Vasilije Micić

Vasilije Micić (Serbian Cyrillic: Василије Мицић, born 13 January 1994) is a Serbian professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He also represents the Serbian national team in international competition. He was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the 52nd overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft.

Vasilije Micić
Micić with Žalgiris Kaunas in 2018
No. 29 – Oklahoma City Thunder
PositionPoint guard / shooting guard
LeagueNBA
Personal information
Born (1994-01-13) 13 January 1994
Kraljevo, Serbia, FR Yugoslavia
Listed height1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Listed weight85 kg (187 lb)
Career information
NBA draft2014: 2nd round, 52nd overall pick
Selected by the Philadelphia 76ers
Playing career2010–present
Career history
2010–2014Mega Vizura
2014–2016Bayern Munich
2015–2016→Crvena zvezda
2016–2017Tofaş
2017–2018Žalgiris Kaunas
2018–2023Anadolu Efes
2023–presentOklahoma City Thunder
Career highlights and awards
Stats  at NBA.com
Stats  at Basketball-Reference.com
Medals
Men's basketball
Representing  Serbia
EuroBasket
Silver medal – second place2017 TurkeyTeam
U19 World Cup
Silver medal – second place2013 Czech RepublicTeam
U18 European Championship
Silver medal – second place2011 PolandTeam

A three-time All-EuroLeague selection, Micić led Anadolu Efes to two EuroLeague titles, for 2021 and 2022, winning the EuroLeague MVP in 2021 as well as both Final Four MVPs.

Junior career

From 2002 to 2006, Micić played for the OKK Beograd youth system. In 2006–07, he played for Crvena zvezda juniors, and then from 2007 to 2010, he played for FMP Železnik juniors.[1]

Professional career

Mega Vizura (2010–2014)

In 2010, Micić signed with Mega Vizura. At the age of 16, he made his Basketball League of Serbia debut, going on to play 35 games in 2010–11. In his first season with the club, he appeared in 35 games of the Serbian League and averaged 8.5 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game. On 22 November 2011, just 8 games into the 2011–12 season, Micić suffered a season-ending knee injury.[2] Over 8 games, he averaged 15.9 points, 5 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game.

In the 2012–13 season, he became a leader with Boban Marjanović of the team which was promoted to the Adriatic League for the first time in the club's history at the end of the season.[3] Over 41 games in the Serbian League, he averaged 11.8 points and 5 assists per game.

On 6 June 2013, Micić signed a two-year contract extension with Mega Vizura.[4] On 8 April 2014, he broke his hand which sidelined him off the court for one month.[5] In his first ABA League season, he averaged 12.1 points, 3.2 rebounds and 5.8 assists over 25 games.

Bayern Munich and loan to Crvena Zvezda (2014–2016)

On 4 August 2014, Micić signed a two-year deal with an option for one more season with the German team Bayern Munich.[6][7] On 28 November 2014, in a EuroLeague game against Panathinaikos, he partially ruptured collateral ligament in his right elbow and was expected to miss six weeks of play.[8] He appeared in 32 games of the German League averaging 7 points and 3.3 assists per game. He also made a debut in the 2014–15 Euroleague, but appeared in only 6 games and averaging 7.5 points per game.

With the start of 2015–16 season, his playing time furtherly decreased in Bayern. In mid-season, on 27 December 2015, Micić was loaned to Crvena zvezda for the rest of the 2015–16 season.[9] He appeared in 17 games of the 2015–16 Euroleague for Crvena zvezda, averaging 5.5 points and 3.6 assists per game. With loan being ended, Micić was released by Bayern on 25 July 2016. [10]

Tofaş (2016–2017)

On 26 July 2016, Micić signed with Turkish BSL club Tofaş for the 2016–17 Basketbol Süper Ligi season.[11] In 24 games with Tofaş, Micić averaged 13.2 points, 3.9 assists and 2.7 rebounds while shooting 46% from the field.

Žalgiris Kaunas (2017–2018)

On 15 June 2017, Micić signed a two-year contract with the Lithuanian club Žalgiris Kaunas.[12] Žalgiris Kaunas had a historic season in which it won yet another Lithuanian League championship and qualified to EuroLeague Final Four tournament. In 2018 EuroLeague Final Four, it lost to the Fenerbahçe Basketball in the semifinal and won in the third-place game against the CSKA Moscow. Over 36 in 2017–18 EuroLeague season, Micić averaged 7.7 points, 4.2 assists, and 2.2 rebounds per game. After the season, Micić along with his teammate Kevin Pangos parted ways with the team.[13]

Anadolu Efes (2018–2023)

On 20 June 2018, Micić signed a two-year contract with Turkish club Anadolu Efes.[14] In 2018–19 season, Micić led his team to the 2019 EuroLeague Final Four, where they lost in the final game to the CSKA Moscow. Over 37 games in 2018–19 EuroLeague season, he averaged career-highs of 12.1 points, 5.5 assists, and 2.2 rebounds per game.

