Domagoj Proleta spoke to Basketball Sphere about Cibona, his time spent in Real Madrid, friendship with Luka Doncic, the adjustment problems the Slovenian had in the Spanish capital, and his stints in the Czech Republic and Belgium.
The Croatian basketball player is currently wearing the jersey of Cibona this season, where he has the right to compete only in the ABA League while waiting for issues with the “Wolves” to be resolved so he can also play in the Croatian League. Cibona is performing above their realistic capabilities considering all the hardships they have faced. In the Croatian League, they are near the top of the table, while in the ABA League, they are practically one win away from avoid relegation.
“After a very good season in Brussels and some solid performances, Cibona’s sports director Dalibor Bagaric contacted me this summer. We met, and without much doubt or hesitation, I agreed to come to Cibona knowing that the club is in a difficult situation. I think this is the best environment for player development and my career.” – began Domgagoj Proleta in the conversation with Basketball Sphere.
Belgians follow and love basketball
Domagoj Proleta mentioned how he came from the BNXT League, and it’s interesting to hear how much they invest in their infrastructure compared to countries in the Balkan region, even though the narrative is that they are not a basketball country.
“They are now working on a project to merge Belgium and the Netherlands into one league. I would say there is a significant difference in quality between Belgian and Dutch clubs. Only three clubs from Netherlands can compete with Belgian clubs. The others are still a level below. The conditions are very good, Belgians follow and love basketball. The arenas are full, and the infrastructure is superb. Belgium is a special and very beautiful country where basketball may sometimes be underestimated.
They say that Belgium was even better in the past, and then they went through a decline. Now they are rising again with this project, but I don’t know how long it will last. I don’t know how Belgian clubs view this. What I’ve heard as some feedback from them is that they don’t even like it, but we’ll see how it turns out.”
It shocked all of us
The mature Dubrovnik native arrived at Cibona this summer and as such, he is not eligible to play for Cibona in the Croatian domestic championship due to issues with player registration until debts to some former players are resolved. Cibona plays the domestic league with five seniors and juniors, but still manages to stay at the top. Proleta explains how difficult it is to coordinate practice and prepare for games in such a situation.
“It’s very difficult because it wasn’t the original idea at all. It shocked all of us. When we arrived, we didn’t even know that was being prepared. I believe the club is working on continuing normally until the end of the season. It’s very difficult in terms of practice and getting into rhythm with the team. It definitely took us longer to gel as a team than other teams. While some are preparing for the Croatian League, we have practice with a fitness coach, and then we are constantly out of sync. So we don’t have as many joint practice sessions throughout the week and preparations for the game.”
Proleta struggles with not playing and watching his teammates struggle in the domestic championship.
“I’m really eager to play. Especially when I see that the guys need help in some moments, because what they’re doing is truly remarkable and commendable. I’m speechless about what they’re doing throughout the season in the Croatian League. It’s not easy… All those travels, and then there are five of them, but they have great chemistry. That’s what I would emphasize. They have a special bond. We are a team, the chemistry is very good, everything works great, but those five are even closer, I would say. They go through tough moments together, and that brings them closer.”
Both have special qualities, each in their own way
Cibona started the season with head coach Jaksa Vulic, who was practically hired at the last moment. The start of the season was a bit weak (starting with 0-5 in the ABA League) but they quickly raised their form and string a few big wins. Then out of nowhere, the news broke that Vulic was leaving Cibona’s helm despite very good results. As his successor, the young and promising Dino Repesa was hired. We were interested in the comparison of the two experts from a player’s perspective.
“Both have special qualities, each in their own way. What I would say is that both of them work very well. They are very detailed, and individual work is emphasized a lot. As challenging as it was in these tough situations, practice schedules alongside games, everything was very good. Both of them work well, we had ups and downs as a team with both coach Vulic and coach Repesa, but I really have positive reactions from both.”
The problem is that we in Croatia don’t appreciate those countries
Proleta and Repesa had previously collaborated in the Czech Republic League. The club was USK Praha, the 2019/2020 season, and things were going great until the coronavirus pandemic appeared.
“The attendance at the games is very good. The problem is that we in Croatia don’t appreciate those countries. There, foreigners are very well paid, and many of their clubs play in European competitions like the FIBA Champions League and FIBA Europa Cup. That’s a serious league.
They had a great generation in the national team led by Tomas Satoransky and Jan Vesely. That’s all production from the Czech League. I had the opportunity to play for USK Praha where the biggest talents from the entire country come to their main academy. That’s where Satoransky, Balvin, and half of their national team originated. They have that culture, and I have a successful past with them. In our first year, we reached the Cup final after 19 years, and in the second year, unfortunately, the coronavirus pandemic came and interrupted us at the best moment,” he says proudly of those days.
It’s like in the United States
Proleta was considered a great hope of Croatian basketball, and when you have such a reputation, it doesn’t take long for a giant like Real Madrid to notice you. At just 14 years old, he embarked on a journey to Spain not knowing what awaited him. The adaptation process, however, went smoother than expected, considering the group of young Balkan players who welcomed him there – Luka Doncic, and the season after, Mario Nakic, Dino Radoncic and Boris Tisma.
