Goran Dragic

Goran Dragic's Biography

Goran Dragić is widely recognized as a former Slovenian professional basketball player soaring highest as an NBA even nicknamed ‘the Dragon’. Born on 6th May 1986, Dragić became a popular figure in the basketball domain both in his native Slovenia and Spain before making his strong entrance into the National Basketball Association (NBA) in 2008. His illustrious career further extended as a celebrated player for numerous teams such as the Phoenix Suns, Miami Heat, Houston Rockets, Toronto Raptors, Brooklyn Nets, Chicago Bulls, and the Milwaukee Bucks. In the Suns in 2014, he was celebrated as an All-NBA Third Team selection and also received the NBA Most Improved Player title. 2018 held another milestone for Dragić as he was named an NBA All-Star for the first time while with the Miami. Through his leadership, he steered the senior Slovenian national team to secure its first FIBA EuroBasket title in 2017, earning himself the Most Valuable Player title of the tournament.

At a young age of seventeen, in 2003, Dragić made his debut in the Slovenian minor league, playing for KD Ilirija. After a year, he segued into the premier Slovenian Basketball League and Adriatic League club, Slovan in 2004. In 2006 after two years at Slovan, he moved to the Spanish ACB League club Saski Baskonia who proceeded to loan him to the Spanish club, Murcia. Dragić joined the Slovenian club, Union Olympija in 2007, where he triumphed during the 2007-08 season, clinching the Slovenian League championship with his team.

Having made a mark as a hardworking and exceptional player, Goran was chosen as 45th overall in the second round during the 2008 NBA draft by San Antonio Spurs, but was later traded off to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for the draft rights to Malik Hairston who was the 48th pick. Dragić officially signed with the Phoenix Suns on 22nd September 2008 after reaching an agreement with TAU Ceramica (now labelled as Caja Laboral), with whom he was contracted at the time.

While with the Suns, Dragić was anticipated to ascend to the starting point guard position once Steve Nash stepped down. In a match against Utah Jazz on 25th January 2010, Dragić impressed many by scoring a then-career-high 32 points. He further pushed boundaries during game three of the Western Conference Semifinals. Therein, he led the Phoenix Suns in a celebrated comeback against San Antonio Spurs, who had initially drafted him, managing a prodigious score of 23 out of 26 points in the fourth quarter alone.

Unfortunately, Dragić was traded off to the Houston Rockets along with a protected first-round pick in exchange for Aaron Brooks in 2011. In the same team’s season finale, Dragić notched his first career triple-double, scoring 11 points, 11 assists, and 11 rebounds settling a 121-102 win against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Prior to the end of the 2011 NBA lockout, Dragić had a short stint with Saski Baskonia of Spain. He returned to the Rockets for the 2011-12 season. And later in March 2012, he replaced Kyle Lowry, who was suffering from a bacterial infection. On 9th April 2012, Dragić received the Western Conference Player of the Week award. He was later declared an unrestricted free agent in 2012, where he agreed to sign a four-year contract with Phoenix Suns.

Dragić took his game a notch higher while with the Suns, recording a career-high 18 assists accompanied with 14 points in their conquest over the Portland Trail Blazers in 2013. He proved his versality in a game against the Brooklyn Nets as he neared a triple-double with 31 points, 12 assists, and 9 rebounds. Despite a 25-57 season, Dragić enjoyed numerous career highs.

Later, in an attempt to ease pressure on Dragić, the Suns shifted him to the position of a shooting guard, following their acquisition of Eric Bledsoe from the Los Angeles Clippers. In his time with the Suns, he delivered consistent performances, even scoring career highs on multiple occasions. This impressive streak earned him the 2014 NBA Most Improved Player Award, a spot in the 2014 All-NBA Third Team, and a national award from Slovenia, known as the “Apple of Inspiration”.

In 2015, Dragić and his brother, Zoran, were traded to the Miami Heat, marking the start of an extraordinary journey with the team where he recorded average points of 16.6 and 5.3 assists across 26 starts. He topped his season’s highest in a strong comeback from an injury in 2016. Later that year, he guided Miami to tie the semi-finals of the playoffs against Toronto Raptors, scoring a career-high 30 playoff points. Though the Heat lost out in the seventh game of the series, Dragić’s shining performance was undeniable.

Dragić continued to excel with the Heat, scoring season highs and achieving recognition as the Eastern Conference Player of the Week more than once. On 1 February 2018, he was named as a replacement for the 2018 NBA All-Star Game, which marked his first-ever All-Star selection.

Upon reaching the 10,000-point mark in the NBA, Dragić etched his name into history as the first Slovenian player to accomplish this feat. He faced a setback due to a knee injury and had to undergo surgery. However, he returned to form soon after, recording his second career triple double. During the 2019-20 NBA season, Dragić played a crucial role in Miami Heat’s journey through the playoffs. Even though the Heat fell to the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals, Dragić’s contribution to their campaign was notable.

On 6th August 2021, Dragić was acquired by the Toronto Raptors, along with Precious Achiuwa, in exchange for Kyle Lowry. Dragić then made a hiatus from the Raptors for personal reasons on 28th November the same year. But by February 2022, he had been traded to the San Antonio Spurs. Just five days later, he agreed to a contract buyout with the Spurs. On February 22, he officially signed with the Brooklyn Nets. He made a strong debut for the Nets and has continued to showcase his prowess on the court. Goran Dragić, with his sheer talent and determination, has truly justified the title of “the Dragon”.