Gorgan Dragic one of the most underrated figures in the international basketball scene, bid farewell to the sport in an emotional way. After a 16-year NBA career, Gorgan retired from playing action with a charity game that brought together game legends and close friends.
“Night of the Dragon”: An Evening of Basketball Legends and Family Moments
His farewell game, “Night of the Dragon, ” took place on Saturday in his home country of Slovenia. The event featured a special match where Dragic led a team of former teammates against Slovenian star Luka Doncic.
The game also witnessed appearances from former NBA stars including Steve Nash and Chris Bosh, alongside international icons like Nowitzki and Nikola Jokic. These stars came together to celebrate Goran Dragic’s high-profile basketball career.
Dirk's retirement message to The Dragon! 💯@swish41 x @Goran_Dragic
Don't miss Dragic's farewell game featuring Nowitzki, Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic and more at 2pm/et on the NBA App. pic.twitter.com/21IrqPxGCP
— NBA (@NBA) August 24, 2024
Proceeds from the charity game and all the related events that took place on the night were directed to the Botrstvo vs Sportu program of the Friends of Youth Foundation Ljubljana Moste-Polje and the Goran Dragic Foundation.
During the night, Dragic also faced off in a one-on-one match against his brother, Zoran, with whom he briefly played on the Phoenix Suns and Miami Heat during the 2014-15 season. The beautiful evening also witnessed a mini-soccer game and special on-court family moments.
One last time… THE DRAGON 🐉
Goran Dragic's "Night of the Dragon" Farewell Game is LIVE on the NBA App!
📲 https://t.co/XPFEMpvQem pic.twitter.com/afpUR3mj54
— NBA (@NBA) August 24, 2024
Goran Dragic’s NBA Journey: From Rising Star to International Champion
For the unversed, Goran Dragic played for seven NBA teams throughout his career, after being selected 45th overall in the 2008 Draft. He went on to play an instrumental role in helping his team Slovenia secure its first EuroBasket title in the year 2017.
Initially, Goran thrived as a backup point guard behind Steve Nash, making a significant impact with a 23-point fourth quarter in Game 3 of the 2010 Western Conference semifinals against the San Antonio Spurs. Dragic was eventually traded to the Houston Rockets.
However, he returned to the Suns in 2012 through free agency, which turned out to be a game-changing move for him as he emerged as the team’s lead guard and also earned the 2013-14 Most Improved Player award and All-NBA Third Team honors.
Another big highlight of Dragic’s life was a trade to the Miami Heat in 2015. Dragic further led Slovenia to its first EuroBasket championship in 2017. The next season, he was named an Eastern Conference All-Star and then he played a crucial role in helping the Miami Heat reach the 2020 NBA finals.
During his illustrious career, Dragic played 946 games and averaged 16 to 21 points per game over five seasons. He ranked 97th all-time with 4,405 career assists, and the Slovenian national team has retired his No. 3 jersey.
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