“That’s growing up, it’s another world. There, they have the best conditions in Europe. I guarantee that no club in Europe has even remotely similar conditions. It’s like in the United States. Regarding schools, Barcelona has very similar conditions, but it’s not as high-quality as in Madrid.
It’s a military regime – in the morning, there’s practice from 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM, you’re in school from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, and then you have three hours of evening practice. That’s how it is every day, and on weekends, you play games, for your age group or older.
I went there at 14, and you don’t feel it. It’s just a game for you, but then when the reality hits you, you see how hard it actually is because you’re without parents and anyone else. Everything is new, new language, new culture, but there are certainly advantages and disadvantages to it all. I believe there are many more advantages, you learn a new style of basketball, you make new acquaintances…”
The welcome from Nikola Mirotic
The season before, another Dubrovnik native made a big transfer from Real Madrid to Barcelona. That was Ante Tomic. However, Proleta emphasizes another player who was a support to all young players from the former Yugoslavia.
“When I arrived, Ante Tomic was already in Barcelona, and while I was on trial, he had already left Madrid. Nevertheless, there was always some connected story, but I never had the chance to see Tomic. Still, I enjoyed watching his game, his moves, and I liked his game reading. Solely, he didn’t have a big influence on me at that time when I came to Real.
We were warmly welcomed by Nikola Mirotic, who came to me and my dad, who was with me during that short period. The warmest welcome from Balkans was from his side. My first year, it was Luka Doncic, Lazar Mutic and me. Then Mario Nakic, Dino Radoncic and Boris Tisma came,” he recalls the best period of his childhood.
Our generation is one of the most successful in Real Madrid’s history
A peak moment for his generation occurred in 2015. The Real Madrid team led by Luka Doncic faced Crvena Zvezda in the final of the junior EuroLeague, where Proleta’s current teammate Aleksandar Aranitovic was the biggest star. The popular ‘Sani’ was the standout of the game, overshadowing even Doncic. He scored 26 points, six rebounds, and five assists compared to Luka’s 14 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists. However, Aranitovic missed a three-pointer for overtime, and Real Madrid claimed the title.
“So, that experience means a lot. Primarily in those tournaments where the most talented young players from Europe come. You compete with the best players, and that’s how you see where your weaknesses are, what you need to work on. Many people who are at high levels watch, advise, and tell you where you’re going wrong, so that’s really one of the best projects.
Half of the team made a big leap. Our generation is one of the most successful in Real Madrid’s history. Whatever tournament we played, we won it, so it wasn’t a surprise. Aranitovic and I were together at an NBA camp in Gran Canaria, and we’ve known each other since then. We talked when he signed for Cibona last year.”
Luka Doncic “broke the ice” for all the kids from the Balkans when it comes to joining Real Madrid
What remained after all those competitions and titles is a great friendship between Proleta and Luka Doncic, which they still nurture to this day, maintaining a ‘brotherly’ relationship. Proleta emphasizes that from the very beginning, it was clear that Luka would reach the greatest heights in his career.
“Luka Doncic has always been special. Even from his time in the cadets, he played very similarly to how he does today, with the same moves, and it’s easy to play with him. He sets you up, you just have to get into position, and you don’t have to think about anything else. So, I grew up with him, and we went through all the crisis years together.”
Doncic came to Real Madrid a year before Proleta and the rest of the Balkan team, and he had quite a few big adjustment problems.
“He came a year earlier at the age of 13. I know it was especially hard for him because at that time, there wasn’t nobody from the Balkans. His English wasn’t perfect at that time. He told me it was like ‘communicating with hands and feet.’ Luka Doncic ‘broke the ice’ for all the kids from the Balkans when it comes to joining Real Madrid, even though Mirotic was there before him.”
A double-edged sword
When you go to a team of that magnitude at such a young age, it can easily become a double-edged sword. On one hand, you have all the conditions for further development, but you quickly fall into the ‘ease of winning’ and domination. When it comes time to take the next step in your career, a young person simply struggles to adjust to the potential ‘step down’ in their career, and suddenly the situation becomes quite different.
“It’s a double-edged sword when you play for such a big club in the younger categories, so you’re used to winning. I’m lucky to have an older brother who played basketball at a professional level, so I always knew and understood the reality of that world and professionalism. The shock wasn’t big for me, but many players get lost there.”
A natural talent born once in 100 years
From a very young age, Doncic displayed an elite winning mentality, a championship DNA that is precisely nurtured by the culture of Real Madrid. Proleta tells us how he had something ‘Jordanesque’ in him.
“Everyone in his circle knew, and it was just a matter of time before Doncic went to the NBA. Our close circle, those of us who grew up together, weren’t surprised by his development, just like his first year in the NBA, from dominating the league until today.
So when it comes to Doncic, that’s a special quality, and that natural talent is born once in 100 years. He absolutely doesn’t view basketball through the lens of a job. It has always been just a game, love, and recreation for him. He hates losing in any way. We would compete during school breaks, but if he lost, he wouldn’t talk to you. Like Jordan and Bryant. No chance, no talk. We wouldn’t speak for four or five days. We were together in the room. We wouldn’t say a word if there was any tension, but it strengthened our bond.”
