By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The senior national team of Slovenia will no longer feature any players with jersey number 3.
The Basketball Federation of Slovenia, KZS, officially retired the jersey to honor Goran Dragic on Friday, ahead of the farewell game to conclude the legendary career of the Dragon on Saturday.
Dragic, 38, sported five different numbers throughout his international career with Slovenia. From 13, 7, 9, and 11, he focused on 3 when FIBA lifted restrictions on jersey numbers, initially limited between 4 to 15. With number 3, he powered his country to gold in the 2017 EuroBasket and was named tournament MVP.
“Words and actions are not enough to express gratitude and respect for such a great player as Goran Dragic,” noted KZS president Matej Erjavec, “His extraordinary career, his approach to wearing the jersey of the Slovenian national team, and his success on the court speak for themselves. Goran Dragic deserves to be honored for everything he has done for Slovenian basketball. Retiring the jersey number three is a gesture for the Basketball Federation of Slovenia to show our deep respect for him.”
In his debut, Dragic represented his country in the 2004 U18 FIBA European Championship. Later in the same offseason, he played in the U20 FIBA European Championship and captured gold. In the 2006 FIBA World Cup, he made his first appearance at the senior level. With 90 caps, he is the all-time leader of Slovenia, besides also topping the list for most points scored with 1,760 to his name.