From a small country nestled in the heart of Europe, Slovenia has produced some of the most talented basketball players in recent years. Despite its size, this nation has made a significant impact on the international basketball scene and continues to do so with promising new talents emerging every year. In this blog post, we take a closer look at NBA players from Slovenia who have left their mark on the world’s biggest and most-watched basketball league. Join us as we explore their journeys to success and what makes Slovenian players stand out among other international stars. Welcome to Hispanosnba.com’s guide to NBA players from Slovenia!
Goran Dragic
Goran Dragic is a Slovenian professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is one of only four NBA players to have been born in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Dragic won the EuroBasket tournament in 2017 with Slovenia and was also named the MVP of the tournament. He was drafted 45th overall by the San Antonio Spurs in the 2008 NBA draft but was later traded to the Phoenix Suns. He has also played for the Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks.
Luka Doncic
Doncic is a Slovenian professional basketball player for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was born in 1999 in Ljubljana, Slovenia, and played competitively in the Adriatic League and the EuroLeague before being selected as the third overall pick by the Mavericks in the 2018 NBA draft. He is the first European-born player to be drafted in the top three of an NBA draft.
In his rookie season, Doncic averaged 21.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per game, en route to being named Rookie of the Year. He led the Mavericks to a playoff berth after missing out on the postseason in 2017–18. In 2019–20, he was named an All-Star for the first time and was voted as a starter, becoming the first European player to start in an All-Star Game. Additionally, he was named MVP of the 2020 All-Star Game after scoring a game-high 35 points.
Nikola Jokic
Nikola Jokic is a Serbian professional basketball player for the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was drafted by the Nuggets with the 41st overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft. Jokic plays center and power forward positions.
At 7 feet and 250 pounds, Nikola Jokic has an excellent size for an NBA big man. He also possesses good footwork and shooting touch for a player his size. Jokic is not the most athletic player, but he makes up for it with his smarts and skill level.
Jokic had a very successful rookie season with the Denver Nuggets, averaging 10 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 assists per game. He was named to the NBA All-Rookie second team. In his second season, Jokic improved his stats to 16 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists per game while being named an NBA All-Star for the first time in his career.
Jokic is still just 23 years old and has many years of basketball ahead of him. It will be interesting to see how much further he can develop as he continues to grow and learn as an NBA player.
Bogdan Bogdanovic
Bogdan Bogdanovic is a Serbian professional basketball player for the Sacramento Kings of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He also represents the Serbian national team in international competitions.
Bogdanovic was born in Sombor, Yugoslavia (now Serbia) on August 18, 1992. He began playing basketball at an early age and started his professional career with Partizan Belgrade in 2010. He spent three seasons with Partizan before joining the NBA’s Phoenix Suns in 2014.
Bogdanovic had a breakout season with the Suns in 2016-17, averaging 13.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game. He was subsequently named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.
In 2017, Bogdanovic was traded to the Kings as part of a deal that sent guard Tyler Ulis to Phoenix. He has since established himself as one of the Kings’ key players, averaging 15.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game in 2017-18.
Bogdanovic is also an accomplished international player; he won a gold medal with Serbia at the 2014 FIBA World Cup and helped them to a silver medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Drazen Petrovic
Drazen Petrovic is one of the most successful basketball players from Slovenia. He played in the NBA for six seasons from 1991 to 1995. In his first season with the Portland Trail Blazers, he was named Rookie of the Year. He was traded to the New Jersey Nets in 1993 and became one of the best three-point shooters in the league. He was selected to the All-Star team in 1994 and 1995. Petrovic tragically died in a car accident in 1998 at the age of 28.
Slovenia basketball players
Slovenia has been a powerhouse in European basketball for years, and it’s no surprise that several of its players have made the jump to the NBA. Here are some of the most notable Slovenian players in the NBA today:
Goran Dragic – The Dragon is one of Slovenia’s two superstar players, and he’s currently putting up big numbers for the Houston Rockets. Dragic is a great scorer and an excellent playmaker, and he’s one of the most exciting players in the league to watch.
