A farewell game in honor of Goran Dragic will take place on August 24, according to BasketNews. The competition will feature current NBA stars as well as retired Hall of Famers facing off on the same court.
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Current and former NBA players include Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic, Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzki, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Luis Scola, Dejan Bodiroga, Predrag Danilovic, Nikola Vucevic and Rasho Nesterovic.
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Dragic’s former Miami teammate Chris Bosh will not play in the game but will be in attendance.
Jimmy Butler was supposed to make an appearance but canceled at the last minute due to scheduling conflicts, according to BasketNews.
The event, called “Dragon Night,” will take place in Ljubljana, Slovenia, at the Stozice Arena.
The match is sponsored by the Goran Dragic Foundation and the teams will be selected at a gala dinner hosted by the charity the day before.
Fans were eager to attend the star-studded event, as tickets sold out in just 20 minutes.
After 15 seasons in the NBA, Dragic announced his retirement in late December.
“I lived my biggest dream and I am extremely grateful to the countless people who allowed me to play for this long,” Dragic said. “It starts with my parents, Marinko and Mojca, my brother, Zoran, my children, Mateo and Vikorita and their mother Maja, and the rest of my family who have always made this passion for basketball a priority for me.”
Dragic is best known for his time with the Miami Heat as a former All-Star point guard. He is also a legend in Slovenian basketball after leading the national team to the European Championship in 2017. The title is widely considered one of the most significant moments in Slovenian team sports.
“That was it,” Dragic said.
Dragic emerged as the hero of the game after a 35-point performance to clinch the win over Serbia. Doncic was a young guard and mentor to Dragic on the Slovenia team in 2017.
“It was an incredible run for him,” Doncic said of Dragic’s retirement. “I’m just glad I knew him, I’m glad I played with him and I learned a lot about him, especially leadership in this tournament.”
Dragic was named the NBA’s Most Improved Player in the 2013–14 season and was selected to the All-Star Game in 2017–18. He played 946 games with seven teams throughout his NBA career.
The 38-year-old has played for several other NBA teams throughout his career, including the Phoenix Suns, Houston Rockets, Chicago Bulls, Brooklyn Nets, Milwaukee Bucks and Toronto Raptors.
More news: Magic star Paolo Banchero believes team has ‘a chance to win’ in the East this season
