Photo: sdna.gr

Miroslav Raduljca, the former NBA center and long-time Serbian national team member, recently shared a candid conversation with Greek international and Marousi BC captain Charis Giannopoulos, often referred to as the “Greek Gigi Datome.”

Their exchange explored not just basketball itself but also the personal struggles, turning points, and deeper cultural meaning of the sport, especially in Serbia.

Reflecting on his beginnings, Raduljca revealed that his basketball journey was not born out of a natural love for the game.

“I didn’t like basketball that much as a kid. I only started playing because of my brother. I wouldn’t say I was a big-time sportsman. I like to think I have the soul of an artist, and it was really hard to express that in basketball. It’s a game of rules – you can’t express your soul as much. There was no turning point, but many times I wanted to stop playing, ever since I was a kid,” he explained.

Now more than two decades into his professional career, Raduljca admitted his longevity surprised even him.

“It’s been 21 years now. I never thought it would be like this. My plan was to play until I was 30, but something happened – I found love for basketball again in China and decided to continue. People might think I’m talking about money in China, but that’s not true. I really mean the love for basketball, for playing the game as it should be. The basketball I played there, and the experiences I had, gave me back that love,” he said.

That rejuvenation, Raduljca added, came largely from having the right coach and environment.

“I had an amazing coach who gave me the chance to do what I should and could do. I felt fulfilled with the game I played. That doesn’t mean that if I had been in a EuroLeague team, I should just take the ball and dribble, or that China is a place where you can do that. When you feel you can do it, and you have support from someone who understands your game, it can be really nice.”

Since his professional debut in 2005, Raduljca’s career has spanned the globe. He started with FMP in Serbia, then moved on to Anadolu Efes, ALBA Berlin, and Partizan, before reaching the NBA in 2013 with the Milwaukee Bucks and later the Minnesota Timberwolves.

His journey then took him back to Europe with Panathinaikos and Olimpia Milano, before a chapter in China renewed his passion for the sport. More recently, he played for Crvena zvezda and spent two seasons in Greece with Marousi.

But his career in the spotlight has not always been smooth. While many fans showed him respect, others crossed personal boundaries.

“Of course, there are nice people with manners who ask for a photo or want to talk. But most people have the wrong approach. Just because they’ve seen us on TV, they think we grew up together,” he said.

He even recalled a frightening encounter.

“I had one really bad situation a couple of years ago. I was in a village and a guy pulled a gun just because I didn’t want to take a photo with him. It was too loud, I couldn’t hear what he was saying, and he was really aggressive – hitting me, hugging me. That’s the worst that can happen,” Raduljca recounted.

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