Duje Draganja: Sellout or just misunderstood?

He actually pulls in $4333 more every month—swimming basically paid for his entire education at Berkeley (everything was covered, plus he gets a decent little stipend on top), and he’s got a massive lineup of sponsors back home (maybe over there too, honestly I can't be sure)... plus, he definitely has access to the absolute best training setups, gear, supplements, and all that good stuff...

Look, I get it, anyone would want to aim higher in life—if he wants to go swim for Bahrain, hey, good for him. It's his call. But I just keep hearing this constant talk about "making the most of what you've got"...

edit: correcting my own netocan info here: from his local club, he gets $4.25 net per month, and all they really ask is that he competes in the US National Championships. On top of that, he receives a scholarship and meal allowance from HOO. When you crunch the numbers, it adds up to about $6.75 in pure cash every month. A million dollars is a lot—way, way more, I totally agree

Rachel Brooks63 said:He gets a monthly $4333 stipend, swimming basically paid for his entire education at Berkeley—everything covered, plus he gets some pocket money—plus he’s got a stack of sponsors back home (maybe over there too, honestly who knows), and he definitely has access to top-tier training facilities, gear, supplements, you name it...

I get that anyone would want more out of life—if he wants to swim for Bahrain, good for him—but all I hear is this constant "bread before circuses" nonsense...

It is netocan to say that Berkley Draganja is just getting extra cash. The money he receives is strictly meant to cover housing and meal plans—if you manage to save anything from that, it means you're either skimping on food, found a dirt-cheap apartment, or you're sharing a room with a roommate. Look, NCAA rules are strict: you can't give an athlete anything that isn't part of their official scholarship, and that scholarship covers tuition, books, room, and board. It's the same deal with sponsors—he CANNOT take money from them; he can't even take a free pen, literally. So, there is no such thing as "legal" pocket money. And illegal money? Even less likely, because NCAA penalties for the university are brutal. Sure, he has amazing training conditions, but that's because he's in the US—it has nothing to do with us. Also, once he finishes school (not sure if he has yet), his connection to Berkeley ends—unless he sticks around for a Master's or something. $4333 is just a decent American salary. Nothing more. He's world-class, and yeah, he deserves to be compensated accordingly.

placidcanyon16 said:Give me a break, people. You’re being ridiculous. If you consider that Duje is one of the premier athletes in his sport, isn't it absurd that he only gets $2333 a month? Compare that to a top executive at a major corporation—it's a joke. And he IS one of the best. I'm not saying the USOPC should be paying him more because we aren't an economy that can afford it; I'm saying the man has the right to make whatever decision he feels is financially and personally sound, even if that means changing his citizenship. We keep patting ourselves on the back for the success of American women's volleyball from a decade ago, while forgetting that our national team was basically built around three elite players from Russia...
Duje competes in a sport where he can't secure his future the way an average soccer player or a decent basketball player can. Comparing him to them is hypocritical.

Regarding scholarships, any American athlete who is a potential Olympian receives a stipend. This isn't something exclusive to Duje. And when he takes a scholarship to Berkeley, America gains nothing.

Honestly, everyone here is playing the moralist, but what's actually showing is just pure American envy. And for those of you who had your ticket to the USA back in '91—are you certain you still believe you made the right call back then?

🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏

placidcanyon16 said:It’s true that Duje Draganja gets an allowance at Berkeley. That cash he gets is just meant to cover his room and board. If he manages to save anything, it means he’s either skimping on meals, found a dirt-cheap apartment, or is splitting a room with a roommate. See, NCAA rules don't allow athletes to take anything that isn't an official scholarship—and the school handles those payments for tuition, books, housing, and food. Same goes for sponsors—he CANNOT accept money from any sponsors. He can't even take a free pen, seriously. So there's no such thing as "legal" pocket money. And illegal money? Even less likely because the NCAA penalties for the university would be brutal. Sure, he probably has top-tier training facilities available to him in the US, but I don't see what America gets out of that. Once he finishes college (not sure if he has yet), he has nothing left with Berkeley unless he sticks around for a Master's or something. $4333 is just a decent American salary. Nothing more. And he's elite. He deserves to be compensated for it.

Let him win some gold or smash some world records, then we'll talk about sponsors and real money.
You think brands like Adidas, Arena, or Speedo won't be fighting tooth and nail to sponsor an Olympic champion or a 100m freestyle world record holder?
You can make money through results, not just by swimming for some rich guys in Bahrain and stuff.

placidcanyon16 said:$4333 is just one decent American swimmer. Nothing more, nothing less.

😂

Man, where have you been living?

The whole thing with Duje is really about whether he wants to head over to Bahrain for the money or stay true to his American roots.

