Phoenix Suns 2010-11 Media Guide - NBA Media Central

Pro Career
Acquired by the Suns in a draft-day deal on June 26, 2008… Draft rights obtained from
the San Antonio Spurs, who selected him with the 45th overall pick of the 2008 NBA
Draft in exchange for the draft rights to Malik Hairston (48th overall, second round),
a 2009 second-round pick and cash… Signed on September 22, 2008, after reaching
a buyout with Spanish team Tau Ceramica and receiving his official release… In his
rookie NBA season, averaged
4.5 points, 2.0 assists, 1.9
rebounds and 13.2 minutes
in 55 games (one start)…
Following the All-Star
break, averaged 5.9 points,
2.3 assists and 1.9 rebounds in
14.4 minutes (29 games)
compared to 2.9 points, 1.7 assists
and 1.8 rebounds in 12.0 minutes
before it (26 games)… Appeared in 29
of 31 games under Alvin Gentry… Six
double-digit scoring scoring efforts as a
rookie, all after the All-Star break… Made NBA
debut in season opener on Oct. 29 at San Antonio with two assists
and one rebound in 14 minutes... Member of the Suns’ 2009 Las Vegas
Summer League squad where he started all five games, averaging 12.0
points (2nd-team), team-high 5.4 assists and 3.2 rebounds.
International Career
Member of the Slovenian National Team since 2006… Led team in 2010
World Championships in Turkey, averaging 12.7 points, 3.3 rebounds and
4.1 assists in nine games... Has also participated in the 2009 European
Championships in Poland, the 2007 European Championships in Spain,
where he helped lead his team to an upset victory over France to win
Group D of the tournament, and the 2006 FIBA World
Championships in Japan… Member of the nation’s Under-20
National Team in 2004 and 2005, averaging 15.3 points, 5.8
rebounds and 1.8 assists at the 2005 U20 European
Championships in Moscow... Came to the NBA after a
four-year professional career in top leagues in his
native Slovenia and abroad… Spent 2007-08 season
with Union Olimpija in Slovenian and helped lead his
team to both the Slovenian League Championship and
Slovenian Cup… Averaged 9.7 points, 3.1 assists and
1.2 steals in 13 games against top competition in
Euroleague play in 2007-08… Tallied 12.0 points, 3.1
assists and 1.7 steals in 28 games of Adriatic League play
in 2007-08… Used his knack for getting into the lane to
shoot 60.9 percent from the floor in Euroleague play and 61.0
percent in Adriatic League play in 2008… Made his professional
debut with Ilirija in the Slovenian minor leagues before being
promoted to Slovenia’s top league with Slovan in 2004-05…
Named 2005 Slovenian League Newcomer of the Year… 2006
Slovenian League All-Star… 2008 Adriatic League All-Star.
Personal
Full name is Goran Dragic... Speaks fluent Slovenian, Serbian,
Spanish and English... Father, Marinko, and mother, Mojca, still
live in Slovenia, where brother Zoran plays professional basketball...
Nicknames include “Gogi,” which is short for Goran in Slovenia,
and “Dragon,” which his Suns teammates call him... As a kid, woke
up at 3 a.m. to watch NBA games and before being drafted by
Phoenix, watched Suns games and his basketball idol, Steve
Nash, shown at 4 a.m. in Slovenia… Lists Michael Jordan, Allen
Iverson and Nash as the players he admired growing up… Grew up
playing soccer in Ljubljana, Slovenia, but an injury forced him to switch sports at age 11… Parents gave him his
first basketball as a gift, which he lists as the best gift he has received... National team teammates include former
Net Bostjan Nachbar, Raptors center Rasho Nesterovic and Kings guard Beno Udrih… Has a 37.5-inch vertical
leap... Plays soccer in his free time and lists Real Madrid as his favorite club... Also plays tennis and calls Rafael
Nadal his favorite player... Favorite book and movie is “The Da Vinci Code”... Listens to R&B, rap and Serbian music.
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Players