The basketball court in Njegoševo Park is now named after Dragan Ivanović

The basketball court in Njegoševo Park in Podgorica has been named after the legend of Budućnost Podgorica - Dragan Ivanović.

The memorial plaque was unveiled by the mayor of Podgorica, Ivan Vuković, and Dragan's brother, Duško Ivanović, and the event was attended by sports fans and admirers of Dragan Ivanovic's character and work, the capital city announced. An exhibition match was also played between the pioneering teams of Budućnost and Morača.

Vuković expressed his great satisfaction that the basketball court in Njegoševo Park will bear the name of the man who in 1980, as the captain of the great generation of Budućnosti, introduced the club to the First Federal Basketball League for the first time in history and thus paved the way for all future successes.

"If we look at that period, we would agree that almost everything has changed in Podgorica and that the identity of our city has changed, perhaps most in comparison to other capital cities of the former republics of the former Yugoslavia. Someone who, for example, lived in Titograd in 1980, so for some reason he has not been to Podgorica until today, because it was difficult for him to find his way in the city. The identity of the city is basically made up of people. In this sense, there are few who have remained equally important to all generations after so much time and so many social changes. One of Dragan Ivanovic is one of those people," said Vukovic.

Vuković added that Dragan Ivanović succeeded in something "which is very rare in Podgorica due to the specific character and mentality of the local people - and that is to be appreciated and loved at the same time."

"The presence of such a large number of people today, of different generations who were friends of Dragan Ivanović, who remember his basketball feats in this place and in SC Morača and those who did not have the opportunity to watch one of his games, but heard about him from the stories of their parents, they have the same emotion towards him. That's why today I am very happy that in a modest way we have the opportunity to pay tribute to the sports legend of our city, in the way we did it two and a half years ago with another giant of Podgorica sports, Goran Polje Bojanić," said Vuković and said that he hopes that future generations will inherit the path traced by Dragan Ivanovic and continue to contribute to the success of Podgorica and Montenegrin sports.

On behalf of the family, Duško Ivanović addressed the audience and thanked everyone who contributed to this place being named after Dragan Ivanović, and that he hoped that many generations would be able to follow in his footsteps.

"It's hard for me, I'm sad, but at the same time I'm happy when I see so many dear friends whom I haven't seen in a long time, who have followed Dragan and me for years. Dragan was, above all, a good and noble man. In addition, as an athlete, he was an example and a leader, the captain of a great generation of players who, in very difficult conditions, managed to enter the strongest league in Europe at that time. On this field, I remember how many stairs we jumped on, how many sprints we did in the park, over this Hanging Bridge, and over the Vizier's Bridge. That was our preparation and that's how we trained in those conditions," Ivanovic said and added that Dragan, apart from being the captain, was the leader of a large number of younger generations in his club "Morača".

"He taught them basketball, but he also taught them life, something perhaps much more important. I remember this field when he came to see his grandson Milovan, when he walked. He loved this field and would be proud today that this place bears his name", concluded Ivanovic.

Dragan's teammate Jadran Vujačić sent a message saying that he would have loved to have been in Njegošev park today, and that he is sincerely happy that the basketball court in Podgorica will bear the name of his friend and captain who died too soon.

"For several years, together in Titograd's Budućnost, we played basketball battles, rejoiced in victories and grieved after defeats. Dragan was always an example in everything - the first in training, the most combative in the game, a gentleman off the field. It was a special privilege to play with Dragan in the team, as well as with all the great players and people of the then generation of Budućnosti from Titograd", said Vujacic.