The Biggest Gangster In NBA History…
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- čas přidán 20. 01. 2024
- Nikola Pekovic spent 7 years in the NBA with the Minnesota Timberwolves and during that time terrified both his opponents & teammates. But before Pek became known as ‘The Godfather’, he had a successful career in Europe with Partizan Belgrade and Panathinaikos Athens.
In this video, we look at Montenegrin center’s career, post-basketball life featuring ties to Serbian drug lords & answer why he’s regarded as one of the biggest gangsters in NBA history.
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Marvin Bad News Barnes
Imagine making it all the way to the NBA just to become a criminal. He had a foolish mentality.
He isn't a criminal, he is just best friends with one of the biggest drug king pins the world has ever known... And yeah, he laundered some money, invested 100s of millions in construction etc.. cool guy 😂@@Byrdinero-bf1sy
Guy on 7:40 with chains and tattoos is Darko Milicic brother in law. He was killed 6, 7 years ago.
You should inform a little better buddy. Your source is not that good 😂
I remember Pekovic on Panathinaikos. Such a beast.
They were given a finished product.
A finished product made by one and only Duško Vujošević.
@@Mr.Feanor He started playing basketball when he was 17.
He had 2 years in Atlas before going to Partizan.
He was extremely rough around the edges when Duško Vujošević started working with him. A regular lumberjack.
He wasn't a done product by any means.
Before coming to Partizan Peković didn't get to play a single game in a serious competition, against a serious competition.
Atlas "discovered" him, gave him a chance, but without Partizan he would end up working as a bouncer at one of the Belgrade raft clubs, and definitely not in PAO and the NBA.
Dule Vujošević was a specific type of coach.
It didn't matter how old you were. You could play Euroleague at 16 or 17 years old if you're good enough.
Undermining influence he had in hundreds of young players he coached is seriously disrespectful.
@@Mr.Feanor Sure sure. In fact, he'd go directly to the NBA if he skipped playing for Partizan.
Working with Vujošević actually slowed him down, if anything.
He was a LUMBERJACK when he came to Partizan, and that's the only truth.
He was a force of nature for sure, but he was extremely raw both technically and tactically.
Peković was so bad(outside his physical prowess) that Kosta Perović played as a starting center until Dule knocked some basketball sense into him.
And it's not ME who said that Peković started playing at 17 years old. He said it himself.
I'm sure you were blown away by his size and talent, but that was all low level basketball.
Partizan was competing for regional trophies, played in the Euroleague.
There's only so much a small club like Atlas can offer to a player in such a weak competition.
Partizan at that time had the highest goals possible, while giving young players a fair chance.
Dule had a way of working with tall guys.
He let Milutinov play Euroleague before his 18th birthday.
He shaped Perović, Krstić, Varda.
He made Slavko Vraneš look effective, which is a feat no one managed to replicate before or after.
Marić became an MVP type player in Partizan, and no one heard of him before that. He scored 2 points on average.
Joffrey Lauvergne showed an incredible progress after working with Vujošević, and he became one of the cub legends.
Valencia just gave him up because he was no good.
Veseli got fired as an untalented garbage before Dule picked him up, changed his position and made a proper basketball player out of him.
So yeah, just because someone played basketball somewhere before Dule Vujošević, doesn't mean that they would make a career without him.
You SAY that's the case, but I'm willing to wager everything Vujošević did throughout his career against your word any day of the week.
@@Mr.Feanor I'm sorry, Dimitris Diamantidis. I didn't recognize you. 🤡
PARTIZAN BEOGRAD SRBIJA PA PANATANAIKOS
the nikola that the nba doesnt want you to remember 💀
😄
Nikola reminds me of Nico Belic from GTA😂
😂😂💯
Yeah, but the Kratos version of Niko Belic
Nico Belic from GTA is made on a real life character (not Nikola ), a Serb who went to America, joined some gang and took it over after some time. My wife knows more about it but she sleeps, can't ask her. Maybe I'll come later to tell you more and give you some links if she still can find them
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bo%C5%A1ko_Radonji%C4%87
There is the part "In popular culture
In the 1998 made-for-TV movie Witness to the Mob, a depiction of the life of Sammy the Bull, Radonjić is played by Stephen Payne.
