Dragan Milosavljevic, the captain of Igokea, spoke with Basketball Sphere about his career and the upcoming season.
Dragan Milosavljevic is one of the basketball players who was always being seen as a role model. From training sessions, through games, to his behavior off the court. The nickname “Captain” truly encapsulates his essence, no matter where he plays. He’s earned the same title at Igokea, where he will lead this team through all the challenges in the upcoming season.
Did you know about the game that kept him awake for several nights? How heartbroken he was by the injury that made him watch, with tears in his eyes, as the Serbian national team’s bus left for the FIBA World Cup back in 2019? On multiple occasions, he’s been both the tragic figure and the hero. He revealed to us one of the most cherished baskets of his career.
Partizan was an inevitable topic of conversation, and everything Dragan Milosavljevic experienced in Fuenlabrada will reveal the significance of the EuroLeague title from 1992. Dusko Vujosevic is someone the “Captain” deeply respects, so we also dedicated time to him and one of the most talented generations in the recent history of the black and whites.
Why he chose Igokea?
“I spoke with general manager Vuk Radivojevic when I was at Mega at the time. He outlined the current state of the club, the direction they wanted to head in, and that they were building a serious story. Everything we discussed seemed perfect to me. The last season didn’t go as well as hoped because we had roster issues and injuries. However, by the end, we managed to string together a few wins and almost entered the ABA League play-offs.
Now, we’re slowly assembling the team for this season. I believe we have a formidable team, a full roster, and three or four quality players in each position. We are entering with high ambitions because I genuinely feel this is an excellent team. I’m hopeful for a successful season. We’ll compete on two fronts, the ABA league and the FIBA Champions League. It won’t be easy, but we started with good preparation from the beginning. A few players had injury issues, but now we’re all gathered and ready for whatever comes our way.”
Vladimir Jovanovic as the head coach:
“Vladimir Jovanovic is above all a fantastic person and coach. As a young professional, he possesses the needed energy, and we all align with his demands. He’s a great guy off the court, which also means a lot to us. I believe the club is growing day by day. Definitely, one of our goals is to be in the ABA League play-offs. On the European scene, our aim is to advance as far as possible. We have immense motivation and desire to show in the FIBA Champions League that we can compete with everyone.”
Laktasi as a nice memory
With one of the most talented generations in its recent history and led from the bench by coach Dusko Vujosevic, Partizan won the ABA League in season 2012/2013. Final Four was held in “Laktasi hall” where Igokea plays their home games. Alongside Milosavljevic, that team included Bogdan Bogdanovic, Vladimir Lucic, Leo Westermann, Davis Bertans, Dejan Musli, Nikola Milutinov and Joffrey Lauvergne.
Interestingly, Nemanja Gordic, who returned to the Igokea team after a decade of “absence”, was also part of that team. Now, he and Milosavljevic will be playing together.
“That season is my favorite in my career. We were all young, and we had chemistry both on and off the court. It remains a fond memory for me. Even now, I remember how much winning the ABA League trophy meant to us and how it turned the season around. After that, we all gained a lot of confidence and entered the EuroLeague. Later, we also won the Basketball League of Serbia, so when you look at everything combined, that is undoubtedly my favorite season in my career.” – Dragan Milosavljevic recalled.
“Dusko Vujosevic is a man dedicated to basketball 24 hours every day!”
Dragan Milosavljevic has never hid how important for his career was coach Vujosevic. By now, his unique training methods are widely known. People recall Bertans’ shooting practices with gloves on his hands, especially before the famous derby against Crvena Zvezda, where he scored a three-pointer, essentially sealing the win in the final moments of the game.
Igor Rakocevic attempted to tie the score, but it was Milosavljevic who blocked his shot, resulting in Partizan winning for the second time in the series. They eventually lifted the trophy designated for the Serbian champion. The Latvian sharpshooter collapsed during the last practice before that game and failed to consecutively score 10 three-point shots. However, just a day later, everything paid off as he led his team to victory, making the crucial shot when it mattered most.
Everyone remembers Bogdan Bogdanovic’s training sessions where he would stay behind after every practice to work on his shot. He was assisted by the then assistant coach, Petar Bozic, using a broom over which the Serbian guard practiced shooting.
“Dusko Vujosevic has some unique training methods, but he’s a man dedicated to basketball 24 hours a day. Practices with him were intense, almost like hard labor. When he put in so much effort for us, it felt wrong not to reciprocate and give 100% on the court. He also significantly helped us in other aspects; he genuinely cared about us growing into good people. Off the court, he made sure we behaved like true professionals and set an example. He was that kind of guy – both a psychologist and a coach.
