Bronx native and FC Barcelona guard Kevin Punter joins Ric Bucher and Bostjan “Boki” Nachbar on Fullcourt Passport (part of the United WeCast Network) to break down what it really takes for an American to become a EuroLeague star.

From the Partizan–Red Star Belgrade rivalry he says beats Lakers–Celtics “by a landslide,” to getting a Serbian passport, turning down NBA two-way offers, and finding his prime at Barça, Punter gives a brutally honest masterclass in surviving — and thriving — in European basketball.

Ric and Boki then zoom out to discuss the path from smaller European clubs to EuroLeague, why some Americans never make it overseas, and how international stars like Lauri Markkanen and Luka Dončić are reshaping the NBA. They close with a breakdown of Barça vs. Efes, and why this might be the most competitive EuroLeague season ever.

⏱️ Episode Timestamps

• 00:35 – Introducing Kevin Punter
• Bronx roots, Tennessee, FIBA Champions League Final Four MVP, ABA League Finals MVP, and now a standout guard at FC Barcelona.
• 01:20 – Inside the Partizan vs. Red Star Belgrade rivalry
• Kevin explains why the Serbian derby beats any NBA rivalry — including Lakers–Celtics and Cavs–Warriors — and why you have to feel it in person.
• 04:20 – First taste of European basketball pressure
• From Poland to AEK Athens, the Greek Cup Final vs. Olympiacos, and a packed OAKA in the FIBA Champions League Final Four.
• 06:50 – Agents, education & choosing Europe over chasing the NBA
• How his agents taught him what EuroLeague is, the money, the levels, and why understanding the business changed his career path.
• 08:30 – Getting a Serbian passport & national team talk
• 10:10 – Why Kevin succeeded where other Americans didn’t
• Summer “lab work,” obsession with improvement, and attacking every perceived weakness year after year.
• 12:40 – Turning down NBA two-way deals & letting the NBA dream go
• 16:00 – Adapting his game to the EuroLeague style
• 19:30 – Handling EuroLeague pressure & staying employed
• Always having to prove himself, living with the fear of being cut, and why “wanting it that bad” is the only way through.
• 21:20 – Prime years at Barcelona & perspective on the grind
• 23:30 – Best off-court memories: Partizan family in Belgrade
• 27:00 – Respecting the long road to EuroLeague
• 30:10 – Lauri Markkanen, EuroBasket & international NBA stars
• 34:50 – National team vs NBA: confidence, roles & perception
• 38:00 – The brotherhood of international players & Balkan ties
• 41:00 – EuroLeague Game of the Week: Barça vs Efes
• Breakdown of Barcelona vs Anadolu Efes, Xavi Pascual’s first game back at Barça, Jan Vesely’s performance and the late-game collapse.
• 44:30 – Is this the most competitive EuroLeague season ever?

#KevinPunter #FullcourtPassport #RicBucher #BokiNachbar #EuroLeague #FCBarcelona #Partizan #RedStar #BelgradeDerby #SerbianBasketball #InternationalBasketball #EuroHoops

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On this episode of Fullcourt Passport (United WeCast Network), hosts Ric Bucher and Bostjan “Boki” Nachbar sit down with Zaza Pachulia—Golden State Warriors basketball operations consultant, two-time NBA champion, Turkish League champion, and the namesake of not one but two NBA rules (the “Zaza rule” on closeout space and the All-Star voting change sparked by Georgia’s fan surge).

Zaza opens up about:

• What a Warriors basketball operations consultant actually does—bridging ownership, partnerships, and the hoops side, mentoring young players, and being the “connective tissue” of the organization.
• The evolution of respect for international players and why the NBA’s global talent boom is here to stay.
• International influence in front offices and on benches—how teams like the Spurs (and exec trees that reached Denver and beyond) normalized global voices, and why the NBA is a copycat league that follows winning models.
• Paris Basketball → NBA pipeline: why multiple NBA head coaches (including Tuomas Iisalo in Memphis) are emerging from Europe’s modern systems, and how the EuroLeague style translates stateside with less practice time.
• Georgia’s national team and Toko Shengelia’s unmatched commitment—plus what it teaches the next generation about leadership, sacrifice, and culture.
• Origins in “darkness”—growing up in Tbilisi amid blackouts, moving to Turkey at 14, and the life-changing impact of his first coach, Zura.
• The mindset that carried him through 16 NBA seasons: “Success isn’t owned; it’s rented—and the rent is due every day.”

