Everyone loves BobanMarjanovic, and there's good reason. AlSaracevic talked with the NBA 's beloved big man in his native language. Topics included: who were the best Balkan basketball players of all-time?
Mavericks center Boban Marjanović speaks with The Examiner’s Al Saracevic at the Mavericks practice facility ahead of the upcoming Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals against the Warriors. DALLAS — Everybody loves Boban.
The NBA’s beloved big man has become larger than life in recent years, and I’m not talking about his 7’ 4” stature. It’s his outgoing personality, sense of humor and generally lovable nature that’s thrust him on the national stage. And, frankly, Mr. Marjanović deserves it. Born in a small village in Eastern Serbia, Boban has risen to the top of the basketball world, starring on the international scene as well as in the NBA. He’s not getting any time in the Warriors series because the matchup doesn’t really favor his skills. But the talented center played a big roll in helping Dallas dig out of a hole in the last round of the playoffs, knocking off the Phoenix Suns. He’s part of a wave of Balkan basketball players that has swept into the NBA in recent years, playing alongside the Slovenian superstar Luka Dončić. Due to my own Balkan background, I was excited when Dallas advanced to the conference finals. I hoped to meet Boban and get to know him. Sure enough, I had the pleasure of sitting with him for a bit Monday, after the Mavericks worked out at their Dallas practice facility. His team finds itself in a tough spot, down three games to one in the Western Conference Finals. The Warriors can clinch a trip to the NBA Finals Tuesday night, if they manage to sweep Dallas on their home court, American Airlines Center. We’ll see how it goes Tuesday night. But in the meantime, let’s hear what Boban had to say about his team, his rise to prominence and the outsize influence Balkan basketball players have had on the NBA. I asked him if we could conduct the interview in his native tongue, Serbo-Croatian. He said, “Sure!” My parents both hail from the Balkans and I was raised speaking the language. Sadly, I’m a bit rusty. But Boban was gracious and we got through it just fine. So, this interview has been edited for brevity and clarity and for my language deficiencies. You mind if we do this interview in Serbian? And should I address you in the formal or informal vernacular?It’s tough times for your team, losing three games in a row. What are you thinking today? It’s not easy. But the ball is round. And we have more chances. We came this far and it hasn’t been an easy road. We are not giving up.That’s the thing. We are all here working, getting ready for their chance. For their game. The better the goal, the better the effort. The point is to advance to the Finals like we all dreamed about. Let’s talk about your career arc. You’ve become a leading face of the NBA. You’re everywhere on TV. What was that journey like for you? It’s not like I planned it. It just happened. When I came to America, and the cameras found me, I said, “Super!” That’s a part of the sport. The cameras found my good looks, whether it was on the court or a situation like this, with you and me talking. Or in a studio somewhere. A film. Commercials. It became a part of my life. That’s me. No lie. How people see me, that’s who I am. It can’t be any other way. Tell me about Luka Dončić. You are two of the world’s leading Balkan basketball players. What’s he like? He’s an amazing guy. Everything he does, he does with his heart. That’s his biggest quality. His big heart. Not to mention how beautiful it is to watch him play. All the kids are his biggest fans. They want to be just like him.He’s already accomplished a lot, for us, for his team. And for himself, which is important. Let’s move on to the topic of best Balkan basketball players in history. Who would be in your starting five? I wouldn’t want to name five, because I know the sixth, seventh, eight, ninth and 10th guy are as good as that first guy. If somebody would hear that, I’m sure there would be names that I forgot. And then I’d be like, “Oh, I should’ve named him!” So I give you a diplomatic answer! A real politician. We are all great basketball players. And we’re great people, too. For me, it all started when Drazen Petrović broke into the NBA, years ago. Let me ask you this, if the former Yugoslavia did not break up, would that be the greatest national team in the world? And I ask this question with no political intentions whatsoever. Strictly basketball. Without politics, of course. But there’s no question. There’s not that kind of talent anywhere in the world in such a small place. It’s because we’re persistent. We work hard. Train hard. There’s something different about us.I watched everyone. Dino? Of course. We didn’t have many TV channels where I grew up. I was watching Indiana versus Detroit once. Reggie Miller was playing. And yesterday I saw him. I thought back to watching him on TV in a village of 100 houses, where I would be looking at a small black and white television. And yesterday I ran into him in the hallway and we start talking like we’ve known each other our whole lives. That’s the beauty of this whole thing.Did I do okay with the language?The Arena, a column from The Examiner’s Al Saracevic, explores San Francisco’s playing field, from politics and technology to sports and culture. Send your tips, quips and quotes to asaracevic@sfexaminer.com. Sign up for his weekly newsletter here. And follow him on Twitter @alsaracevic.
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