Drafted: fortieth decide, 1989
NBA seasons: 1993-1997
Common season video games performed: 224
Common season win shares: 14.3
Radja was on his option to a superb NBA profession, to the purpose that he had averaged as-near-as-is 20 factors and 10 rebounds per recreation in his third season. What retains his win share complete artificially small, although, is how quick 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 grew to become one of many extra convoluted NBA draft-and-stash conditions, the Celtics’ try and deliver Radja over became a correct mess. Recent off Eurobasket success in 1989, the 22-year-old was nabbed by Boston with the fortieth decide, 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 bought their method when a Massachusetts decide primarily instructed Radja to get again to Break up.
The kicker got here in 1990, when in any case events had supposedly agreed to let Radja be a 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 factors and seven.2 rebounds per recreation 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-about successful of the draft-and-stash mannequin – however there may have been a lot extra.
