FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- As the New England Patriots warmed up for Wednesday's practice, coach Bill Belichick was engaged in a long conversation with a visitor. It was former Boston Celtics forward Dino Radja.

Croatian roots link Belichick and Radja.

"He's a great guy," Belichick said Thursday morning. "It was good to have him around."

Dino Redja, shown blocking out Horace Grant in 1995, probably would be good at blocking field goals at 6-foot-11. Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images

Was Belichick scouting the 6-foot-11 Radja for the field-goal-block team?

"Yeah, he'd be good, wouldn't he?" Belichick said lightly, before smiling when asked how his neck was feeling after looking up at Radja during the lengthy conversation Wednesday.

Radja was drafted by the Celtics in 1989, played overseas, and then played for the Celtics from 1993-97. A two-time Olympic silver medalist, he retired from basketball in 2003, became the president of his hometown team (KK Split of the A-1 Liga) and now holds a position with the Croatian Basketball Federation.