European Things That Shocked NBA Americans
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- čas přidán 10. 05. 2024
- NBA Europeans have often talked about how they experienced a cultural shock in the United States of America. But what about those times when Europeans were the ones to shock the Americans. In this video, we go dive into the stories of Vlade Divac, Hedo Turkoglu, Toni Kukoc & others, to find out what weird habits, dietary choices or odd hobbies made the NBA world scratch their heads.
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You forgot Darko Miličić
Bravo majstore.
Check out the Gregg Popovich's story about one of the first Europeans in NBA - Zarko Paspalj, who btw introduced Divac to smoking...
Darko Milicic was one of the totally crazy Balkan guys who ever come to NBA.
Love this video.
replace *european culture with *eastern european culture and/or *balkan culture
And proud of it. Balkans started the European identity.
@@LYagami-ny4hs the historical fact is that the Hellenes, who invented the concept of Europe, also gave a description of its borders, it referred to Helm or the Dinaric Peninsula or what you pejoratively call "the Balkans" in the West, while today's Western Europe was a land of monsters and uncivilized barbarians
@@LYagami-ny4hs the first world civilization, which processed copper, invented writing, the first cities were created in old Europe on the Helm Peninsula almost two millennia before Mesopotamia and Egypt, while in the west of Europe they lived in caves.read something, at least google Vinca culture
@@sevasthvostanski5588 hellenes didn’t describe slavs now did they
@@sevasthvostanski5588the first attestations of slavs in the balkan peninsula wasn't until the ~6th century and it was in greek language texts.
There are no designated areas for smokers in Serbia. Everywhere is smokers area
That includes weed smokers, right? 😏
Weed isn't legal in Serbia.
fr, i went to crvena zvezda x partizan there, they were smokin all over the arena
@@dimi2297it depends where. it is legalized at my place of work 😅
Its not legal but nobody cares anymore.
As a Croatian, I don't understand why all of this is regarded as weird. Many people smoke, everybody likes burek with joghurt, eating a lot (of everything) is normal, a hangout with peers turning into a dancing and drinking party etc. Honestly, not doing all of this - is weird.
Smoking is frowned upon for health reasons, but it is mostly unheard of in high level athletes. Eating a lot before game maybe considered weird because it may affect your performance, but eating a lot is not problem for Americans in general as you can tell by their sizes lol. Partying is not weird, Americans tend to do it in different ways though.
@@squiggs1002They smoke weed, drinking in strip clubs and eating burgers before game.
As a Serbian, I agree😁
4 hours before game you can eat whatever you want ...
The percentage of Americans who smoke has dropped hugely in the past 40 years. It’s way less common than in Europe, we took those warnings on TV seriously.
In Spain, a book could be written with the stories of Americans who played here in the 80's and 90's. A crazy one: Certain player I don't remember received a courtesy car from the team, so he could go from home to practice. After few days he told the team that sth is wrong with the car. It is extremely slow and makes huge noise. Staff from the team took the car, with the player not being present, tried it and it was all OK. After the car was returned to the player, next day he says it is still the same!! So they decided to go and check it together. Player was driving and the staff immediately noticed what the issue was... He was all the time using the first gear, didn't know he had to switch gears as in the states, 99% of cars are automatic. 😂
Wow 🤦🏽♂️
The end of story is so predictable
Obviously not true he would’ve had to use the clutch to get the car moving in the first place
In the 80s and 90s, it was probably far closer to an even split between automatics and straight drives. Someone old enough to play pro ball back then would have known the difference
@@FC-gl4ul the story is absolutely true, very well known in Spain. I don't know if he just figured it out by luck just pressing the pedals, or the most possible one: he put the 1st gear not using the clutch. Believe me it is possible because I did it myself with an old Renault 5. Even easier is to switch for example from 2nd to 3rd while driving, this I saw it in many brands (VW for example) but you can also rush from stop to first gear without clutch just pressing the gear forward. Maybe in new engines this is not possible anymore, I am not gonna try it either way :D
Greg Popovich put Zeljko Paspalj in the clinic to make him stop smoking, first thing he did once he went out and popovic came to take him home was to light a cigaret
Paspalj smokes to this day 🤣
Немам појма како је прескочио Паспаља...а тек Дарко Миличић 🤣
@@ivankrstic3454uuu da, Milicic :D bio bi highlight, uz Divca xD
Žarko Paspalj*
Proper balkan 😂
The players in the restaurant didn't realize how scary a bunch of GIANTS from Mythical lands partying looked 😂
činjenica je da su i dragić i dončić etnički i / ili kulturološki srbi koji žive u sloveniji
Imagining all of the Balkan players in the bubble turning the dining room into a kafana warms my heart
As someone from the Balkans what Toni Kukoc ordered counts as a nice, complete meal here. For a person of his stature and especially an active sportsman, I would wager he might need a bit more even.
