By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Aiming to provide a boost to Serbia in upcoming international fixtures, Vasilije Micic backpedaled to earlier in the offseason and developments regarding his NBA status. The Anadolu Efes star talked to the news outlet Sport Klub.
“The deadline was on 20 July and I did not change teams,” he confirmed the time constraint on moving his talents to the NBA this summer, per Google Translate, “I stayed at Efes. But even before the deadline, I was at peace with any possible development. Everything is so good for me, I wouldn’t want to say something and possibly damage my relationship with the team.”
Happy to stay at Anadolu Efes, Micic was the Final Four MVP on both ends of the back-to-back Turkish Airlines EuroLeague championships. In 2021, he was named season MVP as well. Coming up next will be a chance for a third straight title in Europe’s premier club continental competition. The Istanbul giant will compete in domestic competitions as well aiming to return to the top of Turkey’s BSL after falling short in the 2022 Playoffs.
“The next step would be the NBA. It did not happen but I am calm with everything,” he added, “I felt some doubt from the NBA. That doubt expands to everybody in a similar position, not me exclusively. Unless you are Nikola Jokic or Luka Doncic.”
Coming out of Mega Vizura in 2014, he was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the 52nd pick of the NBA draft. His NBA rights were acquired by the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2020. Meanwhile, he emerged as a dominant player in Europe after joining Efes in 2018, following stints at Zalgiris, Tofas, Crvena Zvezda Telekom, and FC Bayern Munich.
“I really don’t think I need to prove myself there,” he suggested previewing a potential move to the NBA in the future, “The current situation is good for me. If I go to the NBA one day, it will happen or it won’t.”
In 2021-22, he tallied 18.2 points, 4.6 assists, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per EuroLeague contest, and 17.4 points, 5.4 assists, 2.6 rebounds, and 0.6 steals per BSL game.
Micic, 28, is currently in Serbia’s training camp. The senior national team of his country is preparing to play in the 2022 EuroBasket in September and also begin the second and final found of the 2023 FIBA World Cup European Qualifiers in late August.
Photo Credit: EuroleagueBasketball.net