By Cesare Milanti / info@eurohoops.net
LJUBLJANA, Slovenia – Before Saturday’s special final appointment with basketball as he retires from professional sport, Goran Dragic appointed a business event in his hometown of Ljubljana. Dirk Nowitzki, Steve Nash, and Bill Duffy were press conference guests alongside him.
The legendary former Canadian playmaker opened the conversation by revealing how he switched from football to basketball. “I grew up in the UK, and my first word was “goal”. I played soccer a lot as a kid. When I was 13 I went to a new school, and I started playing basketball. I fell in love with it quickly”, Steve Nash spoke about his early basketball beginnings.
A similar thing happened to Goran Dragic, the protagonist of this weekend’s Night of the Dragon. “It’s a pretty much similar story. I did start playing soccer, I had a leg injury so my mom said “No more soccer”. I went to watch a basketball practice, and they only had 9 guys. The coach invited me to play five on five: that’s how I started playing basketball”, the Slovenian icon followed.
Alongside them, Dirk Nowitzki also spoke to his beginnings, but in the NBA as part of the Mavericks. “I didn’t know what to expect when I first got to Dallas. Things changed when Mark Cuban bought the team, we became food friends and had a good relationship, He was always loyal to me, and the city put me under their wings. I was fortunate to stay there. it’s my new home”, the German icon said.
Dirk Nowitzki, Goran Dragic, and love for their countries
The former Mavericks player also made sure he was always there for his country. “I always loved playing for my country, it meant a lot to me. Basketball gave me so much, we played in the NBA, and with the time difference, we always played at night. For me, it was important to play in the summer so that fans could see us up close. I didn’t regret ever playing for the national team, it was an honor”, he said.
Goran Dragic brought his small country to the European crown in 2017 and felt the same. “I always loved basketball. For me, it was an easy choice to play with the Slovenian national team. I was with my friends, fans are awesome here. That was my preparation for the next season in the NBA, the best I could do. When responsibilities came to me, I had to be a leader, Now it’s Luka [Doncic]’s team and he’s doing an amazing job. It’s passing the torch”, Goran Dragic followed.
Talking about Luka Doncic, his former teammate shared what he was like looking at him in his last season in Dallas. “The transition was pretty smooth for him. I played with him for one year, my last one. We all didn’t know how good he was. He was the MVP of the EuroLeague, but that didn’t mean anything when he came to the NBA. From the first practice, I knew how he felt about the game”, the German phenomenon revealed.
“He plays like a 35-year-old: wicked basketball IQ, what he sees on the floor I never saw. He knows how to handle big moments. We talk about basketball often, but I don’t need to mentor him anything. He’s an incredible talent and player. It was fun seeing him transitioning to the NBA. The start of something special, we’ve been witnessing greatness from him”, Dirk Nowitzki continued on Luka Doncic.
Dirk Nowitzki’s role with Dallas and Steve Nash the mentor
The German phenomenon also spoke about his current role with the Mavericks, sticking around. “Advisor is really an interesting word, I’m not advising that much. There were some shifts in the General Manager position, they asked me if I wanted to be involved. They had good people in place to do some job, J-Kidd is a good friend of mine. We talk basketball all the time, it’s not like I go to the gym every day. An advisor is probably a little strong word”, he frankly answered.
He also came back to his decision to retire. “I think I missed the right time if you watched my last two years. It’s always hard to find the right moment for a competitor. The decision was kind of made for me. I think mentally I could have done one more year to see Luka grow and help him out. But physically I couldn’t keep it up, it was very hard even in my mid-30s. I was afraid of what was coming after, but it has been wonderful. I’m sure Goran is also finding his way”, he came back to his final playing moments.
Next to him, his former teammate Steve Nash also spoke about a different basketball chapter, coaching in Brooklyn. “I hadn’t planned to coach, there was a unique situation in Brooklyn that knocked on my door. It was a quick transition. You deal with a different dynamic. A lot of it is managing personalities, between front offices, players, and agents. That’s a huge component of my job. All the dynamics, personalities, and power that the players hold nowadays”, he said.
So what was the most important for him in managing those personalities? “The most important thing is, to be honest with the players, you can deliver that in different ways. It’s important to be clear and honest with players so that they’re not unsure. Communication is the key”, he followed before going back to his mentorship role in playing days. “The easy part for me was being comfortable with my leadership role, leading by example. What is actually difficult from a coaching perspective is that it’s a totally different leadership. When you’re coaching you have to lead in smaller moments”, he compared.
“I was surprised when I coached, you’re not in the team that much. You have five minutes with players before the game, at halftime, and after the game. Those are the only times when you address the team. I wanted to connect with every player individually. It’s important to build a culture and an environment where people believe and see them be their best. You need to feel that you want them to become the best version of themselves”, Steve Nash continued.
What’s next for Dragic, Nash, and Nowitzki?
Goran Dragic is waiting for his huge night in Stozice Arena, but what about his new life post-retirement? “I’m already retired. If I’m honest, it’s a little bit scary. I bounced the ball all my life, suddenly that’s over. That feeling of competitiveness, being with my teammates in the locker room and games. That excitement is gone. I need to find new things to get my life around”, he opened.
“But it’s good, at the end of the day Dirk [Nowitzki] and Steve [Nash] know I wasn’t healthy enough to play. I wanted to be more with my kids and it was an easy decision. I miss games and locker rooms, but I don’t miss practices. Especially in Miami, where they were tough. But I wouldn’t change it, I’m satisfied with my career, Right now I’m happy, no pain anymore”, Goran Dragic continued.
What about Steve Nash? “Coaching was a great experience, I didn’t want to be a career coach. I don’t think coaching was about to be my career. I’m coaching my kids, teaching them life. I earned the opportunity to choose, and that’s rewarding, There are always projects, affiliates, and partnerships. I always have something going on, I’m focused on my family”, he continued.
Dirk Nowitzki also doesn’t see himself on a club’s or national team’s bench. “I don’t think I see coaching in my future. Things could change very quickly, but I don’t see myself as a team coach. I see more myself as an individual coach. I go to all the big tournaments with FIBA, we have a family office in Dallas. I’m learning new things and new interests. I will stick around basketball, not sure in which capacity”, he said.
In the Night of the Dragon event, Luka Doncic and Goran Dragic will be the respective captains of two high-level teams full of superstars, such as Dirk Nowitzki and Chris Bosh. Stozice Arena will host one of the most skilled friendly encounters of all time to salute the Slovenian icon’s career on Saturday night.
PHOTO CREDIT: Goran Dragić Foundation