Good on him, seems like he was enjoying life while playing.
This is a meal his mother would serve him for breakfast…
Steve Kerr is THAT guy that says EXpresso...
I am not surprised, the US is generally shocked that other cultures and languages even exist😂
ridiculous statement when the US has more diversity and foreign cultures than any other country in the world. It's not even close. Just another jealous mexican.
as someone from ex-yu countries,that pic from the bubble warms my heart and it makes me happy how it all turned out with all of them there,true to their roots haha
E baš tako 👍🥰
Da ,trebamo se drzat zajedno uvijek ipak smo si mi na kraju najblizi ovdje
@@burimsaliji23i logicno da nasi laganu veceru pretvore veceru u dobru sjedaljku uz muziku na telefonu i zajebanciju i veselje haha treba nam vise toga
Makes one think, all this suffering and death in the 90s from all sides, so pointless.
@@avinaughty War is always pointless! Still wondering why we cant do better as so called modern civilisation.
“And then Hedo, Hedo Turkoglu, was like ‘let’s pee on him.”
Very far down the list of things I thought I’d ever hear Grant Hill say 😂
Well, he didn't need to say it as it was already said... he just needed to go along, lol
As a European, none of these surprise me
There are no designated smoker areas in Serbia, only designated non smoker areas
What about Žarko Paspalj? Chain smoker black in the days in San Antonio. Back in Europe he had an unique contract at Olympiakos, which allowed him at any moment of the game to go in the locker room for smoking. While playing against him, we were all shocked from his smell after returning on the court in the Greek league.
😂 legend
Also he is currently on his second or third bypass... :(
Darko Milicic takes the cake. The guy was so crazy and out of control.
He spoke about those days and some bizarre things he was doing in some interviews in Serbian.
Kakva Maraja Keri,daj leba
Milicic was and still is a complete degenerate. He is his own category.
If only he put his energy into actually playing basketball, then maybe he wouldn’t be potentially the biggest bust in NBA history
@@keanuismyfather7477 He won the first ring for Serbia. :D
@@user-by6ri3cu4y riding the bench
I will give you why Toni is doing that quote "you cannot go out to play until you eat everything of that plate"
By every Balkan mother
Try not to😂😂😂
every east europe mother bro
Meal will cry after you😢
Back in the late 80s in Belgrade, I remember running into a cafe where Partizan players went after the training session. Divac, Paspalj, Djordjevic, Pecarski, Danilovic, Grbic were inside. I swear that you could cut the smoke with the sword! You could hardly see the players from the clouds of smoke around them. And Divac was driving a Yugo 45 back then, saw him with my own eyes 🙂
Did he rip the front seat like Hightower?
Coupe😂😂😂
In early 90s we were with school on Kopaonik ,i thing was 1992 or 1993 ( i was every year so not sure which one was) and there was Divac drinking beer ,we counted like 15 beers he drunk
As a Serb (and a Yugoslav back then), grew up in Yugoslavia during 80' those guys were our idols. RIP Dražen Petrović.
We had Detlef Schrempf🥴
Žarko Paspalj has entered the chat…
Guys in restaurant solved Yugoslavian conflict, respect
If they were average Balkan people instead of NBA elites, there would be a WW3 in that restaurant. 😂
@@JohnVoxville53 Shows how much you know.
Smoking a cig before a game is the most European thing to do lol. Lots of Euros smoke even the athletes.
Example. Back in the days, the Spurs had a player that came from teh Euro league, Žarko Paspalj. He would smoke cigs and eat pizza during halftime.
Europeans are the most Open-Minded people on the Planet.
Life is not only abaut working but also living it to the full,because Life is to Short and "you" only live once.
Why they're killing himself so early in life
@@kingwolfboss6144 where in Europe?? Because in Europe there are 50 independent countries,each with their own Language,Culture and Traditions.
Iam sure that you are talking abaut some European Countries ( very few),and not in Europe as a 50 countries continent.
