Vasilije Micic

In this year’s NBA newcomers, a 6-5, 29-year old point guard who had been playing in Europe since 2010, is perhaps the best foreign player not named Victor Wembanyama.

Playing professional ball for the Turkish Basketball Super League, the Euro League and internationally for the Serbian national basketball team, Vasilije Micic was a 3-time All Euro League selection and led his Anadolu Efes team to the Euro League title in 2021 where he was named league MVP.  He again led the team to another title in 2022 and likewise named MVP.

In June 2014 together with teammates Nikola Jokic and Nemanja Dangubic, they attended a basketball camp for NBA prospects where he impressed scouts. Micic was picked 52nd overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2014 NBA Draft but opted to play in Europe.  In December 2020, his draft rights were acquired by the Oklahoma City Thunder.

In 2021, he and Jokic became the first-ever pair of players from the same country to be both awarded the NBA MVP and the Euro League MVP honors in the same season.

Among the best and one of the more accomplished European players, Micic travelled to Oklahoma a few weeks ago to discuss terms and recently agreed to sign a 3-year, $23.5 million deal with the Thunder.

With several young guards on the roster, we won’t be seeing him start for OKC but, together with the recently signed Victor Oladipo, provide for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luguentz Dort, Josh Giddey and Tre Mann the much needed leadership and veteran presence to this relatively young Thunder squad.

Micic was described as having a high basketball IQ and this should make things better for OKC as he can be an efficient ball distributor and could provide some scoring for the second unit.

It was reported that several teams tried to obtain Micic’s rights during last month’s rookie draft but OKC retained him.

In 31 minutes of Euro League play last season, Micic averaged 16 points, 5.4 assists and 3.2 rebounds per game.