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There were no fanfares, no lengthy, heartfelt messages, no grand announcements, no effusive thanks to clubs, coaches, or teammates. It was all direct and clear, just as he was on the court. Because he knows no other way.
“I’m ending my career. I’m becoming an assistant coach at Zvezda. Due to personal circumstances, I want to be close to Belgrade. Thank you all for being part of this wild ride,” Kalinić wrote.
Few have etched their name into Crvena Zvezda's history as simply and profoundly as Nikola Kalinić, despite only two one-year stints as a player. He cemented his status as one of the club's greatest legends in just two seasons, fundamentally altering the club's trajectory on both occasions.
In his first tenure, he was the crucial link that broke Partizan's dominance. In his second, he was Crvena Zvezda's emphatic response to Željko Obradović's arrival at Partizan. And what a response it was, as he poured his heart and soul into that season, winning every trophy available. He arrived, and now he departs, without fanfare, without sentimentality, without chest-thumping, or grand Zvezda slogans.
“I’ve never been one for sentimentality… I returned after analyzing everything – the club, the quality of life, my previous experience. I’ll give my all on the court, as always. A lot of hard work awaits us. My former teammates and coach are here – Luka, Laza, coach Dejan Radonjić. I couldn’t leave my friends in the lurch.”
It was a season where he knew he'd have to play for three. He ended up playing for four. It was a season where he averaged nearly 40 minutes, a season where he, alongside Dejan Radonjić and Nate Wolters, pulled all the strings, grinding relentlessly on both ends of the court like never before in his career. It was undoubtedly the most draining season of his career.
And he never complained. He collected all the trophies and moved to Barca. It became clear to me he'd return from there when I saw him in Piraeus during the Olympiacos-Barcelona playoff series in April 2024. I was on vacation in Athens, but my professional instincts wouldn't let me miss accrediting for the game. I also arranged to meet Kalina between the two matches against the Athenian Reds, not suspecting he'd give me a small exclusive.
He was unhappy on the court, not given the opportunity to be the primary decision-maker, not given the chance to be Nikola Kalinić. After that series and the entire season, it was clear to me he wouldn't stay at Barca. And the only natural habitat after that was Mali Kalemegdan. After that game in Piraeus, he was honest with himself and the national team, simply admitting it was time for other guys, although he later had a change of heart.
No, I think I’m done with that kind of involvement. I’m not there mentally or physically; I don’t think I can compete at the level required anymore. It’s time for some younger guys to play and prove themselves, especially after last season’s success. I think it’s all clear there.
Successes in Manila and Paris reignited his national team fire, which is why we saw him in the FIBA window under Dušan Alimpijević. He also started taking much better care of his body, regretting not doing so earlier in his younger years. Among other things, he wrote a little about this for Sportal as part of our last New Year's program.
They say I look like I can play for a long time? Maybe I hide it well, but it's certainly true that body maintenance has become popular even among the general population. As an athlete, looking at body maintenance, longevity, biohacking, and other things, they're becoming important. There are certainly many supplements, many ways you can enable your body to function better, so I don't know what else to say on that topic. If I could only find a cure for my head, I think I could play for a long time.
There's no cure for his head, and it shouldn't be changed, because then he wouldn't be Nikola Kalinić. And he remained honest with himself and the game until the very end.
In May of last year, in an interview for Sportal, it was clear that one more season would be his maximum.
Oh, I don't know, tough question. There are many unknowns in my life right now. Of course, I have a contract, I'll most likely stay at Zvezda, but I don't know what will happen. I could get injured and end my career by the end of the year, or I could stay for another five years. Honestly, I don't like giving such answers. I have a contract, and I usually see my contracts through, so there's no reason not to continue, but I also don't rule out getting fed up with all the attention and basketball and going somewhere to play, like in Holland with Džoni Štulić, or Japan, or Costa Rica, or somewhere else, and just playing for the love of it. So, I'm leaving everything open, but as I said, I have a contract, so most likely... the greatest possibility is that I'll continue with everything.
Ball don't lie. And Nikola Kalinić doesn't lie either, especially not to himself. He could have certainly secured another lucrative EuroLeague contract, or opted for an exotic destination, perhaps even the Far East. He might have even played for Vojvodina or Spartak just for the sheer joy of it.
But he knew he wouldn't do it with his whole heart and 100% effort, and he knows no other way. He remained authentic in everything, from start to finish, from his dunk over Bourousis to his WhatsApp stories.
Good luck, Kalina!
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