I remember reading that the Lakers brass was not very happy when then-rookie Vlade Divac showed up for the first meeting at their offices smoking a Marlboro 😂
Eurobasket 1995 and somewhere around the oaka stadium a limo parks, the windows roll down and empty cans of beer are thrown to the general direction of garbage cans by the street. Sabonis and Kurtinaitis waved at us when as we recognised them and cheered.
Kerr: "expresso"
Lol, I think he said it twice
Italians triggering LOL
Forget smoking before a game. I remember seeing a player smoke *during* a game. It was in a European Champions League (precursor to the Euroleague) game in the 70's. Maccabi Tel Aviv was hosting one of the stronger teams in the competition (I believe it was Real Madrid or perhaps Simmenthal Milano). It was late in the game and Macabbi -- which had lost badly to the opposing team in the away game -- was leading by a lot. In fact, Maccabi was close to evening the score on aggregate. Suddenly, there was some major technical problem (the scoreboard or the lights, I don't remember) and play was stopped for several minutes. Next thing I know I see a Maccabi player (Yossi Lezha (not sure about the spelling)) smoking a cigarette on the Maccabi bench. Different times!
As crazy as it seems today, NBA american players use to do worst things during the 70's. Play a game completely drunk, take little sips of alcohol in the bench, and also wearing a small dose of paper wraping cocaine inside the socks while playing the game.
@@GerclunI guess that's why the NBA used to use the slogan "I love this game!" 🙂
I live in upstate rural New York at the foot of the Catskill Mountains am a basketball fan and foodie... The part about the Balkan boys had me salivating for their food and drinks and their music is awesome... I would love to have come from that part of the world, so much fun, I also go on Mushroom walks. Am so so sad for how out of touch so many Americans have come from actually being a Human on Earth. Thank God for the Balkan Boys and their IQ on and off the Court.
come to balkans mate. cheap, friendly and safe...gonna return to USA with +5kg :P
This is the Balkans: we love our family, our lands, our food, we work hard and party hard.
You skipped Darko Miličić. SMH.
For the Kukoč and espresso bit, it's a common knowledge, at least in the Balkans (coffee savants) that a cup of coffee helps you relieve yourself, if you know what I mean.
'Café y cigarro, figurita de barro', is what we use to say in Spain. In English, 'Coffee and cigar, clay figurine'. The laxative properties of this pairing are well known world wide 😅
@@Gerclun That's perfect.
'Café y cigarro, figurita de barro', is what we use to say in Spain. In English, 'Coffee and cigar, clay figurine'. The laxative properties of this pairing are well known world wide 😅
And the hobby to go to the forest and 'hunt' mushrooms is also usual here.
Great episode!
Ok, here's one I have (Yes, I am aware of the avalanche of of comments saying it did not happen) about Predrag Sasha Danilovic during his tenure in Dallas.
The source of the story is Rasha Nesterovic who told it to my coach (his best man) and the rest of our team of cadets of Partizan back in ~2003 when Rasha came to our practice.
The game was on the line and the game-plan was for Danilovic to take the last shot. Some other player did not pass the ball and took the shot. Now Euro-fans would know how clutch Danilovic was and that he always would want the ball, while Serbians are well familiar with his temper as well. Needless to say, the guy missed the shot.
Right after in the looker-room, Danilovic beat the shit out of him, and then a couple of other teammates got into it trying (probably) to split the fight, but Danilovic beat them too. The story goes that by the end of his tenure in Dallas he fought the whole team and literally *fought and beat every single teammate*.
And then he got back to Europe.
Here in Indiana, especially in southern Indiana a lot of people hunt for wild mushrooms. I think even Larry Bird used to do it growing up. On a side note, I grew up with a lot of Serbians here in NW Indiana/Chicago area and have been to many of their functions over the years. I can vouch for a few things- lots of smoking, drinking, cultural dances, and smoking hot women.....
Serbian woman are hot but not easy to get
In Yugoslavia (Serbia) best handball players from my hometown (*Crvenka* who have great handball school) , everybody smoked cigarettes and drink beer ,before and after game *after game much more. : )
I played football in lower league in Serbia in 90s and when we won some match we (i mean whole team) would go after match and get drunk totally
Peja Stojakovic and Vlade Divac smoked a cigarette regulary.
And yet those early 2000s Kings teams with them both in the starting line up were still so damn good! 😂
Really enjoyed this video
It's hard to let go of the habits from your roots even when on the other side of the world. Sticking to what you're used to gives you a peace of mind when engaging with the unknown.
