By Cesare Milanti / info@eurohoops.net
Despite not playing one single minute with the franchise which could have been a European centers’ affair next to Domantas Sabonis and Alex Len, Filip Petrusev has been officially moved to the Stockton Kings, Sacramento’s affiliate team in the G-League.
The 23-year-old player was part of the trade that saw James Harden moving to the Los Angeles Clippers, but then the latter team moved him to the Sacramento Kings. The former Gonzaga alumni was selected with the 50th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft by Philadelphia.
Before moving overseas, Filip Petrusev was part of the Serbian national team’s campaign which ended with the silver medal at the 2023 FIBA World Cup, averaging 8.2 points and 3.5 rebounds per game while shooting with great percentages: 76.2% from two, 60.0% from three, and 80.0% at the line.
In last year’s Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, the 23-year-old center was averaging 10.7 points and 5.2 rebounds per game, shooting 59.9% from two-point range. Previously in his career, he shone with Mega Basket in the 2020-21 ABA League, being named the competition’s MVP and Best Rookie.
Then, he found a difficult season with Anadolu Efes in 2021-22, winning the EuroLeague but spending only 9:18 minutes per game on the court with 5.2 points and 1.6 rebounds per game before heading back to Serbia.
PHOTO CREDIT: 2023 FIBA World Cup