NBA – Vasilije Micic clearly does not arrive on conquered ground at the Thunder. Like many European stars who join the Big League late.
Nine years after his Draft, in 2014, in 52nd choice by the Sixers, Vasilije Micic will finally be able to taste the NBA. The Serbian leader, double winner of the Euroleague with Efes Istanbul, has just signed a three-year contract (for 23 million dollars) with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Double MVP of the Final Four and MVP of Euroleague that he is, he will be a simple rookie among others next school year. A rookie with a lot of experience and a huge track record on the Old Continent, of course. But at 29, is he not too late in the NBA?
The positive points
A complete striker. Averaging almost 17 points over his last four Euroleague seasons, two of which ended with the trophy largely thanks to his composure in the tense end of matches, Vasilije Micic is a real scoring leader, and seasoned at it. ! Scoring 17 points on average against Euroleague defenses for so long is still irrefutable proof that he is a complete attacker. He can shoot from (very) far from 3-pointers and he is not afraid to challenge the big boys from time to time. He also has the mid-range game which is going well. The big question will be whether he can match the speed and physical impact of NBA defenders?
Un expert du pick & roll. Euroleague leader since 2014, with a rise in power from his return to the Red Star of Belgrade and according to his passage to Zalgiris Kaunas to reach the heights in Istanbul, Vasilije Micic masters the pick & roll on the end of the fingers. Knowing that this is the fundamental action of the NBA game, the neo-Thunder should be able to offer interesting solutions, especially if he manages to develop his chemistry with an interior like Chet Holmgren, or even his compatriot Aleksej Pokusevski!
A clutch shooter. The Thunder came close to the playoffs this year, eliminated in “play in” by the Wolves, and they will remain next season among the youngest teams in the League. With Vasilije Micic, they will have a veteran who is not afraid to take responsibility in hot moments, which he has proven time and time again in the Euroleague, and in important matches! To see obviously if he is empowered, and even on the ground, in these undecided ends of the match. Over the length of the season, we really hope for him because it would probably be the best way for him to make his place in the workforce…
The negative points
What playing time? With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey already firmly established in the back positions, respectively at 35 and 31 minutes on average last season, will the Serbian veteran simply have playing time? And the ball in the hands? This is perhaps the main question for the Serb.
Few hopes historically
. Arrived in the NBA late, at 29, Vasilije Micic does not follow a really promising trajectory if we remember the mediocre passages of Sarunas Jasikevicius (arrived in the NBA at 29 also for less than 7 points, 3 assists on average in two seasons), Milos Teodosic (at 30 for 8 points, 4 assists on average in two seasons) or even Pedrag Danilovic and Arvydas Macijauskas (as mentioned in the local press) before them, Euroleague stars who have never really pierced across the Atlantic. Historically, successful “Euros” arrive in the NBA at age 25 or earlier!
Out of step with the project in place. Like the Latvian Davis Bertans, Vasilije Micic will be one of the rare “thirties” (he will be next January) of the Thunder workforce who continues his youth treatment and intends to rely on his hard core of young people drafted to find the heights. In this long or even very long-term project, the Serb seems above all to be passing through. An attempt, a retouching of the “front office” to balance the workforce. Especially since, despite his age, he can’t really serve as a mentor for his teammates in the NBA…
The review of Errick McCollum
“He is a great talent and I really wish him success, to also show that players who come from Europe can play at this level, but he falls into a difficult situation, unlike Sasha. [Vezenkov à Sacramento] who arrives with a role already defined for him »details Errick McCollum, who Vasilije Micic succeeded in Istanbul, in the Urbonus podcast. “With Shai being a league superstar and Josh Giddey a 6th draft pick who also represents the future, they already have two players who carry the ball a lot. [Micic] can bring to the shooting and in the management of the game, but unfortunately he will not have a lot of playing time.
2023-07-05 17:21:00
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