2:58 Mustaches + mullet = +100 bonus to fighting prowess
Europe players are really taking over the game. Luka's my favorite player. What a show he puts on every game!
When I visited Spain back in 1986 as a kid, i remember going to the local city's arena to watch their pro team play a game and I literally got sick from all the cigarette smoke. The arena was like in a fog of smoke. Then I will always remember, a player was subbed out, sat on the bench for a few seconds, then busted out a cig and started smoking.
As a slovenian im not really surprised by any of these haha
I loved the video, because I‘m from the balkans and as a basketball fan I love Lithuania but it would be nice to hear something about all the Spanish, French and German guys.
They're not fun
@@TheodorToshomaybe you should hear the untold story of why the scream of the spanish national team just before the games is MURO...
I am from Turkiye whjat's so weird about what you mentioned. Borek is a traditional Turkish dough dish and when we sit at the table we want our eyes to be satisfied first. Meaning the plates and the table needs to be full before our stomach is full.
Not turkish 😂 And its Turkey still. Just because Erdogan wants a chance doesnt mean we all have to listen to that pig.
Adamlar bilmiyor ki Balkanları yüzyıllarca biz yönettik, hiçbir şeyden haberleri yok
When I lived in France, many locals liked to go mushroom hunting. It thought all Europeans did that.
Žarko Paspalj's San Antonio Spurs' stories are incredible. Darko Miličić had some good stories as well.
I know an ex-pro Turkish basketball player. Incidentally, he's a smoker but some of his stories about the American players playing over here are also interesting. According to him, "smoking" is common among the American players.
Iverson ot içiyordu paso fşggşşdşssğdi
I used to work with Eastern Europeans, and my father in law is from Hungary. I know the culture very well
Balkan is beautiful part of 🌍.
I remember that pizza commercial with Hedo eating pizza in his uniform while talking to the coach on the phone, when he was with the Raptors. "Yes, coach...yes, coach...". Who knew it was an actual documentary of his life. Weird.
In Serbia we have designated areas for non smokers. If you don’t smoke you stand in the corner 😂
good video, really entertaining
the story about the party of all the players from former yugoslavian countries was just heartwarming. Maybe the wounds are slowly healing
For me is more weird to live in a concrete jungle than walking in the nature and picking up shrooms and herbs….
Great video!
Man you do realize that the picture at 4:31 is Peace Nobel Prize worthy?
I still remember a guy we were used to play together on open courts during college time and he was used to smoke before every game because he was saying that he made him feel more athletic! I remember listening to him saying ''God damn, I didn't smoke before the start of the game and I cannot lift my feet!'' Anyway, greetings from Greece!
It shocked people that Europeans smoke? Ugh. People in America smoked back then, a lot.
americans are like: now where are not and we are not remember what we do in 80's and 90's
@@SuperSedans Just look all nasa videos from landing on the moon ,everyone smoke in control room
Imagine if all these guys had healthy habits. They would be the Novak Djokovic of basketball at least.
They are very good
It’s 4 hours before tip off you take a crap have 10 minutes nap and your ready 😂😂
The most shocking thing in here is Steve Kerr saying expresso
Great concept for a video
That was fun to watch 😁
But as some others mentioned in the comments. There were only east European stories ... what love to see some of the other areas 🎉
I remember when everyone on the 1969 Boston Celtics smoked cigarettes. The whole locker room was billowing blue smoke.
4:20 That was ex Yugoslavia boys doing it like in old days . . .
I used to play the game in France when I was young. Our coach would tell us to eat garlic before the games so the defenders wouldn't get too close. I also participated in a three-point contest where every contestant was drunk, including the professionals (Pro B). Last but not least, every rookie at our modest level had his penis forcefully covered in blue ink after his first game. It took me like 10 days before my wiener turned pink again.
Supposedly Sabonis used to chain smoke during halftime with the Blazers
we need a part 2 of this
How to be a sucessful European in the NBA: Don't shower, eat seafood for breakfast, smoke the rest of your cigs before tipoff, bribe the refs, celebrate with kebab, repeat.
Grow to a tall height
Gytis is too young to remember a time when the smokers and non-smokers always shared the same public space. Bless his heart.
I still remember the reactions when that law passed here in Athens.
Plus most of the time, simple cigarettes were the "formal way" of relaxation. When you and a couple buddies are at home, it's a different story.
You really need to take a deep look at the state of Greek basketball in the 90s, if lighting a cigarette is shocking to you.