Sergio Rodriguez would often come to our games
During the moments when the Balkan boys were serving their junior apprenticeships, Real Madrid had one of the most dominant teams in the EuroLeague. Consistently, seasoned Spanish representatives who were true champions even in the national team. These included Sergio Llull, Rudy Fernandez, Sergio ‘Chacho’ Rodriguez, and Felipe Reyes. Sergio Llull and ‘Chacho’ Rodriguez especially left a mark on him.
“Sergio Llull is such a special person. We’re changing in the locker room, and he comes to change with us, jokes around, he’s a legend. Their advice was especially helpful. ‘Chacho’ Rodriguez would often come to our games, and sometimes he’d stop you at halftime to tell you what to work on. Felipe Reyes is a true example of a captain. From a young age, they teach you about leadership, and that’s why Real is a special environment.”
I had the opportunity to hang out with Luka Modric and Mateo Kovacic
Proleta emphasizes how footballers and basketball players at the Real Madrid campus often spend time together, and he had the opportunity to meet Croatian football legends Luka Modric and Mateo Kovacic.
“I had the opportunity to hang out with Luka Modric and Mateo Kovacic at that time when they were at Real, and those were priceless moments.”
Return home
In the earliest stages of his senior career, Proleta joined BC Zagreb under the coaching of Danijel Jusup, a professional who today achieves phenomenal results with Zadar.
“It was a very brief collaboration. I came to Zagreb at his invitation and signed a three-year contract. Everything seemed promising for the future. I saw it as a good environment for my development at 18, to come and play in the Croatian League, which was strong at the time. I returned home, everything seemed fine, coach Jusup was there, and I knew he had developed many players and given opportunities to young talents. Unfortunately, he left before the first game. He completed the preparations with us and then left.”
The club, which had been at the forefront of Croatian basketball for years and had players such as Krunoslav Simon, Ante Tomic, Luka Zoric, Mario Hezonja, Dario Saric, Mike James, Mario Kasun, Damir Mulaomerovic, Josip Sesar, quickly declined to the brink of collapse and eventually folded.
“That was Zagreb’s last year. A very young team, and we young players didn’t even feel the bad situation so much. Basketball was our top priority, we weren’t even aware of those problems. We weren’t interested in the economic situation. At that time, the oldest player was Ante Krapic, who now plays for Bosco. He was the link that kept us grounded, providing quality. He taught us young players a lot and was a great mentor, so I was fortunate to have very good veterans at that time.”
Mike James's first club in Europe was KK Zagreb, but he stayed there for only 6 games.
— Basketball Sphere (@BSphere_) February 6, 2024
A year earlier, KK Zagreb played in the EuroLeague with Krunoslav Simon, Mario Hezonja, Dario Saric, and Mario Kasun. 😲
Imagine if this team had stayed together🔥@TheNatural_05 #james pic.twitter.com/xSJ8CfBJ5n
The most beautiful away games this season
Being from Dubrovnik himself, and with BC Dubrovnik recently entering the elite ranks of Croatian basketball, we were interested in Proleta’s perspective on the rise of his hometown club.
“I think their biggest success is keeping the same team for many years. Players like Filip Vujicic, Petar Dubelj and Ivan Vodopija have been there for a while, forming the core of the team. Head coach Ivan Perincic is doing a very good job, and the club seems stable from what I know. Absolutely organized when it comes to payments.
People there are eager for basketball, and when the club was in the Second League, they didn’t have many fans, but now that they’re doing well, attendance is very high. Unfortunately, I wasn’t there when Cibona visited, but my teammates told me it was one of the nicest away games this season in terms of domestic league games. There were more than a thousand people. I was really sorry when they told me we wouldn’t play in the domestic league, and the first thing that came to my mind was that I wouldn’t play in Dubrovnik. It really bothered me,” Proleta expressed with some sadness.
The “Royal family” shapes you
We’ve mentioned one fellow citizen, Domagoj Proleta, who has made an exceptional career, so it’s time to talk about Mario Hezonja.
“My brother Marko knows him better because they played together in Dubrovnik and the Croatian national team. He was in Barcelona, and we happened to meet at a tournament in Hospitalet when I was playing for Real. He came to watch, so we talked a bit. He’s a special guy.
We can see how he has changed. I would say that the ‘Royal family’ shapes you. As far as I know, he struggled a lot in Orlando, as he mentioned in an interview. He revived himself at Real. That’s the power of Real Madrid. Their famous DNA. A winning mentality where they never give up.”
Real Madrid is dominantly marching through the regular part of the EuroLeague this season, giving the impression that they could stroll to the title this year. However, sports are not that straightforward, and we all know that things don’t always work out as expected.
“In other environments, there have been seasons where CSKA Moscow would dominate the regular season, then come to the Final Four and not win. I think Real Madrid is still something special. I’m not saying this from the perspective of having been there. They have been showing it for years, both in football and basketball. For example, they could be trailing by 15 points at the start of the fourth quarter, and they turn it around. Simply put, it’s a winning mentality,” concluded this conversation with Basketball Sphere Domagoj Proleta.
