By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
The NBA and becoming a draft selection remains the goal for the former Gonzaga star and current player of Mega Soccerbet, Filip Petrusev. The Serbian club is a powerhouse in terms of players completing a successful NBA draft bid.
“The primary reason was the fact that Mega has become a real factory that produces players for the NBA, and the best league in the world is my goal and life dream,” the promising youngster said in an interview shared on Mega’s official site, “I don’t think the way the game is played at Gonzaga would have allowed me to express all my offensive skills and I wouldn’t have been able to get to the level I wanted.”
Nikola Jokic certainly highlights the list of Mega players selected in past drafts. Add Goga Bitadze, Vlatko Cancar, Nemanja Dangubic, Ognjen Jaramaz, Alpha Kaba, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, Vasilije Micic, Milovan Rakovic, Marko Simonovic, Rade Zagorac, and Ivica Zubac in the pack continuously growing in recent years.
“With my agent and the people from the club, I estimated that it was the best decision for me at this moment. I started the season well and I’m simply in no hurry,” he further explained, “I am 20 years old and with these conditions in Mega, I can develop and that is why I am convinced that there will be no problems with my draft in the future.”
Petrusev spent a couple of seasons in the NCAA with Gonzaga. He went for 6.5 points and 2.7 rebounds per game in his freshman campaign and as a regular starter improved to 17.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per match last season. Back in Europe, he has been rocking the ABA League with a league-high average of 26.7 PIR and also leads in scoring with 23.1 points per contest. His 7.3 rebounds per ABA tilt are good enough for fourth place overall.
“The atmosphere there is different, the players are not in the first place, while in Mega all of that is harmonized,” the Serbian big said describing his new home, “There is no doubt that I made the right choice, among other things, because I have one game a week on the schedule, which leaves me room for quality training. I immediately realized that’s what was necessary for me to further improve my game.”
He missed some games and the chance to represent Serbia at the senior level in the recent FIBA window consisting of 2022 EuroBasket Qualifiers due to a positive coronavirus test. Right off being sidelined, he recently returned to action posting 32 points and eight rebounds in a win versus Split.
“For now, everything is going better than I expected or could have imagined at all,” he mentioned, “I have freedom on the court, I do everything that will help me become a better player. I have great support from the coaches, who are really outstanding and my game has been raised to a higher level. I have good minutes, I completely found myself in Mega’s system and the system of coach Vlada Jovanovic, who I know from before and with whom I had great cooperation on the junior national team with which we won gold at the European Championship in Slovakia.”
“The setting of the game with two tall players suits me, in tandem with Marko Simonovic whom I complement with very well, as well as Mega’s style with a lot of running and transition plays,” he added, “In such a system, I can be productive and the numbers confirm that. I play with a lot of self-confidence, I don’t think about mistakes, I’m focused only on the court, and that is when you can provide your best.”