Fasoulas smoked pipes, Tarpley drank the Bosphorus and Black sea together in alcohol, and Fanis Christodoulou (a Greek basketball LEGEND) did both.
It was common, until the mid-2000s. Tsartsaris said that Panathinaikos won the Euroleague listening to Sfakianakis. Meaning going to Bouzoukia all the time.
Ioannidis used to smoke on the bench during games
Καλά, να πούμε και το ότι ψηφίστηκε αυτός ο νόμος δε σημαίνει πως τον κρατάμε!
Πρώτον είσαι Ελλάδα....δεύτερον είσαι ΒΑΛΚΆΝΙΑ! χαχαχα
Still I agree with all you said Dim and you Thomas.
@@thomaslarose5733 Ioannidis didn't play though. And when he did, it was the 70s.
Don't forget Žarko Paspalj aderfe mou when speaking about legends of Greek basketball and cigarettes.
Servia kai Elada, aderfia gia panta!
@@milangrujicic4679you joke?
nice content. you can add marcin gortat's kielbasa and pierogies day in nba studio
The European players are far more relatable and play the game in a way that is enjoyable to watch
Didn't know that about Sabonis sounds like hes a serb or i guess Lithuanians a serbs are more alike then i thought lol great vid guys keep up the good work lol
1:02 there are no designated smoking areas in cafe's and restaurants in Serbia. There designated areas for non-smokers.
Steve Kerrs story about Tony was hell of a pre game ritual🤘
Miss hedo Turkoglu 😭
I'm originally from Iran and we drink yogurt too. Fun fact the origin myths of both Croats and Serbs say that the descend from Iranian/Sarmatian tribes. And I remember reading how the name "Hrvat" had been traced to some obscure locale in present-day Afghanistan
Croatian ancestories are from Afghanistan
No,we are South Slavs originally. Our language and culture that stayed from our ancestors is the same/similar like other Slavs. Now when we came in the Balkans(7th century)most of the people mixed with Illyrians,Hellenic people,Italians in the South of the Balkans,we were oppressed by Ottomans so that too. We’re not originally from Iran,Middle East✌️
Burek sa sirom, palacinka w bijela cokolada, the best cheesecake in the world, fritule, man I miss it all
I think there could be whole series of videos about cultural shocks while was Darko Miličić in NBA 😂
In serbia we have a fuelstation where you have a restaurant inside. Guess what? You can smoke there 😂
While playing u18 in Italy we did culture interchange with a Serbian team... And wow,i remember that yogurt
perfect video.. ty
You forget Žarko Paspalj.😂He almost died from smoking but he still didn't stop
Legendary, pls more of stuff like this lmfao
Greetings from Germany
It's because in the U.S., smoking is not common at all. Most Americans don't smoke and it's frowned upon in many places over here in the U.S. It used to be popular like 50 years ago but not anymore.
you mention all big love from yugoslavija to you !
The balkan yogurt is closer to a buttermilk in the US.
No it's not. Kefir is closer to yogurt. That's what they know (americans)
I mean, Tony played in Treviso. I don't know about basketball, but they can teach anyone to eat for sure. 😂
Balkan Boys>>>>>> Banana Boat Crew. Can’t believe the media hid this from us lmao
tHIS IS COMPLETELY LIMITED TO eASTERN eUROPE; AND THAT IS TOTALLY WHAT i EXPECTED
Because we are best in basketball...
Because Toni Kukoč was a King of a game👑
Balkans is a "different" part of Europe... They are strange even for the rest of Europeans.
Gotta love these Balkan boys.
Burek and jogurt are always a W
Dino Radja also has been smoker, Sabonis had beer at timeouts
Chicago cubs 1st baseman mark grace used to smoke In the walkway behind the dugout between innings and the early 2,000s And a lot of baseball players smoked in the dugout in the 70s and 80s
he also used to give post game interviews while pounding beers.
And worse things. Hard drugs were usual during 70's and 80's among pro players
That restaurant Balkan boys story, its perfectly summed up in a chorus of Dubioza Kolektiv song:
-" But when I taste some rakija....
In my head anarhija....
Back to original shape.....
There's just no0 escape
From
BALKAN"
😂😂😂
Nice to see people are still treat like adults in Serbia 😂
Žarko Paspalj and Darko Miličić...
Vlade also Pizza Hut at least while staying at the Marriot Hotel while the visiting team playing the Utah Jazz in Utah back then it was at the Delta Center. He was in front of me in line. If I had to guess it was 1999. Oliver Miller also at a ton!