I‘m a designer and illustrator, but my true idols and inspiration came from basketball. Despite being a Los Angeles Lakers fan, as was the case with many kids growing up in the ‘90s, it all began with Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls and the legendary starting five in which Croatia’s Toni Kukoč also played. Much like drawing, which got under my skin at an early age, watching NBA games, analyzing stats, points, rebounds, and assists at some point became the most important thing in the world. And that was just the beginning, since the marketing boom of the ‘90s and the expansion of brands such as Nike and Reebok contributed to the flourishing of the NBA league, among others in sneaker and jersey design, which subtly brought me closer to my profession; from simplified models like the Air Jordan 6 and 11, typographic Nike Air More Uptempo, expressive pattern on Reebok Shaqnosis and vibrant color palette on Phoenix Suns, illustrations and letterings on Pistons, Hawks and Rockets jerseys, and the bright red guest uniforms of the Chicago Bulls, which served as an accent color on my illustrations. Aside from the game itself, crazy assists, powerful slam dunks and unforgettable games, the basketball world eventually became a good reflection of real, adult life. Legends like Michael Jordan, Dražen Petrović and Kobe Bryant always stressed in their interviews how much they practice. Basketball taught me the need for training in sport is similar to the need to practice drawing and illustrating: if you want to improve a segment — you have to put your reps in. And thus, basketball was no longer only a game, but an inspiration and almost an art of sorts.