"I'd Say Zvezda, But Not Because of Me...": Dončić Reflects on Europe's Hottest Arenas, Recalls Famous Three-Pointer Against Red Star: "I Didn't Even Know If I Should Celebrate" /VIDEO/

Pulse Sports Team 23:03 - 16 September 2026

Slovenian basketball player Luka Dončić reminisced about playing in European arenas, with visits to Belgrade, Athens, and Barcelona holding special memories.

In an interview with "SLAM," Dončić discussed the atmosphere in European arenas, singling out his visit to Crvena Zvezda (Red Star Belgrade) as a particularly memorable experience.

The Slovenian superstar has never hidden his fondness for the Belgrade red-and-whites, which has always earned him the respect of Zvezda fans. Because of this, he never personally perceived his visits to Belgrade as the "hottest" environments, though he acknowledges others might feel differently.

"I'd probably say Crvena Zvezda, but not because of me. They loved me there, so for me, it wasn't like that," Dončić stated.

When discussing Dončić's matchups against Zvezda, many immediately recall Luka's game-winning three-pointer over Ognjen Dobrić in the final seconds, securing a Real Madrid victory at Aleksandar Nikolić Hall (82:79).

"That was before the Final Four, so it was a nice play. It's very tough to play in that arena."

As a Crvena Zvezda fan, Dončić admitted to having mixed feelings after hitting the decisive shot.

"I'm also a fan of that team, so I wondered if I should even celebrate. I didn't really celebrate, but it was a great moment."

He also highlighted games against Panathinaikos in Athens as one of the toughest away fixtures, again recalling the 2018 EuroLeague playoff clash against the Greek giants.

"I also played against Panathinaikos. We played in the quarterfinals and started the game down 0:20, so it was really loud."

Panathinaikos won that game convincingly, 95:76, but Real then secured three consecutive victories, ultimately winning the EuroLeague title in Belgrade.