Niko Bellic, the main character of Grand Theft Auto IV, may have been inspired by Radonjić due to both being Yugoslav criminals, with ties to Italian and Irish organized crime."
@@Beardman021 And Pekovic isnt a Serb? Dude learn history and geography
Guy's best man is actually a brother of one of the biggest drug kingpins on the Balkans.
I'm an Olympiacos fan and i watch Basketball around 20 years, Pekovic is the only player i really have envied that our rivals Panathinaikos had him.
Etsi mori poutana twra me lessort
Gaylimpiacos
Panathigaykos!@@osmanoman
Peković would go back to 1389 to fight the Ottomans.
Ne prdi
Više deluje da bi se dogovorio s Turcima.
KAO ŠTO BI SVAKI PRAVI SRBIN, PRED BOGOM!!!
@@tebra643 Svaki osim Montenigrina 😂
@@milangrujicic4679ono bi za Milov Majbah izginuli 😂
First, i will say that many player who played against him, said he was one of toughest players to play against, he was just insanely strong, even jokic himself said he was his idol.
Second on his ties to mafia, in most european countries famous people and especially sportsmen become associated with mafia people, mafia loves their heroes and they treat them very nice, also pekovic probably knew some mafia guys from his childhood, he grew up in 90s, and 90s was crazy time, especially in former yugoslavia countries. He probably had ties, connections and partied with them, befriended some, that dont mean he himself was criminal.
Lol he is a criminal
@@televizorsamsung8517 was he sentenced by court for anything?
"In most *southern* European countries famous people become associated with mafia people.
Allthough in the Netherlands some top footballplayers are doing the same. Quincy promes, Ziyech etc. Allthough in all honesty these really are the dumbewt guys out there.
@@gerardvermaat6944Mocromaffia
Not just that he was strong, he had excellent post moves and very soft skyhook, also he knew how to move off ball to get into position.
As a rival fan I celebrated when he stopped playing for Partizan. Only for him, Milojevic, Bogdanovic was I glad they went abroad.
Milojevic who? The guy who died recently?
@@Lymbe06 Yeah, "Serbian Chuck" was a monster.
@@lukababic5623 I believe it. However the one guy that scared the shit out of us (my team is Panathinaikos) was Marianovic. I never saw anything like it, he was straight out of the Soviet Union years when they had 200 million people to choose from and they found giants. He made Mike Batiste (a beast on his own) look like a little kid. I was so glad he went in the NBA and thought he would dominate but he became something like a mascot there. Weird.
@@Lymbe06 Hold up! You were afraid of the Gargoyle? smdh xD
@@Lymbe06 Yes. Dejan was a gipsy nightmare on basketball court.
Met him in the club in Serbia while he was still playing for Partizan. Very nice and approachable guy. At least he was at that time..
He changed quickly.hes Montenegrin drug dealer
Lmao I remember seeing Nikola Pekovic in Belgrade with my group of friends and we were all hyped to see him and he just straight ignored us all and looked away. We all started laughing because it was in good spirit and he was smiling, it's such a fun memory
Im a wolves fan and i loved Pek. He put in serious work until injuries derailed him.
During those dark years of Timberwolves, Pek, Love, and Rubio were a tiny glimmer of light...
He is the biggest mobster NBA has ever seen, nobody comes close!
He's like MacGregor. He's using his money to launder dirty money for the mob.
He is not a mobster, grow up
@@KajzerSoze yea he is. After he retired, he link up with Darko Saric one of the bigest Europe cocaine drug lords. He is from same small city as Pekovic. He was stupid enough to be used for launering money through him in construction.
