By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Reigning EuroLeague Rising Star and ABA League MVP Goga Bitadze was selected with the 18th overall pick by the Indiana Pacers in the 2019 NBA Draft. The Georgian center became the second European player to be picked in the procedure after French forward Sekou Doumbouya, who was picked by the Detroit Pistons.
Bitadze, 19, comes off a more than notable debut EuroLeague campaign. He averaged 12.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.3 blocks and 1.2 assists with Buducnost in 24:12 minutes per game in EuroLeague, numbers that earned him the “Rising Star” award.
In ABA League, Bitadze posted 14.0 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in 22.8 minutes.
On Wednesday (19/6), a photo from the Draft media availability emerged showing media ignoring Bitadze to focus their attention to superstar prospect Zion Williamson. Bitadze said that the incident makes him “more hungry and humble,” while NBA stars advised him to use it as a motivation.