NBA player Jason Williams shared a story on the Flagrant podcast about the treatment of rookies on the Memphis Grizzlies team, specifically mentioning an incident involving former Croatian national team player Gordan Giricek. According to Williams, Giricek was made to put his clothes into a large laundry container after training and was then left naked in the container filled with ice and water for about three hours. However, Giricek denied these claims in an interview with Večernji, stating that the story was fabricated and threatening legal action against Williams for spreading lies and tarnishing his name.
Giricek acknowledged that rookies were subjected to pranks and jokes, but emphasized that there was a limit to such behavior, especially in a team with a real leader. He also noted that while it was common for rookies to carry items or perform tasks like singing during team presentations, there was a clear boundary when it came to personal items like deodorants and perfumes. Despite their differences, Giricek wished Williams good luck and emphasized the importance of fairness and accuracy in storytelling.