Dragić first Slovenian to play in NBA All-Star Game
Miami, 2 February - Slovenia's star basketball player Goran Dragić has been picked to play in the 2018 NBA All-Star Game, becoming the first Slovenian to play in the prestigious exhibition game.
Ljubljana
Goran Dragič, the captain of the Slovenian national basketball team, speaks to the press after gold medal at EuroBasket.
Photo: Tamino Petelinšek/STA
Dragić is the eighth Miami Heat payer to be invited to the All-Star Game, the team said on Twitter.
The 31-year-old guard was not among the twenty players who received the most votes in a combination of fan, player, and media voting but was picked as a reserve by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver to replace injured Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love.
The 10-year veteran is averaging team highs of 17.0 points and 4.8 assists per game for Southeast Division-leading Miami.
A member of the 2013-14 All-NBA Third Team, Dragić was the 45th pick in the 2008 NBA Draft.
He was the captain of the Slovenian basketball team at the 2017 EuroBasket. Leading the team to victory, he was declared the most valuable player of the tournament.