Also: Boki and Ric unpack how international coaching philosophies (pace, spacing, team actions) are reshaping both the NBA and EuroLeague—and what young players must embrace to thrive.

Chapters/Keywords: Zaza Pachulia, Golden State Warriors, NBA rules, Zaza rule, All-Star voting change, international players, EuroLeague, Paris Basketball, Tuomas Iisalo, Spurs culture, Denver Nuggets, Toko Shengelia, Georgia basketball, Turkish League, youth development, front office careers, coaching pathway, United WeCast Network.

Subscribe and rate Fullcourt Passport for weekly conversations at the intersection of NBA and international basketball—from EuroLeague trends to global player development and coaching.

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In this episode of Fullcourt Passport (United WeCast Network), hosts Ric Bucher and Bostjan “Boki” Nachbar sit down with Beno Udrih—two-time NBA champion, former Spurs guard, and current head coach of the Wisconsin Herd (Milwaukee Bucks’ G League affiliate). Udrih explains his player-to-coach journey, why the G League is the fastest classroom in basketball, and the European principles he uses to build NBA-ready guards.

Udrih breaks down:

• What a modern head coach manages daily: medical, front office, staff, and constant G League roster churn.
• Teaching flow offense, spacing, and pass-first reads—including why the ball must hit the corner.
• The lost art of the mid-range: footwork, timing, pick-and-roll pacing, and when analytics miss context.
• Coaching Gen-Z pros: listening first, aligning expectations vs. goals, and what actually earns NBA call-ups.
• Influences from Gregg Popovich, Erik Spoelstra, and Stan Van Gundy—and building a no-double-standards culture.
• Inside Žalgiris Kaunas’ Final Four run with Šarūnas Jasikevičius and elite ATO play-calling.
• Why NBA teams increasingly covet international fundamentals as the league shifts to movement, versatility, and decision-making.

Luka Dončić segment — conditioning, style fit & longevity

Ric and Boki dive deep on Luka Dončić:

• Why he looks leaner and more explosive, how national-team summers can help readiness and stress durability.
• The reality of a long pro mileage (turning pro as a teen) and what it means for career longevity—can Luka keep this level of conditioning for years, not months?
• High usage rate vs. the NBA’s move toward motion offense and shared creation—what roster builds (rim threats, 3-and-D shooters who accept fewer touches) maximize Luka without burning him out.
• Cultural lens: why many international stars don’t request trades, the emotional whiplash of a franchise icon being moved, and how European “club as family” roots color Luka’s response to change.

Plus: Boki and Ric react to El Clásico—Real Madrid vs. FC Barcelona—and what it reveals about EuroLeague execution, depth, and star roles.

00:00 – Intro: Ric Bucher & Bostjan “Boki” Nachbar welcome Beno Udrih

02:45 – Transition from player to coach: finding his purpose

09:30 – G League challenges & managing players

15:10 – Midrange mastery and teaching footwork fundamentals

23:00 – Coaching influences: Popovich, Spoelstra & Van Gundy

28:45 – Zalgiris Final Four run & ATO play-calling

34:20 – International fundamentals & NBA evolution

41:00 – Luka Dončić discussion: conditioning, longevity & style of play

52:10 – Real Madrid vs. Barcelona (El Clásico) recap

59:00 – Closing thoughts & next episode preview

👇 Subscribe, rate, and review for weekly conversations bridging EuroLeague and the NBA—from foreign stars and Americans overseas to the next wave with NBA potential.

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