@@KajzerSoze u stupid
Imagine a healthy Pekovic and Jokic on the same team. Unstoppable brute force! 💯💪
Add Doncic Bogdanovic Jovic Zubac Nrkic ,Bogdanovic Pokasevski Saric Teodosic and a few young players from the homeland and have an All Star game Yugoslavia vs the World , Yugoslavs vs NBA , or Yugoslavs vs Euroleague ! It would be the least FIBA could do to Honor Lil Yugoslavian Basketball for it's historic contribution to the sport !
Pekovic is the member of mafia but you cannot hate this guy... he has a big heart and I am proud of him
Nisam nikada pročitao više kontradiktornosti u jednoj rečenici. Pošto ti verovatno nije poznato začenje opšte poznate reči kontradiktornost, potraži je u rečniku. Mafia members are known as people with big hearts.😂 Jeste legenda mog Partizana, ali...
Ne prdi častiti ,koje je to mafije Pekovic član
@@vukcevicmarko6542crnogorske sa smeštajem u Beogradu .već poznato
@@vukcevicmarko6542 Ти изгледа живиш под каменом.
you have story when he is in partizan, he used to pay his sister 500 euros to read books for him then paraphrase and then he impress coaches by his knowledge because they used to be book readers
2:09 , bro didnt even dare to turn around xD
Even Giorgi Deng doesn't mind being wiped in his back by Pekovic.
Balkan guys one upping Americans on and off the court in everything xD
Bit of a stretch
we are one upping you both on the court and in the court :D
@@mihajlovucinic011 Рече он, и купи бурек на грами... мочам ти низ 011 кичмицу.
Balkan basic info/ strength, meat, friendly but deadly :)
One of my favorite players who played in Partizan.
Panathinaikos fan here-Nikola was a big talent,never a bully,helped our team alot to gain 5 Euroleague back in 2009,was doing great in NBA before injuries cut him short.
There is no proof of him being a drug dealer or whatever.
Nikola Pekovic is Serbian guy who lives in Serbia now... Montenegrin people are 70% Serbians ..
Немој да лупаш. свега ти.
07:40 the guy with golden chains around his neck is convicted murderer from Serbia who also has been killed couple of years ago. That guy was brother of wife of ex NBA player from Serbia Darko Milicic (also big crazy guy). All of them were strong and crazy and conected to gangsters and hooligans from Serbia and Balkan. I will never forget one party I witnessed, we were in a restorant were some Serbian nationalist singer was singing and they came...Around 30-40 guys, most of them footbal hooligans, gangsters and them. They were good with bouncers and intervention police. That was scary view, all of them at one place, hanging, drinking and laughing all together. One word...Balkan 🙂
Serbian nationalist singer, suppose it's little Knin's ninja
@@WesleyDTO hahahahhaa yes, you are right 😁
Him and Ricky were so fun to watch in Minnesota
Morant and other kids is cute when they act like gangsters. Pekovic was a real one.
Being a real "Gangster" isnt necessary an accomplishment nor Cool.
Tim Duncan nor Kawhi Leonard are gangsters because they've reached a level in life where its unnecessary and would be a backwards & down Grade move.
Idolizing Gangsters is a childs endeavor.
@@Peakfreud Being a gangster is extremely cool. Don't bring your girlfriend around gangsters she will get attracted to them.
@@universalconquest4447 Lol, True man.
I know some gangsters that aint touched a wmn in 25yrs and wont for the rest of their lives.
So meh for every one the steal, they'll spend 5yrs showering with Dudes.
Blazers fan here, and I have always remembered Nikola well. Even referenced him somewhat recently. Dude's got that cliche 1920s bodybuilder/male pinup body. Shaped like a conical top with legs haha
Remember been next table in club with him.I got 3 girls that night and he was looking at me like good job buddy.That was at peak of his NBA carrer
He is a Serb from Montenegro, that's why his enormous strength is not surprising when he has Serbian genes
hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
😂😂😂
😂😂😂xxaxaxaxaxaxa
Јебали те гени. Људи га овде описују као гангстера и ти си одлучио да га својаташ.
