Goran Dragic: 'I really think that I overachieved'

When Goran Dragic came in as a second-round pick, nobody thought he would last well over a decade in the NBA. Not even himself. Now officially retired, Dragic will be on hand for the NBA's 33rd game in Mexico since 1992, featuring his favorite franchise, the Miami Heat, going up against the Washington Wizards on November 2.

The former All-Star jumped at the chance to travel to Mexico City to participate in numerous NBA-hosted events, including a Jr. NBA coaches event, prior to Saturday's matchup. Dragic spoke with HoopsHype about his 15-year career, what separates the Heat from other teams, Luka Doncic, and more.

Now that you retired from the game of basketball, what has life been like for you?

GD: It’s been great. I have a lot more free time. More focused on my kids. I got a boy and girl, Mateo and Victoria, they’re 10 and nine. So, I’m catching up, because now I can be full-time dad. I can drive them to practices, to schools, stay home, I really like it. I do want to be involved in basketball. Trying to figure out things and see where my path will take me. That’s why I’m here (in Mexico City). I love basketball. I love to stay engaged. Doing different appearances with the kids, meeting new people around the globe, and I’m happy.

What’s your favorite memory of playing in Miami?

GD: Throughout my seven years with them, with the struggles and playing in the NBA Finals, just in general this was my best seven years of my career. I love that team, I love everybody who works there. I still live in Miami so in general I felt like I was at home. I think that’s really important to have those feelings that you can connect with those people, and now I can say they’re my friends, and of course I’m cheering for them.

When you compare your time with the Heat compared to the other teams you played on, was it night and day with how you were treated as a player there?

GD: Yeah, definitely. Miami is really unique, especially their approach is different. They really challenge you to be the best way. They do a lot of stuff that you put your body through so you can be in the best shape of your life, so you can compete at the highest level.

And sometimes, they’re really strict. Some players they liked it, some players they don’t. In my case, I liked it because it was more structure, and that’s why I think they’re so successful. Through all these years, even if they don’t have the best roster, they’re always going to compete and play hard.

When you mention structure, does that remind you of yourself in Europe growing up and developing? Everything is about structure there, it’s not really about individuality. So, did that play a big factor in how you really embraced the Heat culture?

GD: Yeah, you’re right. It was really familiar to Europe for me. For example, in Europe when we go on the road, everybody’s dressed the same in their uniforms, or jackets, hoodies, whatever. In Miami, the same, when you go on the road, you go out there the same as a team, as a unit, and this is really important. Even how they’re running as a coaching staff, they want the team to go to dinner together as much as we can. Try to create that team environment that everybody understands, where they coming from, who you are, so you meet people, you meet their families. I think that’s really important, especially for the chemistry of the team. That does give you a little bit of that feeling like in Europe, especially with National Teams and club teams.

What does it mean to you to have so many former players you’ve played with in the past to come out and participate in your retirement farewell game two months ago?

GD: It was a huge honor. I can count those players as friends because they really are. I spent most of my career with them, and they were a big part of my life. We spent a lot of time together on the road, we battled together on the court, we had good times, dinners, and those are guys I consider them as a friend. If they’re going to need some help in the near future, I’m going to be there for them. It was really important for me especially to celebrate that day, not for me, but for kids, because we were raising money, and we were doing something good. I was really happy, legends came to give support to this project of mine, NBA too. Luka was there, Jokic, Steve Nash, Chris Bosh, so a lot of big names in this sport. I was happy and would like to thank them again to support this project.

When you first got to the league being drafted in the second round, how confident were you of being impactful in the league?

GD: Yeah, I was always confident in myself. Even when I was playing in Europe, even when I get to the NBA. I’m not going to lie, there was some tough times, especially in the beginning. I didn’t play much, I had to fight through that adversity, and the most important thing was my family. My family, my coaches, my mentors like Steve Nash, Grant Hill, and those guys. They gave me a path to follow, and I saw how they work hard, so I did the same thing. Then trade happens, I spent three years in Phoenix, and they trade me to Houston, and that was another one of those times that I doubt myself, but everybody has doubts. The most important thing is how you’re dealing with it, and my thing was ‘Okay, let’s go every day at practice, get better, and see how things play out’.

What was the biggest thing you learned in your early years playing with Steve Nash in Phoenix?

GD: The biggest thing was just to show me how to be a professional. And to see how to play, how to read the floor. Playing pick-and-roll, especially players are faster. The game is way different than in Europe, so I had to adapt. He was always there, giving me the angles, how to play pick-and-roll, how to pass the ball, especially those short roll pockets. Him and Amare Stoudemire, they were the best at that. You have to work on it. He was there working with me, I was learning, that helped my career tremendously.

Looking back now, would you had ever imagined how your career played out?

GD: I’m really happy with my career. 15 years in the league. Of course as a kid, you always dream of someday to make it in the NBA, but I never thought I would play for 15 years. I was really fortunate that I could do it. Of course I was always dreaming about an NBA ring. I was in the Finals, but I got close and I never achieved that goal. But in life, there’s going to be tough times and good times. If I look back, I have a great career. I played many playoff games, I was on an All-NBA Team, I was an All-Star, so as a kid I would sign that up right away [laughs]. To be those things, as a kid I was just trying to make it in the league. In the end, I really think that I overachieved.

Who was the best player in the league when you played?

GD: Definitely it’s Kobe Bryant. If I go back, I play the 2010 Western Conference Finals, Phoenix versus Lakers, I see that Mamba mentality. It was unbelievable. We put like three or four guys on Kobe, and he was just smiling and shooting over three guys and scoring. He had a good team. He had Pau Gasol, [Andrew] Bynum, [Jordan] Farmar, [Lamar] Odom, all these players, but when the game was on the line, we all know where the ball was going to go, but we couldn’t stop it. So for me, for sure it was Kobe Bryant at that time.

And then you have D-Wade, LeBron James, you have many many players, I would say Kobe was the best closer, and D-Wade. When I played with D-Wade I saw so many games where he would take the ball and bring us home. And that was unbelievable.

How many titles do you think your good friend Luka Doncic will win by the time he retires?

GD: I really don’t know. That all depends on the front office, how they are gonna surround him with players. Last year they were really good. I think nobody expect them to play in the Finals. The chemistry with him and Kyrie [Irving] was really amazing, and everyone followed. I do think that signing Klay Thompson, they are going to have a lot more firepower, but at the end of the day, are they going to be able to play defense? So you never know, especially with now in the NBA, there’s a lot of good teams. You have OKC, they gonna be good, you got Minnesota, you got Phoenix, you can never doubt Lakers with LeBron, then you have Denver with Nikola Jokic, Dallas is here, then you got Boston, you got Miami, Milwaukee is a team that disappointed last year, but we’ll see.

I believe that Luka will win MVP because he’s such a good player. He’s putting up crazy numbers, but it all depends on the front office, how they gonna surround him with a team. I think they have a chance, but we’ll see. I definitely wish him to win one because he’s a good friend of mine, and he’s coming from Slovenia, we have actually five guys who won it, Rasho Nesterovic, Sasha Vujacic, Beno Udrih, Vlatko Cancar, and I wish him to be the fifth one.

What are you doing in Mexico City with the NBA?

Goran Dragic: I’m here to do some appearances with the NBA. I’m really happy I can be here. I’m gonna watch the game between Miami Heat and Washington Wizards. I spent many years with the Heat so I’m really looking forward to doing some events with the NBA.

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Goran Dragic: 'I really think that I overachieved'