What are your favorite sports to watch and play?

The answer is easy, and after that comes the question of why.

So, basketball is the game, and why comes down.

But before going to why, let me share  the view about the state of the games.

Today, the games played, including my favourite basketball, are being “raped” by systems and statistics by strategies and tactics introduced by different “strict” coaches that want to win and win with the players who follow gym, and gym and gym. In that atmosphere, the game, my basketball included, have lost the real beauty! What beauty you might ask?

Before answering, let me say that all sports are reflecting the state of the societies and the state of the mind of the people. It is like the educational programs that are being introduced by the same forces that have standardised everything. That is unfortunately followed by the masses, mostly the young generation that is insidiously indoctrinated by the planers and the plan executioners. And itvisbspread everywhere, occupying the whole planet.

As regards the beauty that enchanted me and made me love basketball the most, let me share one real story.

Namely, it was a semifinal of the European Cup basketball tournament 1977 between Yougoslavia and Italy. By the way, this story has its deep meaning that you will get at the end of it.

So, Yougoslavia was winning and was obvious that in the final will face then Soviet Union as they already won and reached the final.

The coach of then Soviet Union was legendary Alexander Gomelsky also having the rank of the Colonel of the Soviet Union army. With him as a coach Soviet Union won many trophies 🏆. However, as Yougoslavia was a rising star in the basketball game and have already won the first WORLD CUP in 1970 and European Cup in 1973 and 1975, the Collonel ( that was Alexander Gomelsky nickname) was keen to learn the way how it is possible to win Yougoslavia and he was busy transfering his thoughts on the paper during the semifinal game of Yougoslavia against Italy.

And there, in the middle of the something extraordinary happened!

The legendary, highly intelligent, strate-forward, mischievous playmaker of Yougoslavian team Zoran – Moka – Slavnić has done something that made me, then a young basketball enthusiast, to get in deepmlove with that game. The love with is renewed today! There is a reason.

But, back to the story!

So, Moka Slavnić spotted the coach Gomelsky, and as he knew Italian said to his Italian opponent to wait for the moment and not be aggressive while he wanted to convey a message! The Italian was in awe, but he privatized Slavnice’s wish and let him say what he had in mind. Slavnić had a magical authority towards all the participants of that game magical game of basketball. As a player then and as a coach after. He was the one who recognised the super talent of Dražen Petrović and gave him the opportunity to show his talent in the first team of Šibenka. Dražen was 15 years old then!

Italian stopped, Slavnic also and then he started talking to Soviet Union coach Gomelsky!

He said, “Colonel, what are you writing about? If it is about the system we play, you write in vain! We do not know which system we play!“

That was the basketball I start loving!

That basketball was not about the system but about genius human resource management! Exploring the best of the talents, combined with hard work without too much of a gym, socialising in real life, and composing the team where all of the differences will be incorporated into the team!

I would say now that it was the way where diversity was the opportunity and not a barrier! Just use common sense, and you will understand!

Now, back to the future!

After some years, basketball was put in chains applying the rules that the majority of the people involved in the game followed. Like making basketball players look like Arnold Schwarzenegger instead like Nikola Jokić! 

Ok, let’s settle for something in between!

Being a basketball player and looking like Schwarzenegger is destroying and the player and his genius, his ability to see behind to react out of the template and produce one thing that is characteristic of basketball- MAGIC!

That is why in NBA, we had one MAGIC whom I absolutely loved! MAGIC JOHNSON! And now we have another MAGIC. MAGIG JOKER! These types of player are the ones that are making the basketball immortal!

The story of basketball continues

Oh, just forgot, Yougoslavia won Soviet Union in the 1977 Europena Cup final!

Moka Slavnić had an absolute right! Templates can not win the free spirit, mind, and elasticity of the body!

Hope you find it interesting and start looking at the basketball as a MAGIC GAME.

Darko Richard Lancelot

January 29, 2025

For philosophyofgoodnews.wordpress.com

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