Drafted: fortieth choose, 1989
NBA seasons: 1993-1997
Common season video games performed: 224
Common season win shares: 14.3
Radja was on his method to a superb NBA profession, to the purpose that he had averaged as-near-as-is 20 factors and 10 rebounds per sport in his third season. What retains his win share complete artificially small, although, is how brief his stint within the NBA was. He performed solely 4 injury-riddled seasons, and a mix of contracts, politics and uncertainties postponed his transfer to American shores till 1993.
The saga started as quickly as he was drafted. In what turned one of many extra convoluted NBA draft-and-stash conditions, the Celtics’ try to deliver Radja over became a correct mess. Contemporary off Eurobasket success in 1989, the 22-year-old was nabbed by Boston with the fortieth choose, however his membership Jugoplastika wasn’t having it. When Rađja tried forcing their hand by simply exhibiting up in Boston and signing for a reported $500,000, Jugoplastika went nuclear. They needed $6 million in damages and received their means when a Massachusetts decide basically informed Radja to get again to Break up.
The kicker got here in 1990, when in spite of everything events had supposedly agreed to let Radja be part of the Celtics, he signed with Virtus Roma as a substitute for a reported $15-18 million over 5 years, outdoing even Serie A soccer stars Diego Maradona and Roberto Baggio. The Celtics, burned as soon as already in court docket when Radja’s agent exploited a contract loophole, selected to maintain his rights however let him stroll to Italy.
Radja ultimately arrived in 1993, and did so able to play, averaging 15.1 points and 7.2 rebounds per sport as a rookie. But extra drama got here 4 years later, when he unceremoniously left the NBA amid accusations of damaged guarantees and absent knee cartilage. Contemplating his high quality as a participant in comparison with his lowly draft inventory, Radja can nonetheless be thought of successful of the draft-and-stash mannequin – however there might have been a lot extra.