Luka Doncic – The other Slovenian superstar, Doncic is taking the NBA by storm as a rookie with the Dallas Mavericks. A gifted scorer and passer, Doncic are already one of the best players in the league, and he has a very bright future ahead of him.
Bogdan Bogdanovic – Bogdanovic is a sharp-shooting wing player who’s having a great season with the Sacramento Kings. He’s one of the best three-point shooters in the league, and he’s also a very good defender.
Kristaps Porzingis – Porzingis is a 7-footer who can shoot threes and block shots, making him one of the most versatile big men in the league. He’s currently sidelined with an injury, but when healthy, he’s one of the best players on the New York Knicks.
best Slovenian basketball players
Slovenia has produced several excellent basketball players who have gone on to have successful careers in the NBA. Among the best are Goran Dragic, Luka Doncic, and Rudy Gobert.
Goran Dragic is a point guard who was drafted in 2008 by the San Antonio Spurs. He played for the Houston Rockets from 2011 to 2012, before being traded to the Phoenix Suns, where he became an All-Star in 2014. Dragic was named NBA Most Improved Player in 2014 and helped lead the Suns to the playoffs that year. He was traded to the Miami Heat in February 2015 and helped them reach the NBA Finals that same year.
Luka Doncic is a small forward who was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks in 2018 and then traded to the Dallas Mavericks. He won Rookie of the Year honors in 2018-19 after averaging 21.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 6 assists per game. In 2019-20, his second season, Doncic was named an All-Star and led the Mavericks to their first playoff berth since 2016.
Rudy Gobert is a center who was drafted by the Denver Nuggets in 2013 but soon traded to the Utah Jazz. He quickly established himself as one of the best rim protectors in the league and was named Defensive Player of the Year in 2017-18 and 2018-19. Gobert has also been named to two All-NBA Defensive Teams (2017 and 2018
Yugoslavian NBA players
The 1990s were a great time for Yugoslavian basketball players in the NBA. The likes of Vlade Divac, Predrag Stojakovic, and Drazen Petrovic were some of the best players in the world and helped lead their teams to success.
Since then, there have been a few Yugoslavian players that have made it to the NBA, but none have had the same impact as those three. Below is a list of all the Yugoslavian players that have played in the NBA.
Borut Basso: Drafted by the Charlotte Hornets in 1998, Basso only played two games in the NBA. He averaged 0.5 points per game.
Aleksandar Radojević: Drafted by the Detroit Pistons in 1999, Radojević never ended up playing a game for them. He was traded to the Orlando Magic on draft night and then immediately waived.
Marko Jaric: Drafted by the Los Angeles Clippers in 2000, Jaric had a long and successful NBA career. He played for six different teams over 12 seasons and averaged 8.2 points per game.
Nenad Krstic: Drafted by the New Jersey Nets in 2002, Krstic had a solid eight-year career in the NBA. He averaged 10 points per game and won an NBA Championship with the Nets in 2003.
Slovenian NBA players 2022
In the 2022 NBA season, there will be several players from Slovenia suiting up for various teams. Here is a list of some of the most notable Slovenian NBA players that fans can expect to see in action:
– Goran Dragic: A veteran point guard who has been in the league since 2008, Dragic is currently playing for the Miami Heat. He is one of the best players in the history of Slovenian basketball and was named NBA All-Star in 2018.
– Luka Doncic: The young superstar who was drafted by the Dallas Mavericks in 2018, Doncic has already made a huge impact in his short time in the league. He was named Rookie of the Year in 2019 and has quickly established himself as one of the best players in the league.
– Bogdan Bogdanovic: A talented scorer who plays for the Sacramento Kings, Bogdanovic is another player that Slovenian basketball fans can be proud of. He was named to the All-Rookie Second Team back in 2016 and has been a key contributor to the Kings ever since.