural adaptation. Like you have to do it. You don't want to accept losing, you know, it's human nature. You play better because you play with better teams. I will say it like that. I think that's a huge benefit for the kids. so that's the benefit for the kids as far as developing. And then the second thing, you know, if it's such a good conference, it brings a lot of attention from college coaches. So now...

you get the best of both worlds. You develop and you get the, you're showcasing the exposure. Exposure is the golden word that people like to use nowadays. But you get both of that and I think it's really good for the kids. Like it's a huge benefit.

Cory Heitz (27:19)
Yeah, thanks for sharing your opinion on that. That's good stuff. Tell me this, what does it take to play Guard at the D1 level?

Nemanja (27:27)
Low turnovers for sure. I think that's number one. Low turnovers. ⁓ Good decision making. ⁓ I will not speak about the athletic ability because it has to be high, especially if you're six foot or under. But you have to be able to stay in front of your man and you're going against the most athletic guys in the country. like you really need to know.

your stuff like defensively. Efficient, efficient with the ball. I will even say for the guards that like to go inside and like penetrate, they really need to be friendly with the glass. Like they need to know how to use the glass because all the layers they get even in the high school, the easy levels they get, it's gone in college. So you need to know how to play around the glass. ⁓ So I would say ⁓

I'm putting a lot of things here. It's making an NBA player. But if I have to choose the priority is good attitude, ⁓ low turnovers and...

and low turnovers and know how to kick out. Know how to kick out. Like a lot of players get away with not kicking out the ball and scoring because you know, there is not a seven footer, athletic seven footer who can stop you or the paint doesn't collapse the way it does. If you don't know how to kick it out, once you get to that, like one step under the free throw line area, if you don't know how to kick out and find the right pass, you're gonna have a hard time in college.

Cory Heitz (29:04)
Love it. Thank you for sharing that. Lastly, what do you see as the future of prep school basketball?

Nemanja (29:11)
Hmm. Future. I think prep school right now is in a good direction as far as like, it really helps the athletes prepare. ⁓ It gives them this additional year that it's much needed, a lot more needed now than it was due to all the transfer portals, everything that's going on. One, let's go out of the box, ⁓ wild prediction.

but it's something that I spoke with some coaches that it was my idea. I don't want to take it like mine, but I spoke with them about this. I think if the NL keeps going in the direction that it's going, so if it's not a bubble that is going to burst, like if it keeps going, let's say the SEC has the most money and few schools have this million dollar money, I think some schools will start having their own sister colleges. So let's say like Duke will have a low major

where they can recruit from, like something like that, if you understand my point. And then they have a sister college, sister prep schools, like a little web of schools where they develop. And ⁓ so let's say there's a system that you do in Duke, that system is done in a low major school, that system is done in multiple prep schools, from let's say one is in New England, one is in Ohio, one is in whatever.

Cory Heitz (30:12)
Yeah.

Nemanja (30:36)
And then you recruit from your system. Like you basically prepare the players from, you know, 17. So once they get to Duke, if they get to Duke, they're plug-in players. you don't have to waste time on explaining what your concepts are. It's just done. And I think that was my wild, it's way out of the box, but I think it could be a route that if there is more money, if the money keeps growing the way it is, you know, it's going to look more like a professional league. I mean, it already...

already does, but it's going to be more of a professional league, more, you know, you need players who can come in and plug in immediately. And, you know, maybe we'll see contracts in NCA. So kind of NCA will dictate whatever happens next with the prep. But I think that will be something that could be interesting ⁓ for many schools to be part of.

Cory Heitz (31:26)
I like that. I like that outside the box thinking Nemo. we're do some quick hitters now. Who's the best player you ever played against?

Nemanja (31:29)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I have to go somewhere.

best player I've played against.

