By Semih Tuna/ Stuna@eurohoops.net
Vasilje Micic will have the chance in the upcoming EuroLeague season to chase a historic three-peat with Anadolu Efes, he talked to Eurohoops about his motivation during his visit to Athens for the Pavlos Giannakopoulos tournament, but the big question remains.
Why he is not part of the NBA with the NBA GMs considering him one of the top players outside the League? Micic gave his answer in Istanbul, during the Anadolu Efes media day, giving a really honest perspective about his NBA ambitions and also about everything that happened during the summer.
So why he has not yet joined an NBA team yet: “I really don’t have a specific answer. I don’t want to repeat myself, I’ll be honest. I have a desire to go to the NBA, but as you can see, things are not going well. I always prioritize basketball in my decisions.”
However, Micic feels that the NBA teams should approach him with a solid plan for him on their rotation with money coming second: “It makes sense, but if I ever find myself in the NBA, it’s definitely not going to be because of the money. What I’m looking for is to find an opportunity in a team. I’m looking for one team, I’m not meeting with 11 teams. I’m looking for an opportunity to show people that I can play. I’m not going there to show someone that I can dribble, that I can shoot. I am 28 years old. If someone likes me, ok, if they don’t, they don’t but I can’t go there and explain myself. I can’t say, ‘You know, I can play pick-n-roll, I can read the game.
The main issue for me is the trust of the team in me. Talking about OKC, they have my rights and I have the desire to go there, but maybe our opinions are conflicting. They want to develop their players and build a young team with all those great young guys they have. Maybe there is no space for me. Maybe the playoff candidates who want me can find a loophole and get me, but that’s out of my hands. I can’t go out there and say to them, ‘Look, I’m a good player, take me”. It’s up to them”.
Simply put, at this stage of his career, Micic believes that there must be a level of trust in him from any NBA team which wants to sign him: “What I mean is, I don’t want to force anything. It should evolve in its natural course. Afterward, it is my responsibility to prove myself and show my quality. I can’t promise anything, and they don’t have to promise me either, but the basics must be in common. There must be will and desire from both sides. We’ll see. Things were close to being finalized this summer as well, but nothing happened at the end because as you can see, a lot of things need to settle down. I’m still up for it and dedicating myself to it. I have a contract for one more year, we’ll see”.
On the other hand, Micic frankly admits that he hasn’t received yet any official offer from any NBA team and he hasn’t spoken to any coach or GM that in theory wanted him.
“To be honest, I haven’t personally spoken to anyone”, Micic said with his teammate on the Serbian national team and NBA MVP Nikola Jokic explaining to him that if an NBA team really wants him in a meaningful role, then he will also get offered a meaningful contract.
“From what I heard from my agents, there were rumors about some teams. Some teams were interested in me. As far as I understand, people there are hesitant to give me the role that I want. I was talking to Jokic, he’s the best player out there. He said to me, ‘it doesn’t matter who you are when you’re there, what matters is the role you get, whether they will sign you. That’s how they look at you and show their confidence in this way. If they want you there, they should show their desire in these ways I mentioned. If they do that, it’s a good sign. And above all, we have to prove ourselves on the court, going there on these teams that they have a desire to give you an opportunity,’ he said. I have not received any official confirmation about their interest from those teams this summer.”