As the ABA League approaches its 25th anniversary, legendary Slovenian coach Zmago Sagadin has singled out Nikola Jokic as perhaps the greatest example of what the competition’s player-development system can produce.
Jokic arrived at Mega as a relatively unknown prospect before developing into an NBA superstar and one of the greatest players of his generation.
“For me, Nikola Jokic is the greatest miracle of them all. When he was that chubby kid playing for Mega, nobody could have imagined that we were watching one of the greatest players of all time,” Sagadin told Meridian sport.
“He effectively demonstrated that everything comes down to work – that the best players are not born, but made. Through hard work, he reached the sky. I believe he left a defining mark on the ABA League, even though he ultimately crowned it all in the NBA.”
Zmago Sagadin marvels at Nikola Jokic’s rise: “The greatest miracle of them all”https://t.co/ArddoHgSWx
— Eurohoops (@Eurohoopsnet) August 17, 2026
