Milan Barbitch (Fos-sur-Mer): “I had to leave Paris”
Son of former player Yann Barbitch, Milan Barbitch (he will be 21 on October 12), tall leader (1m96), left Paris Basketball in the off-season where he had been playing since 2019 for Fos-sur-Mer, in order to gain playing time. And in his first match against Le Mans, he broke his points record in Betclic Elite (18 against 13)!
Why did you leave Paris for Fos in the off-season?
Sportingly, the project is more interesting for me here. I had also done my time in Paris. I needed change. I had a very good feeling with the coach. I liked the project, the construction of the team, the mentality of the club. There are also plenty of advantages here, the sea, the sun…
You need to cut the cord with Paris.
I needed to see new things. If I had stayed in Paris, I would have always had the same status which would not have changed even if I had made very good matches. To evaluate, grow and gain experience, it was necessary to leave.
Did you feel like the club didn’t trust you?
That’s what I felt.
However, like Kamagate and Begarin, it is a club that trusts young people.
It is certain, but I did not feel completely included in this project. It’s a club that makes young people play, but on different profiles. I still had playing time (15.2 minutes on average last season, editor’s note), there were a lot of positives, but to grow I wanted a bigger role, more playing time, more responsibilities. So I had to go.
Do you think you have done enough to convince the Parisian leaders (5.3 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists last season, Editor’s note)?
The mentality of the coach (Jean-Christophe Prat, Editor’s note) was quite closed. Whether I have a good or a bad match, my playing time did not change, it was between 10 and 15 minutes. The doors were therefore more closed than open.
“Even if Fos has the smallest budget in the championship, there is a desire to win, to create surprise”
The coach changed in the offseason (the American Will Weaver arrived, Editor’s note)…
We will never know what it would have been like with this new coach…
Didn’t it scare you to join the smallest budget in the championship, which is only playing the third season in its history in the top flight (2018/2019, 2021/2022 and 2022/2023)?
It didn’t bother me. I really like the mentality of the club. Once again with the coach (Rémy Valin, editor’s note) the current went very well. Even if it is the smallest budget in the championship, there is a desire to win, to create surprise. Everyone is aware of the budgetary situation. We know that we won’t finish first in the championship, but we take it match after match and we’ll see what happens. Like against Nanterre where we were challengers and in the end we won (87-84, Editor’s note).
The start of the season for promoted Blois (3 wins in 3 matches) can give you ideas…
It’s clear. They are very strong at the start of the championship. They do not justify themselves with questions. They smoke game by game. It’s beautiful what they do!
“I don’t feel like I’m going down a level. I even have the feeling of going up one floor. I still play in the same division and in addition I have more responsibilities and playing time! »
Between Paris which has a big project, the club will notably play a match at Roland-Garros, and Fos, you still make the splits! Don’t you feel like you’re going down a level?
I don’t have that feeling. I even have the feeling of going up one floor. I still play in the same division and in addition I have more responsibilities and playing time. I am very satisfied and I will learn a lot more here even without the European Cup.
From the first match against Le Mans, you beat your points record with 18 points!
It’s not my LNB record (22 points in Pro B against Aix-Maurienne on May 7, 2021, Editor’s note), but it’s my record in the elite. It’s no surprise to me. I had the same performance last year with Paris against a Euroleague team during the European Games (17 points against Milan, Editor’s note). I worked a lot this summer, as a player and as a person.
You must have marked the match against Paris on your diary…
I think it’s January 7 (smile). I’m looking forward to this game. We welcome them first. It will be fun to play against some of my former teammates…
… With also the desire to show that you deserve more playing time?
Yes, after the team has changed, the coach is no longer the same… Personally, I always have this desire to show that I am the best on a field, but I am not in the mentality of wanting to prove something especially in Paris. I’ve been with them for three years, they know what I’m capable of.
At 21, how do you see the rest of your career, what are your dreams?
I dream of the NBA, of the Euroleague! But I made the mistake in the past years of not living in the present moment and always thinking about the future, and I missed a few months of my career. It’s clear that I still have the NBA and the Euroleague in the back of my mind, but I really try to take it day by day, practice after practice, game after game to achieve my goals.
Between Fos and the NBA, the road is long…
It is sure, but as for any player who evolves in Betclic Elite. Maybe Paris is a more publicized club, but my role couldn’t have been greater this year.
Can Fos aim for anything other than maintaining this season?
The play-offs, I believe in it! The team too. But as I said, we will take game after game. Even against Monaco or the big teams, we will do everything to win. We are going to surprise…
Does the audience respond?
It’s very football, but there are people who come to see us. We will also play a few matches in Marseille, five I believe, including Monaco on December 27. The room is bigger, it has a capacity of 5000 or 6000 seats.
Are you more PSG or OM?
I am a child from the South so I would say OM even though I grew up in Paris (smile).