The new Viet Nam Basketball Association (VBA) League only got underway over the weekend, but the drama has kicked into mid-season form.

Coach Predrag Lukic.

Matt Skillman coached the defending champions Thang Long Warriors to a tight 77-74 defeat to the Cantho Catfish on Saturday, and was relieved of his position a day later.

The capital side wasted no time in finding his replacement, hiring German-Serbian coach Predrag Lukic yesterday.

The 32-year-old coach has 11 year’s experience and was most recently an assistant coach of Chong Son Kung Fu Club of China in the ASEAN Basketball League last year, a season in which they reached the event’s semi-finals.

Lukic has also coached at Hagen BG, Oberhausen, Wolfenbuettel, Buergerfelder in Germany.

The sacking of Skillman reportedly came down to player power, with his charges reportedly unhappy with their coach, who had only been at the club for a month. — VNS