Vasilije Micic just proclaimed Euroleague champion with Anadolu Efes, a team he has led to the maximum continental title as Final Four and regular season MVP. The 27-year-old Serbian star conveniently reaches this end of the year as free agent in full maturity and with the wave of success pushing him behind his back.
In the disturbed basketball ocean, the player already hears the first siren songs from different latitudes. The real Madrid, what already tried to tie him in 2019, does it from this side of the Atlantic, while several NBA franchises are already asking for the price of the Serbian, chosen in the 52nd in the 2014 Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers.
Micic’s rising price, more than justified after his incredible season with Efes, was claimed a couple of days ago by his agent Misko Raznatovic in an interview with the Novosti Online portal: “He is ready to be an NBA player, but I’m not sure it will be like this next season. I will not allow him to go to be all the time on the bench, as happened to Spanoulis. He will go to the NBA when all is well. It may be this year, or it may not. Everything is open, if the NBA is not fair to him, he will have to wait another year”.
Micic’s NBA rights have had a good ride since the 2014 Draft. His original pick was destined for the Grizzlies, who traded him to the Cavaliers, who in turn moved the pick to Philadelphia. On December 8, 2020, the Sixers transferred Micic’s rights to the Thunder, where the Serbian should play if he wants to make the jump to the American league.
Oklahoma City is a team in the middle of rebuilding. Their hopes for the future are pinned on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, 22, and players like Lu Dort and Darius Bazley. They are also there Gabriel Deck, ex of Madrid, and Alexey Pokusevsky, another promising Serbian as young as 19 years old.
The team was one of the worst in the NBA with a record of 22 wins and 50 losses in the regular season, and that will give them options to seize the rights to Jalen Suggs, Davion Mitchell, Jalen Green o Moses Moody en el Draft 2021, all outside players with enormous projection.
Micic, who comes from the highest in Europe, should handle a difficult transition in a secondary market in the United States with an uncompetitive team and full of young talents in their position. That perspective probably makes the player doubt, who was not blunt when asked after the Cologne final.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t give you a headline.”Micic told reporters when asked about his NBA prospects. “I am aware of the rumors, and there is something brewing, but I have not made any decisions yet.”
The Serbian player now has a difficult summer to make a decision that can mark his career. He seems to ask for guarantees, good pay and options to compete for titles. This equation does not rule out, for example, a renovation with Anadolu Efes, where he has felt at home for the last three years.
“The season is ending soon, and sooner rather than later I will have to make a decision “, Micic settled before the media displaced to Germany. The siren songs are sharpened these days in the Serbian’s house.