Our Pekovic its a Beast..Former Partizan President 🫡
hope youd do more bio of NBA players from Europe👍👍👍
4:30 saying.... what's yourr favourite holiday meal... "Meat".... is crazy.... Big PAUSE 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Best center PAO had in the last 20 years.
Don't forget another Serbian center, Rebraca.
Yes,Dino Radja who played in 1997-99 was probably the best we had.
@@aleksthegreat4130 Nope. Rebraca in his prime 1998-2002 was better.
@@zorannedeljkovic4357 No,i think Dino was click a better player,Zeliko was great as well.
@@aleksthegreat4130 Well, with Rebraca PAO won Euroleague. Radja didn't achieve that. Both are great though.
I'm Loving this
Hes the only player who spend all his time with famous Serbian mobsters.
Yeah, when they are gangsters they are Serbs, when they are everything else they are Montengrins. National identity is so fluid sometimes..
@@Peccony94 Montenegro = Srbija
Po Njegošu.
@@kiferzablacanski dje to pise brate ne serinjaj mnogo
@@kiferzablacanskino it’s not Serbs are from Russia, learn history
@@kiferzablacanskiMontenegro is montenegro. We’re not Serbs. We’re montenegrin
Current Pekovic's main business interest is real estate development, mostly in mountain resort Zlatibor in Serbia and some on Montenegro's seaside. Real estate is profirable on itself, especialy on booming markets like Zlatibor or Montenegro seaside but also a perfect cover for money loundring. And boats dock in Montenegro than "goods" are transported by cover of Pekovic's companies to Serbia, which is kind of hub for drugs smuggling to main market-EU. Similary, Saric brothers had "real estate companies" in Montenegro seaside and Serbia untill they got arrested. So, go figure...
ma ljudi pojma nemaju, pekovic nije uopste kriminalac, nego pola ovi sto grade po zlatoboru, beogradu, i u cg, peru pare preko njega
His buildings are quite good to be honest.
I think 5th now is in progress..
That Gil shot at the end was classic. LOL
I have a Montenegro Pekovic jersey....He was a beast in the NBA.
Me too, I got it after one of his game in Litva Eurobasket
@@zomil7148 I got mine from my cousin. He played with him in Montenegro
Pekovic was pretty beast during his time with the Wolves!
Nice thumbnail:)
Pekovic feared only a single NBA individual: Darko Milicic, another Serbian, LOL...
"he has ties" is the understatement. he lives with them, goes everywhere with them, has businesses with them... in short he is part of the organization.
if he was terrifying on the court he is much more terrifying irl because of the mob he hangs around with. but it's not serbian mafia it is montenegrin mafia. some of the guys he hangs with are almost as big as he is
Nisam znao da nismo isti narod, Srbi i Crnogorci. Osim ako ne misliš na "Montenigrine"? 🤣
These are SERBS, Pekovic is from Bijelo Polje and Darko Saric is from Pljevlja. These two cities are completely SERB and no one there support that Montenegrin identity. Both cities only became part of Montenegro in 1913. People from their resemble more Bosnian Serbs and Raska Serbs.
Another Serbian basketball beast 🇷🇸👑
beasts? hes unathletic average only 8 boards in 30 minutes 🤣 unathletic like all ur bum players owned by americans
We’re Montenegrin people. We’re not Serbs. But you can keep
People like Pekovic. We only want people proud to be Montenegrin 😌
jokic most boring player in the league
luka got ankles took 🤣 boring player down
@@dacimarr6901vazda vam poštenje bilo jača strana. Pola podzemlja u BG držite vi ponosni Montenigrini a nema vas ni koliko Novi Sad ima stanovnika, toliko o tome.
Morant attended a private high school and had a relatively carefree childhood. Some of his recent actions are more suited for analysis by a psychologist and have no connection to the mafia or anything of the sort.