But honestly—if he does take the deal—he shouldn't even be representing us anymore... because then he'll basically be Bahraini. And frankly, I couldn't care less how they perform in the pool anyway...

placidcanyon16 said:Honestly, people, this is getting ridiculous. When you consider that Duje is easily one of the elite athletes in his field, isn't it just absurd how little he's getting? $2333 Monthly? If you compare that salary to what a top executive at a major corporation like ExxonMobil pulls in, the figure is honestly laughable, isn't it? And this is one of the best in the business. Now, I’m not suggesting that HOO should be carving out a massive increase just because they can—we simply don't live in an economy that can afford such excesses. My point is more about agency. A person should have the right to make decisions that make sense for them, both financially and personally, even if that means changing their citizenship to find better opportunities. We tend to pat ourselves on the back over the successes of American women's volleyball from a decade ago, conveniently forgetting that our national roster was largely built around three elite players from Russia.
Duje is playing a sport where you can't exactly bank on a massive payday to secure your future, unlike what an average football player or even a decent basketball player could pull off. Because of that, comparing him to those guys is just pure hypocrisy.

When it comes to athletic scholarships, any American athlete with Olympic potential can land one. This isn't some exclusive perk reserved just for Duje. As for those scholarship offers from Berkeley, the US doesn't have much to say about that.

Honestly, everyone here is acting like such a moralist, but let’s be real—it’s just pure American envy coming through. And for those of you who had your tickets to the States back in '91—are you actually certain you still believe you made the right call back then?

Your reasoning is frankly pathetic, and honestly, that’s all it deserves. By your logic, nobody should represent America unless they’re some wealthy pro athlete in the NFL or the NBA. You might as well tell everyone to just pack up and move to Bahrain so they can change their names to Abdul El Bajrami. 🙄

I live and work here in the States.

I see where you're going with this, but let me be clear: Duje isn't just some average guy—he's easily one of the best out there. And if you actually bother to look at who tops the ranks in their respective fields across America, you'll realize that $4333 is a total non-issue.

placidcanyon16 said:I see where you're coming from, but seriously—Duje isn't just some average Joe, he’s legitimately one of the best out there. And if you look at where the top-tier professionals land in their fields here in the States, you'll realize this is $4333 peanuts.

So, what does everyone else in the American swimming circuit actually make?

It’s pretty obvious to all of us that Duje makes a killing from swimming alone... he just wants more. Now he’s finally got a shot to grab it, and honestly, it's just his own gut and character that'll decide which way he leans...

Just hope he doesn't end up paying for it five years down the road—back home in my neighborhood, they totaled my car once...

Paul Martinez3 said:Your logic is absolute garbage—honestly, it deserves nothing less. By your reasoning, nobody should represent America unless they’re some wealthy pro athlete in the NBA or NFL. Might as well just move to Bahrain and change your name to Abdul El Bajrami while you're at it. 🙄

The point of my post wasn't about who decides to play for any specific American national team... it was about the hypocrisy of trashing a guy for making a choice that secures his future—choosing what is clearly the most optimal path for him right now, even if that means changing citizenship. And it's even more hypocritical that half of you claim you wouldn't take a million dollars to do the same!!!

Give me a break. Go tell that story to someone else. Look, maybe it’s hard for you to put yourselves in Duje's shoes, but let’s frame it this way: someone offers you a million dollars to work as an accountant—since you're all top-tier, highly sought-after accountants—for a firm in, say, Germany... but there's a catch: you have to renounce your current citizenship and take theirs. Ha! Would you actually turn that down? I don't see why Duje shouldn't have the right to change his nationality just because he plays a sport, unlike "regular" people who scramble for American, Australian, or any Western European citizenship the moment an opportunity arises to secure a better life for themselves and their families. Why did Pesalov take our citizenship? Why did those Russian volleyball players do the same back in the 90s? We love to brag about others' successes, yet we can't stand it when someone tells us to our faces that things aren't good enough here—that someone else simply offers better conditions. No, we aren't the best at many things, and until we admit that, we'll never get there.

Rachel Brooks63 said:And how much are the other swimmers in America actually getting paid?

It’s obvious to everyone that Duje makes an incredible amount of money from swimming—serious money—but he’s clearly looking for more. Now that he’s been handed this opportunity to actually secure it, his character will be the only thing that determines which way he leans...

I just hope they don't end up paying for this five years down the line—after all, I had my car totaled back in Chicago...

I have no clue what the pay scale looks like for other swimmers in America, nor do I know exactly what Draganja is pulling in—but for now, I’m just taking the figures being thrown around here on the forum at face value...

The point is this: some average soccer player in some mediocre American league makes several times more than Duje Draganja—and Duje is performing at a world-class level. Rachel Brooks63, what does that look like to you? To me, it’s a massive injustice. If Duje were a soccer player, and if he were even half as successful as he is as a swimmer, he’d be a multi-millionaire. Instead, he earns—I'll say it again—a decent American salary. Look, Duje has every right to profit from his craft. If he can change his citizenship to represent a country that actually pays him what he's worth, then good for him... he should absolutely do it. And if someone in a place like Miami decides to smash his car five years from now because of that decision, well... that says a lot more about us than it does about him.

