15-year NBA veteran Goran Dragic announces his retirement: ‘I have lived my greatest dream’

After playing for seven NBA teams during his 15-year career in the league, Goran Dragic is finally ready to hang up his basketball shoes. The Slovenian veteran announced his retirement on December 31, just as 2023 was coming to an end. 

The former Miami Heat guard has earned the respect of his peers throughout his time in the NBA. Not only was he a former All-Star player, Dragic also was the leader of the Slovenian team that conquered the EuroBasket championship back in 2017.

During his extensive career, he played for Phoenix, Houston, Chicago, Brooklyn, Milwaukee, Toronto and finally the Heat, and was once considered part of the All-NBA team in 2013/14 season. That same year, he was voted as the league’s most improved athlete. “I have lived my greatest dream and I am extremely grateful for the countless people in my life who have enabled me to play this long,” he said.

Goran Dragić is officially retiring after 15 seasons in the NBA, per Sio1Net 🫡 pic.twitter.com/wFmDN6xH6b

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 30, 2023

“It starts with my parents, Marinko and Mojca, my brother, Zoran, my kids, Mateo and Vikorita and their mother Maja, and the rest of my family who always allowed this passion of basketball to be a priority for me,” he added in his announcement.

Goran revealed that he intends to celebrate his retirement this next summer after the Paris Olympics come to an end in Ljubljana, Slovenia. According to sources, he’s expected to share more details of this event during the coming week.

The 37-year-old became a national hero when he led his country to their first-ever European trophy, which is considered one of Slovenia’s most important sport accolades. “It was everything,” Dragic said about that moment.

He also showed gratitude to a long list of people who helped him throughout his career, and even mentioned David Stern and Adam Silver, who were the NBA’s two commissioners during his time in the league. “All good things come to an end but this dream of basketball will always be with me,” Goran shared.

Compatriot Luka Doncic shared his thoughts on Dragic’s retirement and called him an inspiration

Back in 2017, Luka Doncic was a young guard who played for Real Madrid. Today, he is one of the NBA’s biggest stars and he praises Dragic as one of his biggest mentors in the basketball game.

“It was an amazing run for him,” the Mavericks star said about Goran’s imminent retirement. “I’m just glad I know him, I’m glad I played with him and man, I learned a lot about him, especially about leadership in that tournament.”

The veteran is also beloved in Miami, where he still lives occasionally with his family. Back when he was a free agent in 2020, the Heat surprised the player with billboards in Slovenia that had slogans that read: “Your second family is always with you.”

He eventually signed another contract in South Beach and was part of the team that lost the NBA Finals to the Los Angeles Lakers after six games. “Can you do something for me?” he asked a reporter after losing the title. “Tell the fans we really tried and I’m sorry. I really tried.”