By Rigas Dardalis/ dardalis@eurohoops.net
The genes were always there, as his father, Franjo Arapovic, was a member of the silver medal winning Croatian team in 1992 Olympics. Croatian big man Marko Arapovic signed with Cedevita Zagreb for the next four years, despite having an offer to play in the NCAA with Duke, but as he said in Eurohoops at the end of Eurobasket U18 in Konya, Turkey, the final goal is the NBA.
“We had 8 (wins) and 1 (defeat) and we finished third. I think we should have 9-0 but that’s basketball. One bad game and we fall out, but third place is also good. A medal is a medal, but I think we should have done more”, he said speaking about the lost semifinal to the eventual U18 champions, Turkey.
As for his personal performance: “I am never satisfied. I always think I can do better. And from year to year I am going to work much more and more, just to improve myself as a player and as a person. I believe next year is crucial for all of the players who are here. I believe that those who work really hard are going to be good because there’s a lot of potential in this tournament, a lot of players in our team and other teams”.
Being the son of a famous father is not a problem for him: “Well I don’t feel pressure because of him. I am proud of my father and I am going to do my best to be a better player than he was. It will be hard to be more successful because of all those Olympic medals. I hope I am going to do better”.
And “doing better” means also playing in the NBA: “Every player wants to play in the NBA. I don’t know when, but if I keep working maybe in three or four years I am going to declare to the draft”.