"I was like, Whoa, this kid can play!" - Dominique Wilkins recalls his first duel with Peja Stokajovic in Greek league

After a short stint with the Boston Celtics, Dominique Wilkins made a quick stop in Greece, where he played for the country's premier basketball league. There, the future NBA Hall of Famer crossed paths with a young and thriving Peja Stojakovic .

During a showdown between Wilkins' Panathinaikos and Peja's PAOK, "The Human Highlight Film" came in with his reputation as one of the greatest scorers the game has ever seen. On the other hand, Stojakovic was gaining popularity as a rising star from Serbia.

To Nique's surprise, Stojakovic proved that he could hoop. Decades have passed, but Wilkins still vividly remembers how Peja left him in awe.

"I was like, Whoa, this kid can play! He was a helluva shooter," Wilkins told Slam of Peja in 2020. "He was young, though, but you could see that he had potential."

Stojakovic was torching Nique

At the time, Wilkins was already in his mid-30s, but people could tell that his acrobatic dunks, relentless scoring prowess, and athleticism were still there. However, they also recognized Peja's impressive skill set. In fact, other NBA players who were also playing in Greece that year bore witness to how the Serbian forward torched Nique.

"[Dominique was] still able to run and jump, still had his shot, but he couldn't keep up with Peja," NBA veteran Lawrence Funderburke recalled. "I remember his facial expressions, too, like, This kid right here can play. Sometimes, you don't have to say anything; it's just the body language."

"I can remember Dominique during the game asking me who this kid was," ex-NBA player Dean Garrett added. "Who is this kid? And I was like, Hey, this guy is pretty good."

Looking back, Wilkins felt Stojakovic respected him as a player. However, he also admitted that his stature never intimidated the youngster.

"He showed a lot of respect, but yeah, he did [go at me]," Wilkins added of Stojakovic. "That's the thing about real competitors. You might idolize a certain person, but at the end of the day, when it's all said and done, hey, we're out here trying to win; we're out here competing. So yeah, he competed."

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Peja became one the best foreign players of all time

After that season, Wilkins returned to the association and joined the San Antonio Spurs. Stojakovic, meanwhile, appeared on the radar of NBA scouts and was drafted by the Sacramento Kings in the same year while still playing in Greece. He then made his NBA debut in 1999.

Peja's unique combination of height, finesse, and sharpshooting quickly made him a valuable asset to the Kings. Along with Germany's Dirk Nowitzki, Stojakovic represented the new wave of international players set to gain popularity on the American stage.

Today, Peja is remembered not only for his epic duel with Wilkins but, more importantly, he helped pave the way for European talent in the NBA.

Related: Peja Stojakovic admits he still has nightmares about crucial airball in Game 7 of the 2002 WCF: "Sometimes I do blame myself"