By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Far from a new trajectory, the NBA cherry-picking from European basketball has been the norm over the years, since the pioneers of the Old Continent in their own age of exploration managed to convince fans, teams, and all involved that European stars belong in the league.
The issue carries a bigger impact on young upstarts rushing to display their talents in the NBA, rather than attempting to establish themselves in Europe, and the lack of significant compensation for European clubs.
More experienced players, the likes of Sasha Vezenkov and Vasilije Micic often make the jump on their own terms.
Both paths are risky. Guaranteeing success is impossible in basketball.
At the present time, the NBA is full of international talent. Europeans, specifically, are among the most recognizable stars with household names such as Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Luka Doncic constantly emerging as topics of discussion among the fans.
Adding to the pack, Micic and Vezenkov have plenty in common, from competition at the junior level to huge success in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague in their respective senior careers. Both brilliantly went from late draft selections with a minimal NBA window to earning respectable contracts.
A long time coming, two out of the last three season MVP winners of Europe’s premier club continental competition finally connected to the NBA on the same day, Saturday, 1 July. Not the best day for basketball fans in Europe.
The Vezenkov comeback
Vezenkov, 27, was drafted 57th overall in 2017, during the lackluster spell at FC Barcelona. Moving to Olympiacos in 2018 and reuniting with former Barca head coach Giorgos Bartzokas signaled breakout after breakout performances and campaigns eventually leading to the NBA. Despite starring for the Reds in two straight Final Four berths in 2022 and 2023, he fell short of capturing the EuroLeague title.
Starting his professional career in Aris, the Cyprus-born power forward showed glimpses of a bright future. Slowing down at the Catalonia giant, his determination and talent paved the way to join the Sacramento Kings arguably at the best condition of his career, with confidence peaking and individual skill improvements across the board.
The Micic comeback
Micic, 29, sharing a similar story adds to the connections between the two players. Before joining Anadolu Efes in 2018 and probably not until as a leading performer pushed the Istanbul outfit to a championship contender status in EuroLeague, actually jumping to the NBA would be extremely unlikely. Two EuroLeague championships later, a very different outcome.
Drafted out of Mega Vizura as the 52nd pick in 2014 and contributing to a record-breaking list of players directly connecting the Belgrade outfit to the NBA draft, he went on to play for FC Bayern Munich, Crvena Zvezda Telekom, Tofas, and Zalgiris, before going to Efes. Oklahoma City Thunder fans can expect a seasoned floor general to create various problems on the defenses of opponents, especially in isolation.