Zenit has finalized its coaching staff for the 2025/26 season
The Blue-White-Sky Blues have completed the formation of the coaching staff for the main team, which will work under the guidance of head coach Aleksander Sekulic in the 2025/26 season.
The first assistant to Sekulic will be Jurica Zuza. The Croatian specialist began his coaching career in 2016 as an assistant coach for Lietkabelis — the club where he ended his basketball career. In that season, the team achieved its best result in history, finishing second in the Lithuanian championship and reaching the final of the national Cup. After a lengthy period at the Lithuanian Neptunas, where he also made his debut as a head coach, Jurica Zuza joined the coaching staff of Aleksander Sekulic at the Czech Nymburk. After winning the golden double in the Czech Republic, their tandem moved to Lokomotiv Kuban, and now Zuza will join Sekulic's staff at Zenit.
The second assistant will be Slovenian Jernej Valentincic, who began his professional career in 2008. He has worked as a coach with club teams in the Slovenian championship, as well as with the Slovenia U15 youth national team. From 2017 to 2022, Valentincic was part of the coaching staff of the Slovenia national team as an assistant coach and individual physical training specialist. In the 2023/24 season, Jernej also worked in Aleksander Sekulic’s staff at Lokomotiv Kuban.
Additionally, the collaboration with assistant coach Maxim Uchaykin and strength and conditioning coach Jure Drakslar has been extended.
Maxim Uchaykin has been with the club since 2020 when he took charge of Zenit U21. With the youth team of the Blue-White-Sky Blues, the Russian specialist won gold medals in the VTB United Youth League and received the award for the best coach of the tournament. In the summer of 2022, Uchaykin joined the coaching staff of the main team.
Jure Drakslar has extensive experience in Russia. After working with the Moscow Region Khimki and Kazan UNICS, the Slovenian physical training coach moved to St. Petersburg in 2023. Drakslar is already entering his third season with Zenit.
