Screenshot: CroatianSports.com
CroatianSports.com caught up with Croatian national team player and Indiana Pacer Damjan Rudež Wednesday night at Staples Center in Los Angeles. The Pacers lost a tight game with the Los Angeles Clippers, 102-100, missing a game-winning three-pointer as time expired. Rudež only played one minute at the end of the second half, with his main purpose to “Hack-a-Shaq” the Clippers’ DeAndre Jordan. Rudež picked up three fouls and missed a bucket in his one minute on the court.
Rudež is a 28 year-old NBA rookie. And although he towers over all his fellow Pacers at 6′ 10″, he must carry his personal belongings in a small Hello Kitty backpack this season as the American “rookie hazing” ritual was put in place by his more tenured teammates. But let me tell you, for a guy his size, he sports the small pink Japanese kitty cat with pride and grace.
When asked how his transition from European basketball to the NBA was going, Rudež said, “I’m enjoying myself but I know what my place is here. I’m a rookie. I’m here to learn.”
Although Rudež is only averaging 4.2 minutes/game in his first NBA season since coming over from Spanish club CAI Zaragoza last year, he has an extremely humble attitude and is not in any way disappointed with his lack of playing time.
Regarding team president and NBA legend Larry Bird, Rudež said, “His (Larry Bird) presence can be felt on the team. You know you have to bring your best with him around.”
Rudež was only a child when the late, great Dražen Petrović was playing, and although he never watched him live, he is grateful for the trail he blazed for Croatian and foreign basketball players alike.
I asked Rudež the following question: “Pick one: an Olympic gold medal with Croatia or an NBA title?”
After a few seconds of thought, Rudež proclaimed, “Wow! That’s a tough one. But in the end, the Olympics are the pinnacle of sports so I will have to say 55% Olympic gold and 45% NBA title.
Basketball has been the only game in his life since he was in diapers. Because of that, he has never followed the Croatian national soccer team, with the exception of important games like the World Cup. However, he did comment on the current state of affairs with the HNS, saying, “I feel bad for the players and good people involved with everything that is going on.”
Rudež grew up just minutes away from Maksimir Stadion in Zagreb, but is indifferent when it comes to soccer in Croatia.
He feels confident in the direction Croatian basketball is heading at the moment and is extremely excited for the European championships in September 2015, with Zagreb hosting a selection of group stage matches.
Rudež is an extremely engaging and humble guy. The majority of you CroatianSports.com Prva Generacija members would enjoy his company, sitting down at a table, talking sports while having a beer. To which if you ever do, the man easily prefers Karlovačko over Ožujsko.
We will attempt to revisit Dmajan again on January 5th, when Rudež and the Pacers are back in Los Angeles to face Kobe Bryant and the Lakers.
Vecernji list picked up
http://www.vecernji.hr/kosarka/rudez-mora-nositi-hello-kitty-torbu-radije-bih-olimpijsku-medalju-nego-naslov-u-nba-980025
index..
http://www.index.hr/sport/clanak/rudez-radije-bih-olimpijsku-medalju-s-hrvatskom-nego-nba-titulu/790623.aspx
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@ Adrian,
Yeh yeh yeh…it’s a little girl that personifies a cat…IT’S A CAT!!
@ Faux Cro,
If only that was the issue.
Taking a Olympic gold medal with hrvatska over an NBA Title = the epitome of a “za dom … spremni” lifestyle
@adrian
Not a cat you say?
Tell us more!
Next time, take the lens cap off.
Technically it is not a cat. At least that’s what the creator says.
Damjan, it was a pleasure meeting you after the game and chatting about croatian hoops. Looking forward to part II real soon.