Regarding Nikola, I don't believe he's involved with the mafia. He grew up in northern Montenegro, just like the Šarić family. Their friendship likely dates back to their early years. As someone mentioned, criminals often enjoy the company of popular athletes.
In areas where the Šarić family invested their money, you only hear words of praise about them. They conducted their "business" from a distance, and it's likely that the state and the police were involved... Until a certain point when someone's political will was to put them behind bars.
Nikola also earned a considerable amount of money, and I don't see any motivation for him to engage in criminal activities. He invested in legal ventures, which is the most logical path after his basketball career.
Today, if I'm not mistaken, he is also the president of the Montenegro Basketball Federation. Only a foolish person would get involved in criminal activities, and I don't think that applies to him.
ur dumb if u don’t think he’s involved in criminal activities rn💀
Nice try.
He is involved in buisiness deals with criminals, that is for sure but I dont think he can be called part of the mafia.
Anyone who is a President of anything is probably a criminal
@@Ernestas23Ja Morant is a gay
I really liked those Wolves teams team and Pek. Shame about his injuries
Mixing Jamal Murray throwing up the peace sign in the gang sign comp is crazy
My favorite basketball player ever. He inspired me to start lifting.
I think Jokic knows lol
Pekovic is one of the best low post player in the nba i always watch how he play i wonder if he can match shaq and yao in there prime
Serbs are tough , simple .
Have a great day ☦️
he's from Montenegro
@@VeejayRampay The same people
@@VeejayRampay
He's a serb from montenegro I know.
@@VeejayRampay
He's a serb
Watch the video the 3 finger salute is serb
He's orthodox christian Serb .
Your talking to 1 now
@@nenadpavlovski3841 I wouldn’t say we’re the same.
Partizan school. Also one small correction, he's Serbian. He's a Serb from Montenegro.
Ово говедо си нашао да својаташ. Јако је битно да сви знају да је овај деген Србин. Да се њиме китимо и поносимо.
I worked at a club in Minneapolis that Pek would frequent. Very generous, humble, and funny.
I remember a game when he was at partizan. There was a fight on the floor and pac was on the bench. He watched for a few seconds and when he finally stood up it was like moses splited the sea 😂 all the players moved to the sides
😮😮😮 i had no idea
niko bellic
The similarity is unreal. Facial features, mafia ties, overall toughness...
Nikola Belić.
all the black gangster toughness goes out the window when you look a man fom the balkans in the eyes.
7:44 Ye bro, that's called money laundering, if you didn't understand what that was. Greetings from Serbia! :D
every montenegran I have ever met has some family ties to the mafia.
montenegrin
@@tropickman La Montenegrenjo**
The most absurd thing ever. It's not mafia, it's the export/import family business.
Yep in all our family at last 1 is in Mafia 😂😂
they have family clans and call themselves as 'mafioso' lmfao. But in reality their familes are feuding over who stole a goat 200 years ago and where the property line should be. no mafia activities, only seljaks arguing with other seljaks.
He was hugh a bear he use to set crazy screens legit killed you😂
Dude looks like Andrei Arlovski, man.
Us Serbs never change hahaha. The Saric brothers are mad powerful moving insane amount of coke around.
i mean demar was a part of the compton crips
That’s so cool to be a pampered athlete while simultaneously being a gangster.
He always reminded me of the big slow villain from the original Superman movie.
Real Niko Bellíc
You guys were talking about Pekovic and his backround some months ago but back then you didn't mention his past. Did people reach out to you to correct what you said since I quit the video back then, because of your missing knowledge on the topic?
Btw pekovic is now the president of the montenegrin basketball assosiation
He is, especially now. While playing he was just a friend of those.
No surprise at all that the only actual gangster in the league never once felt the need to throw up any corny ass signs mid game
The only NBA player of this era who could outpower Steven Adams in a melee scuffle...