Feuerfuchs said:He's probably gonna wreck his own car just like he did that sponsored Mazda RX8.😁

Man, he doesn't even have sponsors... you can tell by how he basically has to swim all the way to Bahrain just to afford gas for his ride!!!

I mean, seriously, why would any sponsor ever give him a car?

If he walks away, his soul is basically sold... it's as simple as that...

If he decides to go compete for Bahrain or some other country just because they’re throwing massive amounts of money at him, he’s nothing more than a mercenary. That’s how Americans will see him, and that’s how the Bahrainis will see him too.

Man, there’s really no point in trying to be the smartest person in the room here. I suppose he’s entitled to walk away and grab that cash if he wants to, and honestly, I think I’m just as entitled to be annoyed by him for doing it. Then again, at the end of the day, why should he care what I or anyone else thinks? Ultimately, the world isn't going to stop spinning. At least, not because of Draganja.

placidcanyon16 said:I have no clue what other swimmers in America are making, and I don't know exactly what Draganja pulls in, but I’m taking the numbers being thrown around on this forum as gospel.

The bottom line is this: some average soccer player in some mediocre American league makes several times more than Duje Draganja, even though Duje is world-class. Rachel Brooks63, what does that look like to you? To me, it looks like a massive injustice. If Duje were a soccer player—and if he were as successful as he is in the pool—he’d be a multi-millionaire. Instead, he’s earning, again, a decent American salary. Look, Duje has every right to profit from his craft. If he can secure his financial future by changing his citizenship and competing for a country that actually pays him what he's worth, then good for him. Go for it. And if someone in Los Angeles decides to smash his car five years from now because of it, that says way more about us than it does about him.

I hear you. I touched on his perspective briefly in my previous post, but when you step back and look at the big picture, is a million dollars really worth moving to another country and swimming under a different flag? It isn't. And I’m not saying this from some patriotic standpoint. First off, money can be spent; he probably intends to come back and live here eventually anyway. Personally, I don't care what he does with his life, but people aren't going to forget this.

And they have every right to be annoyed. As for your childish comparison to soccer players and basketball players, we shouldn't be trying to fix things by making sure every athlete gets paid like a pro baller. We should be bringing the soccer players down to the level of "regular athletes" instead of treating them like untouchable superstars. It’s like how they do it in Norway, where a striker for Rosenborg earns the same as a top-tier track star.

As far as Duje is concerned, he’s already ahead of 70% of Americans when it comes to having a future:

1) He’s an elite swimmer.

2) He’s graduating from a top-tier university.

Not to mention, he’s likely in the top 99.9% of his peers, not just because of his talent, but because of his income. But no, Duje wants that million euros.

So go ahead, kid. Good luck to you!

Let's focus on the actual heavy hitters regarding this massive transition😉

What's the new name gonna be?😁 ...got any ideas?

What size dress are we looking at?😁

The turban—stark white or something colorful?

And does the rug come with the move? If so, what color?

Keep 'em coming.😁

placidcanyon16 said:The point of my post wasn't about who chooses to play for any American national team or not. It was that attacking someone for doing what seems like the most optimal move for his own future—even if that means changing citizenship—is hypocritical. And it's even more hypocritical that most people here claim they wouldn't accept a million dollars to do the same!!!

Spare me. Tell that to someone else. Sure, it might be hard to put yourselves in Duje's shoes, but look at it this way: someone offers you a million dollars to work as an accountant—since you're all top-tier accountants and in such high demand—for a firm in, say, Germany, but you have to switch your citizenship to get it. Would you turn it down? I don't see why Duje shouldn't have the right to change his citizenship just because he's an athlete, unlike us "regular" folks who scramble for American, Australian, or any Western European citizenship the moment an opportunity arises to secure a better life for our families. Why did Pesalov take our citizenship? Why did Russian volleyball players do the same in the 90s? We love to brag about others' achievements, yet we can't stand it when someone tells us that things aren't good enough here and that someone else offers better terms. We aren't the best at many things, and until we admit that, we won't improve.

Great post...

Even though D.D. (22) earns a very respectable income from American standards, he’s putting his elite swimming expertise up for auction—just like accountants, coaches, firefighters, translators, and extras everywhere else...
Either way, "every man is the architect of his own fortune," as the old Latin saying goes. But one thing is certain: Draganja won't know the lyrics to the anthem of whatever country he ends up representing. 😁

Brandon Castillo4~ said:Not to mention he’s probably better than 99.9% of guys his age—not just because of the talent, but look at what he's pulling in. But nope, Duje wants a million bucks...

Fine then, kid, go for it! Good luck to ya!

Man, finally... I can actually agree with you 150% here!!!

If he wants out, let him go. Honestly, who cares...

Duje, seriously, man—we can totally handle things without you.👋

I mean, it’s not like Duje is going to go out and finish my degree for me, and I’m certainly not living off his paycheck, so... honestly? I couldn't care less if he decides to swim all the way to Tajikistan or whatever. It's just not my problem.🙂

Honestly, Duje is just a total coward!

(I actually went to school with him!) but seriously—what a joke.🙂