Among the players invited to Goran Dragic's jubilee was Robin Lopez. The two played together at the very beginning of their NBA careers, and they have remained very close. Brook's brother even experienced one of the most beautiful moments of his career on Saturday night in Ljubljana.
“It’s a very special night, one of my best basketball memories. Seeing Gogi and his family… Seeing Gogi on the bench again with Steve… It’s hard to express.”, commented the former Suns and Bucks interiorbefore discussing his short stay in Slovenia. “It’s a very welcoming city for me; I’ve visited the city centre several times. I was hoping to visit it more, but everyone has been so welcoming. I’ll be back for longer, with Goran’s family who will show me around.”
Even though their paths quickly separated, Robin Lopez always considered Dragic a role model. “We were rookies, and he was someone I could lean on because he had already been a professional in Europe. Gogi was someone I could always look up to and draw inspiration from.”
A trip to Europe to finish his career?
After 16 years in the NBA, Lopez finds himself without a contract, and it will be difficult to land a spot on a roster after averaging 1.1 points in 16 games last season… Maybe he even has to think about retirement.
“If it happens, it happens. I've had a great career so far, not as great as Goran's, but I'm grateful for everything I've been given,” concludes Lopez, before discussing Europe. “I will think about it clearly. I know how passionate the fans are here, and how high the level of basketball is. I followed the Euroleague a little because Thanasis and Giannis made me watch their little brother's games.”
| Robin Lopez | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | LF | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2008-09 | PHX | 60 | 10 | 51.8 | 0.0 | 69.1 | 0.9 | 1.1 | 2.0 | 0.1 | 1.6 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 3.2 |
| 2009-10 | PHX | 51 | 19 | 58.8 | 0.0 | 70.4 | 2.0 | 2.8 | 4.9 | 0.1 | 2.3 | 0.2 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 8.4 |
| 2010-11 | PHX | 67 | 15 | 50.1 | 0.0 | 74.0 | 1.2 | 2.0 | 3.2 | 0.1 | 2.1 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 6.5 |
| 2011-12 | PHX | 64 | 14 | 46.1 | 0.0 | 71.4 | 1.4 | 1.9 | 3.3 | 0.3 | 2.0 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 5.4 |
| 2012-13 | NOP | 82 | 26 | 53.4 | 0.0 | 77.8 | 2.8 | 2.9 | 5.6 | 0.8 | 2.0 | 0.4 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 11.3 |
| 2013-14 | POR | 82 | 32 | 55.1 | 0.0 | 81.8 | 4.0 | 4.6 | 8.5 | 0.9 | 2.4 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 1.7 | 11.1 |
| 2014-15 | POR | 59 | 28 | 53.5 | 0.0 | 77.2 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 6.7 | 0.9 | 2.1 | 0.3 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 9.6 |
| 2015-16 | NYK | 82 | 27 | 53.9 | 0.0 | 79.5 | 3.3 | 4.1 | 7.3 | 1.4 | 2.2 | 0.2 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 10.3 |
| 2016-17 | CHI | 81 | 28 | 49.3 | 0.0 | 72.1 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 6.4 | 1.0 | 1.9 | 0.2 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 10.4 |
| 2017-18 | CHI | 64 | 26 | 53.0 | 28.6 | 75.6 | 2.1 | 2.4 | 4.5 | 1.9 | 1.7 | 0.2 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 11.8 |
| 2018-19 | CHI | 74 | 22 | 56.8 | 22.6 | 72.4 | 1.9 | 2.0 | 3.9 | 1.2 | 1.7 | 0.2 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 9.5 |
| 2019-20 | MIL | 66 | 15 | 49.2 | 33.3 | 52.8 | 0.9 | 1.6 | 2.4 | 0.7 | 1.5 | 0.2 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 5.4 |
| 2020-21 | WAS | 71 | 19 | 63.3 | 27.8 | 72.3 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 3.8 | 0.8 | 1.5 | 0.2 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 9.0 |
| 2021-22 | ENT | 36 | 17 | 55.3 | 33.3 | 59.3 | 1.9 | 1.6 | 3.5 | 1.5 | 1.9 | 0.1 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 7.1 |
| 2022-23 | KEY | 37 | 8 | 64.0 | 50.0 | 77.8 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 0.5 | 1.2 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 3.0 |
| 2023-24 | MIL | 16 | 4 | 36.8 | 25.0 | 100.0 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 1.1 |
| Total | 992 | 21 | 53.7 | 29.7 | 74.3 | 2.2 | 2.5 | 4.7 | 0.8 | 1.9 | 0.2 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 8.4 | |
How to read the stats? GM = Games Played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Shots Made / Shots Attempted; 3pts = 3-pointers / 3-pointers Attempted; LF = Free Throws Made / Free Throws Attempted; Off = Offensive Rebound; Def = Defensive Rebound; Tot = Total Rebounds; Pd = Assists; Fte: Personal Fouls; Int = Steals; Bp = Loose Balls; Ct: Blocks; Pts = Points.