This guy is Niko Belic
I remember him he was strong as fk in NBA and NBA LIVE video game
unstoppable as a center! he could play defence and offence against prime Shaq and Giannis
Top 3 player that ever played for Partizan for me. Strongest one 100%
Pekovic was talented and strong
He looks like Non and Zod from Superman 2.
That Gil photo was a curve ball...
Sounds like they were using bro to launder money
Couse they are all parz of the same Clan.
@@kiferzablacanski my point is he can’t be the biggest gangster if he was just a front to launder money when there’s people from the league who’s actually shot people
@@Johndoe-kw5zr they are all hyped.
These clans are real.
Guys who is flameboyant like Ja would never been accepted in this big coke deals.
bro, just for you to undrstnd, he is kum (godfather) to Saric brothers kid! In Serbian Orthodoxy (Pekovic is Serbian from Montenegro), that is the bigest honor you can possibly receive, de facto you immediately become part of the family! now, speaking about family, Saric was arrested for 2.7 tons of cocaine, while Interpol information say they were importing 60 tons per year to Europe...now you do the math
They don't need him to launder money lol. They already had that before this dude even came to the NBA. These are already well established clans not some new comers to the game.
american players who think and act like they're gangsters cannot and will never compare to actual gangsters who are playing out of europe...
NP has his own kartell, so he is the mobster.
Peković and Šarić brothers are from same very small city in Montenegro. They all know each other there.
Зар није један из Пљеваља а други Бјелога Поља?
@@dimitrijetucovic1307 koliko ja znam svi su iz Pljevalja.
@@MarkoMesic-vz4gk Мислим да је Пекмен рекао да је из Бијелог Поља а да је одрастао у Подгорицy.
Partizan?
He looks like one of the bad guys from Superman 2....
Pekovicu,ako slucajno vidis ovo_san mi je bunda od vuka.I to iz Minesote,molim.te.Ps.Operisan sam i treba mi to.Volimo te,kraljino.Banjaluka.❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
If he didnt have problem with injuries he would be beast
When pekovic came to Panathinaikos some journalists made a compare with Erceg who just went to Olympiacos.
So they made a result that Erceg was better..😂😂😂😂
Zoran Erceg was a decent player, but he wasn't a center.
Why would anyone compare him to Pek?
@@bmsuperstar1 Because most of journalists wanted to say that Olympiacos made greatest transfers than Pana.That time newspapers was still in market and most of them survived this way.
@@kaltsohe Classic tabloid journalism.
No one pays attention to these leaches. They write what someone pays them to write.
Im an his cousin and he is super nice these rumprs are crazy
Euro league players are made. NBA Players are born. Euro leagues just take strong fundamentals and balance games. NBA players have a huge amount of athleticism and the ability to master one aspect of the game. To be a Euro League point guard run pick and roll make open three that's it. There are Euro league stars who couldn't dominate elite NCAA conferences.(mike james). Any NBA superstar would dominate in the euro league on one end or another.
He could portray John Wick’s hardcore villain… 😂
You shouldn't mix his basketball carrier with other part of his life.As a player he was pretty good,bully is a tough word,he plays with a lot of contact,thats all.After he stop playing he worked with Saric brothers, laundering money for them through KK Partizan and that's it,I guess.
Pe🐐kovic
Dwight is strong and him saying bout that guy is crazy
He's like a GTA 4 character in the NBA
Gta IV character was modeled after him
The one with tattoos on 7:42 is late brother of Darko Milicic’s wife
Earned stereotypes
I thank Pek got it hands down. 💯
Of course he is from balkan!
Bro is just a mafia boss who happened to be blessed with basketball tallent.
Shaq may have had to serve up some BOWS.
He is gangster in fact, at the end of his career, he was seen in close company on a yacht with the greatest drug lord from south Europe Darko Saric, which, in the meantime, have been convicted on life sentence
Really is a shame dudes like this get lost in history due to being on horrible teams but dude was a 20/10 machine in his prime. Had no idea about the extracurricular stuff though, wow lol.