I played a long time ago, so it's have to dig deep. I scrimmaged and played against Marko Javić, NBA player, really good. Played with some really good guys in Serbia. I'd Marko Javić is probably the one-on-one check. We were both point guards and he was really tough to play against. ⁓ But let's say when I play pro, one player that was really tough, ⁓

Cory Heitz (31:54)
Yep.

Nemanja (32:12)
was Levar Seals. played at DePaul University. We played against each other in Romania. We played together in Romania. He was really good. I really enjoyed competing with him and he enjoyed even more playing with him.

Cory Heitz (32:26)
Okay, how about the best player you've coached against in prep school?

Nemanja (32:34)
The Marco Jackson, I saw it again. Did I say his name right? Yeah. He was a computer. think ⁓ many good players, but he would see everything. Whatever I threw at him, he saw it. He was reading the... He gets to the paint, there was no mistake. He was a computer. I think he was one of the best playing cards for sure that I coach against. And Luca Taos, I think, from Newman.

Cory Heitz (32:36)
yeah, okay. Yep.

Okay.

Nemanja (33:03)
I really, really enjoyed it. I hope he has a good, both of them, I hope to have a good career for Jackson to recover from his injury, but both of them are really, really good. I mean, and there's a bunch, like really in Epsec there's a bunch, but those two guys I think are kind of stand out the most.

Cory Heitz (33:21)
Okay, what's your favorite movie of all time?

Nemanja (33:24)
Ooh, favorite movie of all time. I'll have to go with Stanley Kubrick. He's my favorite director. I love all of his movies. ⁓ I will give you Full Metal Jacket for sure, being one of them. ⁓ Barry Lyndon being also one of them. Let's stick with those two.

Cory Heitz (33:46)
Okay, that's a first for those two movies, so. All right.

Nemanja (33:49)
Yeah,

I like, I used to watch movies a lot. I have a few friends who are, into like, you know, schools to be like directors and they influenced me. My older brother also influenced me. So yeah, anything from Stanley Kubrick is golden.

Cory Heitz (34:03)
Okay. And ⁓ any hobbies you do when you're not at the basketball court.

Nemanja (34:11)
⁓ I used to play the guitar a little bit, but I can't consider it my hobby. ⁓ What's a hobby of mine? I have a bunch of things I like to do. I have a bunch of things. I cannot choose one. I spend time with the family, know, work out, ⁓ and that's it. Movies, I guess. Movies was for a while, it was movies. Now maybe more music.

Cory Heitz (34:32)
Okay.

Okay, perfect. Is there anything you want to talk about that I didn't bring up during this podcast?

Nemanja (34:43)
No, I guess we kind of covered it all. I guess we covered it all.

Cory Heitz (34:46)
Perfect.

And how can people, if people are interested in learning more and want to reach out to you, what's the best way they, I mean, we're going to put that stuff in the show notes, but where can people find you?

Nemanja (34:54)
Okay.

I say that hoo sac on Instagram. ⁓ That's the best way to reach out to us. ⁓ We are pretty, we try to respond pretty quickly and from then on we'll connect you to any coach. We'll, you know, like we have guys who will call anyone and then speak with them and introduce them to the program. I think that's one of the best ways.

Cory Heitz (35:19)
Perfect. Sounds good. Well, Nima, thank you so much for joining the podcast here today. Wish you the best of luck this season. Look forward to working with you in the future. All right.

Nemanja (35:27)
Thanks a lot. Thanks for having me. And it was a pleasure. It's my first podcast, so I hope it's going to come out well.

Cory Heitz (35:33)
And you did great. And if you guys enjoyed this

one, be sure to subscribe on all the major podcasting platforms. You can subscribe on the YouTube channel and go to our website, prepathetics.com to sign up for our newsletter and reach out to us. If you have any questions, that noise is our puppy bananas. Who was pretty good in this podcast. If you're not watching it right now, you won't see her, but thankfully she kept a little bit quiet for being here two weeks. And ⁓ thanks so much for joining us. We'll see you next time on the prepathetics podcast. Take care.