Miami Heat guard Goran Dragic is looking forward to the possibility of being able to watch opposing teams' games live once the “bubble” season continues at Disney World in Orlando, Florida on July 30.
Now that the remaining 22 teams will share playing courts inside Disney's facilities, the 34-year-old Slovenian stud bared his plans to scout opponents before and after Heat games — akin to the atmosphere of AAU basketball (Amateur Athletic Union).
Goran Dragic said it is conceivable he will scout upcoming opponents in person, now that all teams are playing in the same place, "Especially if that team we play next is playing. Then, yeah, why not?"
— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) July 18, 2020
Most of the stars of today’s game are products of the AAU program, where the best amateur prospects around the world participate in one big tourney.
This is why players of this generation are now more chummy with one another, considering they used to play under one venue and often slept in the same hotels during their AAU days.
That all change once players joined big-time collegiate programs, and eventually the pros, where they were afforded more luxurious playing conditions.
Following the new health protocols brought upon by the pandemic, the NBA has adopted a new format for housing players inside a “bubble”, which certainly gives off some AAU vibes.
For instance, opposing teams who normally would have minimal contact with one another before games will have a chance to bump into each other more frequently inside the campus.
Goran Dragic, meanwhile, will certainly need a period of adjustment considering he didn't play AAU basketball in his early years. The 6-foot-2 combo guard played mostly in Europe before joining the NBA in 2008.
Dragic will look to continue his fine season prior to the hiatus where he notched 16.1 points on 43.7 percent shooting from the field and 37.7 percent from downtown, to go along with 3.1 rebounds and 5.1 assists in 54 games for the Heat.
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