On 25 May 2019, Micić signed two-year contract extension with Anadolu Efes.[15] On 10 August 2020, his agent confirmed that he was returning to the team for the 2020-21 season, rather than try for the NBA.[16]

By the end of his 2020–21 EuroLeague campaign, Micić became just the fourth EuroLeague player of all-time to score at least 100 two-pointers, 70 threes, and 100 free throws in a single season. He also became the first player ever to have made more than 132 two-pointers while making at least 70 triples and 100 free throws. For his major performances all season long, Micić was named to the All-EuroLeague First Team, and received the EuroLeague MVP award.[17][18][19] As well, Micić and his fellow Serbian countryman Nikola Jokić became the first-ever pair of players from the same country to be awarded both NBA MVP and EuroLeague MVP honors in the same season.[20][21] On 30 May 2021, he led his team to their first Euroleague Championship and was named the EuroLeague Final Four MVP.[22][23] Over 40 EuroLeague games, he averaged then-career-high 16.7 points per game.

Over 34 games of the 2021–22 EuroLeague season, Micić averaged season-leading and career-high 18.2 points (for which he received the Alphonso Ford EuroLeague Top Scorer Trophy), 4.6 assists and 2.7 rebounds per game. Micić won back-to-back EuroLeague title with Anadolu Efes, after scoring the winning three-pointer in the 2022 EuroLeague Final Four semifinal game against Olympiacos,[24] and later scoring 23 points in the final game against Real Madrid. For his performances, he was once again named the EuroLeague Final Four MVP.

Oklahoma City Thunder (2023–present)

In June 2014, alongside his teammates Nemanja Dangubić and Nikola Jokić, Micić attended the Eurocamp, a basketball camp based in Treviso for the NBA draft prospects. He impressed scouts, putting 14 points and 10 assists in 25 minutes of the game.[25] In March 2014, Micić confirmed that he would enter the 2014 NBA draft.[26][27] On 26 June 2014, Micić was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the 52nd overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft.[28] On December 8th, 2020, the 76ers traded Micić's draft rights to the Oklahoma City Thunder alongside Al Horford and the rights to Théo Maledon for Danny Green, Vincent Poirier and Terrance Ferguson.[29] On 17 July 2023, Micić signed a contract with the Thunder.[30]

National team career
See also: 2017 Serbia men's EuroBasket team

In 2011, Micić won a silver medal with the Serbian U18 team at the 2011 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship. In 2013, he again won a silver medal with the Serbian U19 team at the 2013 FIBA Under-19 World Cup, where he was to the All-Tournament Team.[31][32] In the same year, he debuted for the senior Serbian national team at the EuroBasket 2013 in Slovenia,[33] where he averaged 4.4 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game.[34]

Micić also represented Serbia at the EuroBasket 2017, where they won the silver medal, after losing in the final game to Slovenia.[35]

At the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup, the national team of Serbia was dubbed as favorite to win the trophy,[36] but was eventually upset in the quarterfinals by Argentina.[37] With wins over the United States and Czech Republic, it finished in fifth place.[38][39] Micić averaged 5.6 points, 1.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists over 8 games.

Personal life

Vasilije's sister, Nina, is a professional snowboarder.[40]

Career statistics
Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  PIR  Performance Index Rating
 Bold  Career high  †  Won a EuroLeague championship *  Led the league

EuroLeague
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG PIR
2014–15 Bayern 6118.0.450.200.8751.53.2.5.07.56.8
2015–16 406.2.000.0001.000.8.8.5.3.5-1.0
Crvena zvezda 17117.4.341.361.7241.83.6.2.25.55.0
2017–18 Žalgiris 36*1022.4.432.355.7072.24.2.9.07.78.6
2018–19 Anadolu Efes 37*3028.2.474.371.8192.25.51.0.112.413.9
2019–20 242230.6.467.397.9642.55.81.3.014.516.0
2020–21† 403429.6.489.389.8652.64.91.2.016.717.5
2021–22† 342630.2.461.339.8542.74.61.1.018.2*17.5
2022–23 312931.3.435.357.8693.25.40.90.116.017.4
Career 22915527.1.455.364.8422.44.81.0.112.713.8

