By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
A productive week for Igokea m:tel continues with the addition of Montenegrin center Zoran Nikolic to the 2023-24 squad.
Nikolic, 27, playing for ESSM Le Portel made his way to 33 games of France’s Betclic Elite LNB Pro A throughout the 2022-23 season. He tallied 6.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.6 blocks per contest.
After a one-year break from club continental action, he will debut in the Basketball Champions League with Igokea. Previous experience of four appearances in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and 66 in the 7DAYS EuroCup was generated by the lengthy spell at Buducnost VOLI.
As a member of Buducnost and Mega Bemax, he also competed in AdmiralBet ABA League logging 142 games played from 2016 to 2022. Nikolic will resurface in the regional league with the team based in Laktasi.
The youth product of Joventut Badalona has also represented Montenegro at both senior and junior levels. His senior career carries a notable highlight of four brief showings in the 2022 EuroBasket versus larger roles in the Qualifiers of the 2019 FIBA World Cup, 2022 EuroBasket, and 2023 FIBA World Cup over the last six years.
Since being crowned Bosnia and Herzegovina champion for the ninth time in team history to conclude the 2022-23 campaign in late May, Igokea confirmed the additions of explosive point guard Stefan Moody and Bosnian forward Edin Atic. The first offseason move was re-signing 29-year-old Haris Delalic for the next two seasons.
Photo Credit: FIBA.BASKETBALL