Jakub Vrana went all over Prague during his day with the Cup. He had surprise visits from Andre Burakovsky, Michal Kempny, and Jakub Jerabek, but also invited another DC-Czech friend along for the celebrations.
Washington Wizards point guard Tomas Satoransky joined Vrana’s evening party after trying to meet the Capitals forward during the past season.
Satoransky posted a photo with Vrana and the Cup to his Instagram from Wednesday’s celebrations.
Satoransky, born in Prague and a member of the Czech National Team, is the only Czech player in the NBA. Up until yesterday the two had not met in person, but the Cup has brought them together.
In May, Satoransky did an interview with idnes.cz reporter Miroslav Němý where he was asked about his friendship with his fellow Czechs in Washington, especially Vrana.
“We don’t know each other personally, we’ve never met. But we texted each other, I’d like to meet him,” Satoransky said to Němý. “But it’s complicated, our schedules overlap during the season.”
Though basketball season intersects with hockey almost exactly month-to-month, Satoransky has tried to support his fellow countrymen around the league when it works with his schedule.
“I went to see Boston twice, with David Pastrnak and [David] Krejci,” Satoransky said. “Those were interesting for sure, from a Czech’s point of view.”
He didn’t get to catch any of the playoff games in DC this year due to the Wizards postseason happening at the same time.
“I didn’t go [to playoff games in Washington], but in Toronto,” Satoransky said. (The Wizards played the Toronto Raptors in the first round.) “Going to a hockey game in Canada was on my bucket list. And now I’ve done it.”
“I wouldn’t call myself a big fan,” Satoransky said after being asked about being a fan of hockey. “But I’d be ashamed if I didn’t go to our own arena and didn’t support the boys.”
Hockey might have a new super fan in Satoransky after getting to spend the evening with the Stanley Cup.
Headline photo: @tomasatoransky
