Dino Radja, 54, one of the greatest European basketball players of all time, visited Israel this week as a guest of the Basketball Association and Ambassador of the NBA in the Junior League for boys and girls.
The mighty Croatian was one of the stars of the great Yogoplasty Split, which has won three consecutive European Championships.
He was involved in two victories, the first of which was after a final victory over Maccabi Tel Aviv, where he was selected as the outstanding player in the game. He also won numerous titles with the Yugoslav team, including two European Championships and two Olympic silver medals. Radja also recorded tremendous seasons In the uniform of the Boston Celtics in the best league in the world, and currently works as a professional consultant for all the national teams in Croatia.
Are you happy to return to Israel?
"Very happy. I haven't been here long and I have a lot of friends and good memories. I'm happy to be a part of this amazing project and tell the kids to keep dreaming about the greatest things."
What do you think about the progress of Israeli basketball in recent years?
"The guys here are definitely doing a good job. There is a talented generation here that has won two European titles and a lot of good players can come out. We need to keep investing."
Before the final against Maccabi Tel Aviv in Munich, everyone thought that Maccabi would win, and in the end you won the cup. What do you remember?
"We also thought Maccabi would win. This is probably one of the greatest sports memories of my life. We did not expect to win, but we knew that if we stayed close, they would be stressed by the high expectations because the whole world expected them to win the championship. Of course we worked hard "And everyone with us provided a good game. That combination brought us the victory."
Split has won three consecutive championships and also played amazing basketball.
What was special about this group?
"We had a lot of talent, but our secret was that we worked harder than anyone else. That's what made us such a good team - the talent and the hard work."
Vujicic and Bender, Photo: Oded Karni
There is debate as to which team is better: your split, or Maccabi's Sharas, Vujicic and Parker?
"I'm one hundred percent sure we'd beat them. But it's not wise because every athlete will tell you he's the best. We had a very strong team that was hard to beat."
What do you think about the Croatian team at Maccabi Tel Aviv - Vujicic, a professional manager, Ante Žižić and Dragan Bender in the squad?
"I have known Nicola for a long time. He is a great guy, he had an impressive career as a wonderful player and he knows how to work with young people. I think he is the right person for the job at Maccabi. Zizic and Bender are very talented young people who may have been a bit hasty with their decisions Now they are growing up and they are good players who will make good careers. "
Bender's career does not rise despite high expectations from him.
"He went to the NBA too early and wasted time there. There are a lot of games and trips there, and you can't train and improve yourself as a player. It's a general mistake today that there are too many games and less training, and that hurts some players."
Why is it easier today for European players to succeed in the NBA than in your time?
"True, it's easier because in the past no one in the US believed that Europeans could be good.
We showed them that Europeans can be very good and we opened the door for others as well.
There has always been a lot of talent in Europe, but today it is easier to get opportunities. "
Luka Doncic, Photo: USA TODAY Sports
Who is the greatest European player of all time?
"Wow, it's hard to pick one - Savonis, Drazen Petrovich, Tony Parker, Dirk Nowitzki, it's hard to pick one. Debatz, Gallis, there were a lot of good players and big names."
Can Luka Doncic be the greatest European in history?
"Luca is a wonderful player with great abilities, but it is difficult to compare between generations, because basketball today is completely different. It is not fair to compare him with players from the past."
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