For me, he was there even after my time in Partizan. Whenever I had a problem, I knew I could rely on him, whether it was related to basketball or not. He got us to the point where we were ready to give it all for him on the court and repay his trust. Thanks to his guidance, we all moved to reputable clubs afterward, maturing both as players and as individuals.
He has developed many players, and I believe they all appreciate what he’s done for them. To me, when you consider understanding basketball down to its minutiae, Dusko Vujosevic is our best coach. He has his flaws and sometimes dives into other matters, but purely from a basketball perspective, he truly is a great mind” – explained Dragan Milosavljevic.
Punishments that bore fruit
Bogdan Bogdanovic wasn’t always solely dedicated to basketball. Coach Vujosevic recently commented on this:
“He wasn’t always living the way an athlete should live between practices throughout his life. However, at every stage of his life, he was always ready to work brutally hard. Brutally, even more than others, pushing himself to the maximum.
He always had the morale to work beyond his pain threshold. His goals and ambitions were always elite, but they were always accompanied by a great will to work. So, they weren’t delusional. I’m glad to see he’s achieved such a level of maturity on the court.”
The steep stairs of the famous “Pionir Hall” as punishment
Many anecdotes marked that period, and Dragan Milosavljevic confirmed the story where Bogdanovic was often the one running up the steep stairs of the “Aleksandar Nikolic” hall:
“Anyone who wasn’t ready to fulfill their tasks or had some idea outside of the team was punished in that and many other ways. Bogdan was the youngest player at the time. Vujosevic recognized his potential and knew how to guide him.
We all still stay in touch with Vujosevic. Whenever I can, I have a coffee with him. I’m always pleased to see and hear from him. Besides all that, he’s a very humorous guy, so he always knew how to maintain the right atmosphere in the team.”
Ever-present Injuries
Dragan Milosavljevic has had a notable career, but there’s a bitter aftertaste given that persistent injuries significantly impacted his progress. These injuries led him to miss the FIBA World Cup on two occasions. However, he found solace by winning the silver medal at the Eurobasket in 2017.
“I’ve never been lucky enough to play in the World Cup. There was always an injury standing in the way, but the most severe one prevented me from heading to China. We were preparing for it, I had a significant role on the team, and then that injury happened, keeping me off the court for 19 months. It was truly hard, but I hold onto the beautiful memories and the medal. There’s nothing more fulfilling than playing for your country. We had unity, playing with a lot of emotions.”
“Goodbye crazy guys, good luck…”
Just before heading to China for the penultimate World Cup, Dragan Milosavljevic came to bid farewell to his teammates. It was quite an emotional moment, and given everything he shared, such a reaction isn’t surprising. This gesture further solidified the opinion of the basketball community about him, both as a teammate, a friend, and a fan.
Gagi: "Ćao ludaci, srećno!" #SCKina2019 pic.twitter.com/lJCTSHP3yZ
— Sportska Centrala (@scentrala) August 20, 2019
Silver from Manila
The Serbian national team brought home another silver medal, this time securing a place in the final of the FIBA World Cup, where they were defeated by Germany. The Igokea captain followed the events of the Mundobasket and shared his impressions of everything he saw, including some unplanned and unfortunate circumstances that befell Borisa Simanic.
“I followed everything closely. We played a modern basketball. Few expected such success after so many withdrawals. The guys were truly magnificent throughout the championship. There’s regret over not clinching the gold medal, but they certainly deserve all the praise, a great pride! Of course, the mishap that befell Borisa made us all sad and feel terrible. He’s an excellent basketball player and a great guy, but we hope everything will be alright and that he’ll be back playing soon.”
The Aleksa Avramovic factor
Based on what he demonstrates on the court, one could draw a parallel suggesting that Aleksa Avramovic and Milosavljevic play similar roles. It’s no secret that they have always contributed with immense energy in defense, and they are no strangers to racking up points against their opponents from time to time.
“Until the age of 26-27, he hadn’t played at this level. After his first season with Partizan, he made a significant leap and earned all of this. He has shown that he can offer a lot and that he has potential. He can play outstanding defense, and when everyone else goes silent in offense, he can creatively score points with his unique flair. For Partizan, it’s crucial that he’s coming full of confidence and has matured as a player.”