See also

References
  1. "BeoBasket :: VASILIJE MICIĆ". BeoBasket.net. Archived from the original on 3 November 2013. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
  2. "VASILIJE MICIC INJURED KNEE LIGAMENT". BeoBasket.net. 24 November 2011. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
  3. "Kako je Miško stvorio mali mega klub". mozzartsport.com (in Serbian). 9 June 2013. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
  4. "Vasilije Micic extends his contract with Mega Vizura". Sportando.com. 6 June 2013. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
  5. "Micić out for a month or more". abaliga.com. 8 April 2014. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
  6. "BAYERN VERPFLICHTEN SERBISCHEN NATIONALSPIELER VASILIJE MICIC". fcb-basketball.de (in German). 4 August 2014. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  7. "FC Bayern Munich lands young guard Micic". Euroleague.net. 4 August 2014. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  8. "SECHS WOCHEN PAUSE FÜR VASILIJE MICIC". fcb-basketball.de (in German). 30 November 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
  9. "Saopštenje KK Crvena zvezda Telekom". KKCrvenazvezda.rs (in Serbian). 27 December 2015. Retrieved 27 December 2015.
  10. "Bayern Munich released Vasilije Micic". Sportando.com. 25 July 2016. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
  11. "VASILIJE MICIC TOFAŞ'TA". tofasspor.com (in Turkish). 26 July 2016. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
  12. "Vasilije Micic signs with Zalgiris Kaunas". Sportando.com. 15 June 2017. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  13. "Roster Rundown: Zalgiris Kaunas". euroleague.net. 28 September 2019. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  14. "Vasilije Micic Anadolu Efes'te..." www.anadoluefessk.org (in Turkish). 20 June 2018. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  15. "Efes and Micic, two more years". euroleague.net. 25 May 2019. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  16. Borghesan, Ennio Terrasi (10 August 2020). "Anadolu Efes retains Vasilije Micic". Sportando. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  17. "Efes's Vasilije Micic is voted the EuroLeague's 2020-21 season MVP!". Welcome to EUROLEAGUE BASKETBALL. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
  18. "Efes's Micic reaches All-EuroLeague First Team!". Welcome to EUROLEAGUE BASKETBALL. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
  19. Chapman, Ryan. "Vasilije Micic, Who the Thunder Own the Draft Rights for, Named EuroLeague MVP". Sports Illustrated Oklahoma City Thunder News, Analysis and More. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
  20. "Serbia becomes the first country with the NBA and EuroLeague MVP in the same year". eurohoops.net. 9 June 2021. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
  21. "Nikola Jokic wins 2020-21 Kia NBA Most Valuable Player Award". www.nba.com.
  22. "Facts of the Champions: Anadolu Efes Istanbul". Welcome to EUROLEAGUE BASKETBALL. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  23. "Micic is chosen Final Four MVP". Welcome to EUROLEAGUE BASKETBALL. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  24. "Vasilije Micic wins it for Efes at the buzzer". Eurohoops. 19 May 2022. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  25. Pollakof, Brett (9 June 2014). "2014 adidas Eurocamp: Vasilije Micic, Jaylen Brown shine in Day Two action". nbcsports.com. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
  26. "Vasilije Micic will enter his name in the 2014 NBA Draft". sportando.net. 24 March 2014. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
  27. "NBA Announces Early Entry Candidates for 2014 NBA Draft". draftexpress.com. NBA.com. 30 April 2014. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
  28. "Sixers Select McDaniels, Grant, Micic in the Second Round of the 2014 NBA Draft". NBA.com. 27 June 2014. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  29. "Thunder Acquires Al Horford, the Draft Rights to Théo Maledon and Vasilije Micić, and 2025 First-Round Draft Pick". NBA.com. 8 December 2020. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
  30. "Thunder Signs Vasilije Micić". NBA.com. 17 July 2023. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  31. "U19: Micić najbolji plejmejker Prvenstva". MVP.rs (in Serbian). 7 July 2013. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
  32. "Gordon takes MVP honours for champions USA". FIBA.com. 7 July 2013. Archived from the original on 20 July 2014. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
  33. "Duda objavio spisak – bez Teodosića!". rts.rs (in Serbian). 1 September 2013. Retrieved 19 October 2013.
  34. "VASILJE MICIC (SERBIA)". eurobasket2013.org. Archived from the original on 20 October 2013. Retrieved 19 October 2013.
  35. "Slovenia overcome injuries to claim historic title in Dragic's swansong". FIBA.basketball. 17 September 2017. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
  36. Curkovic, Igor (28 August 2019). "FIBA Basketball World Cup Power Rankings, Volume 3". fiba.basketball. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  37. "Argentina upsets Olympic silver medalist Serbia in FIBA World Cup quarterfinals". nbcsports.com. 10 September 2019. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  38. "Serbia defeats USA in FIBA World Cup consolation round play". nba.com. 12 September 2019. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  39. T., P. (14 September 2019). "Bogdanović ponovo briljirao – Srbiji peto mesto u Kini" (in Serbian). Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  40. "Alpine skiing helped Micić a lot in basketball career". ABALiga.com. 11 December 2013. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Vasilije Micić.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.