A COFFEE WITH… ZORAN PLANINIC

"New Jersey Nets was a team that try win championship and they didn´t have time for development of young players."

Today we chat with Zoran Planinic, one of the last Croatian genius who proved lucky in the NBA, but who ended up finding his place in Europe. Like other great Croatian players, he had to live with the comparative with Drazen Petrovic.

If you want to read the article translated into Spanish, please click the following link.

UN CAFE CON… ZORAN PLANINIC

Q: You started playing very soon in Croatia. When did you decide that you could dedicate yourself professionally to basketball?

A: From early age I know that I want to be professional basketball player. I was obsessed with basketball, I watched every game I could find on tv, read all basketball magazines, etc…

Q: When did you debut in the Croatian First Division? What feelings did you have?

A: I was 17 years old and I played for team Benston Zagreb. I remember that I was nervous in beginning of the game but later everything was fine.

Q: You were born in 1982 in Mostar, so unfortunately you had to live one of the hardest times in history with the Yugoslavia Civil War. How did you live that conflict?

A: I grew up 20 kms south of Mostar in town Čitluk. During the war, I remember spending night in basement, sirens going off all the time but after some time all of that becomes normal to you and you live. When the worst of the war happened, my mother took my sister and me and we left to live with our relatives for couple of months, until situation is better to come back home.

Q: In the junior world of 1999 you presented to the world like a great player and you got the bronze medal. You began to catalog as the new “Drazen Petrovic”. How did you carry this comparison?

A: I don’t think that I was ever compared with Drazen. He is iconic sport figure in Croatia, somebody who is example how a true sportsmen should be. I didn´t feel any pressure to be like somebody. I kept it very simple, playing for the team and having fun.

Q: After your passing through the Cibona, you were selected in the first round of the 2003 draft (pick 22) by the New Jersey Nets. Why did you decide to go to the NBA?

A: NBA is the best league in the world. Every kid who start to play basketball dreams about NBA. When opportunity came I took it with both hands and I was very glad that I spent 3 season with New Jersey Nets and learned from Jason Kidd, Kenyon Martin, Richard Jefferson, Vince Carter,… Was great experience for me.

Q: There you find Jason Kidd, one of the best PG of the NBA and also in one of his best career moments. How did you manage not to play too many minutes?

A: I wanted to play more but unfortunately I had best PG in league at that time on my position. Looking at the things now, probably the best thing for me was to be traded in different team. Some team were they going to let me play and make some mistakes and not take me to the bench right away. I needed a coach who is going to built my confidence playing thru mistakes, but in Nets I didn’t have. It was a team that try win championship and they didn´t have time for development of young players.

Q: After 3 seasons, you leave USA for Spain (TAU Vitoria), where you really find your site. How was your experience in our country?

A: I loved it in Vitoria, basketball city, fans out great, always full arena. We played fast basketball and I really enjoyed it. We were 2 times on Final Four, won Spanish league, and I feel that on final four in Madrid we had best team in Europe but lost against CSKA.

Q: And you arrive at Khimki, where we can possibly see your best basketball. Can we say that it was the place where you exploded as a player?

A: I would say that coach Kurtinaitis gave me a freedom to play and he had thrust in me. I sense that and I did everything I could to give back with winning and good games.

Q: In 2014 you signed by Anadolu Efes. In a match against Olimpia Milano, you scored one of the most spectacular baskets of your career. What did you feel when you saw that the shot went in?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZIA9Nz3A1c

A: Thats shot was incredible. I couldn’t believe in the first moment that went in . It was like “really went in”. Then teammates start jumping on me and we were all happy but just incredible shot.

Q: After this experience you decided to retire, although you are still young for the practice of basketball (32 years old). What was the reason for this decision?

A: I feel that I could played couple of season more but my knees and pain in the back were to much. I had to miss practices because of swelling of my knee and I didn’t want to bother with that, most honest is to say is a enough.

Q: Do you have a thorn in your career? Any title you would have liked to win and you could not? Any team that you would have liked to play?

A: I really hate that I never won euroleague because I was on final four 4 times and every time felt short.

Q: Croatia, USA, Spain, Russia, Turkey, … In which country did you feel more confortable?

A: I would say that I really enjoyed everywhere I played, but if I have to choose it would be Russia.

Q: What do you do now?

A: Right now I live in Chicago with my wife and son.

Q: Do you miss continuing to practice basketball professionally?

A: I play basketball for fun and enjoying watching games on tv.

Q: Thank you very much Zoran for taking your time for this interview. It has been a real pleasure.