The two of them spent a brief period together wearing the Unicaja jersey, but Avramovic left on loan after just a few months. We were curious about how he approached the game back then and whether one could anticipate his maximum potential:
“He always had immense motivation. Whether he played well or not, he always invested a huge amount of effort. He just didn’t find his footing at that moment; there were many players from Spain who had an advantage over him. I’m glad that after all those challenges, he found his path and never gave up. Our time together was short-lived, but he managed to reach the highest level. I hope he will play for Partizan like he did in the World Cup and that this ‘Aleksamania’ he ignited will continue.”
“I never particularly tried to become a captain…”
Dragan Milosavljevic has, over time, taken on the role of captain in almost every club where he played. This was the case in Partizan, he also earned the captain’s band in Alba Berlin, and as we’ve already mentioned, he will be the captain of Igokea in the upcoming season. Had a severe knee injury not kept him off the court for 19 months while playing for Unicaja Malaga, there’s no doubt he would have assumed such a role there as well.
“I never really made an effort to become a captain. Whether it’s innate, I don’t know. In Partizan, in Alba, and now here, I’m glad it turned out this way. It’s a great honor. As they say, wearing the captain’s band has its weight; you have to look at things differently. I must say, I really never aimed for it. Every time it came spontaneously. It’s just something people notice.”
Fuenlabrada Episode
After that extended break, Dragan Milosavljevic was looking for the right environment to return to his well-known form. That’s when Fuenlabrada appeared as the perfect opportunity, and upon hearing his side of the story, we were somewhat surprised by how closely Partizan is followed in the suburbs of Madrid.
The fact is that the black-and-white team began their EuroLeague campaign in 1992 right there in Fuenlabrada, but it’s astounding that the fans’ love for the club persists to this day. Moreover, not a day goes by without reminiscing about the legendary generation that conquered Europe.
“That really means a lot to them. They view the EuroLeague as if Partizan was their team. Especially since Fuenlabrada holds a significant place in that feat, being part of it. Everyone there literally knows about Partizan and talks about it. People have essentially adopted it as if their own club achieved such a feat. They still celebrate it today, and while I was there, we commemorated the anniversary of winning the EuroLeague within the club.
I’m glad I was part of that story in both clubs. In honor of Partizan, we even wore special jerseys for one game with the names of both clubs. I played there for six months, and not a day passed without someone talking to me about it. People always recognized me, asking for photos together. I was approached daily, with conversations about the black-and-whites. As I said, they follow Partizan as if they were in Serbia.”
Intereseting questions
It’s clear that every professional athlete has games that “haunt” them years later, as well as those game-winning shots with special significance. This is also the case with “Captain.”
Before returning to the EuroLeague, Partizan had a hiatus of a full eight years, not being part of the most elite European competition. In the years when they were a part of this elite, they played a decisive game for advancement into the Top 16, and Bamberg eventually took the victory. It was Dragan Milosavljevic who missed free throws at that time, which determined the outcome in favor of the opponent.
“Definitely that game when I missed the free throws, preventing us from advancing to the Top 16. We immediately traveled to Hungary, played a crucial game, and I couldn’t sleep for two nights after that. You have to switch your mindset, as the next game is right around the corner. There’s a lot of emotion and adrenaline, and you have to approach it professionally, playing the next game as if nothing happened. There were games where I missed in decisive moments and also ones that I sealed the victory. So, it all comes with what we do. You simply mustn’t give up.”
Likewise, there were games decided by him, and he revealed to us his favorite basket in his career:
“In Alba, when we played the Cup final against Bayern in Munich. I scored a basket a few seconds before the end, securing the title. It’s one of the games I clinched. It definitely remains in my memory as one of the most important victories in my career.”
“You can’t see that anywhere else in Europe…”
At the end of the conversation, Dragan Milosavljevic summarized Partizan since Zeljko Obradovic took the helm:
“Zeljko Obradovic is a colossal figure who brings along all those qualities, whether it’s finances, fans, players or the EuroLeague. The first season was a period of adaptation and realization, and things didn’t go as expected. However, in just the second year, Partizan was a step away from the Final Four. They practically missed out on this climax due to some oversights, but after ten years, they won the ABA League.
Now the club looks the way it should, deserving its reputation. They are heading in the right direction, and I hope we’ll see a good performance from Partizan this season. They played amazing basketball, different from others, supported by 20,000 fans in the Arena. You can’t witness that anywhere else in Europe.”