Vanja Marinkovic

#32
since I read this forum, this is a first time I disagree with @ParniValjak

although I do think Vanja will stay in Europe, best thing for him would be to move to G-League.. in my opinion if a player wants to play in NBA, every year he stays in Europe, he is further away from NBA..

it is true that you play more competitive matches in Euroleague (but not like before), than G-League.. but in Europe they prepare you more how to be servicable to a team, than to be a better player as individual.. second thing is that everything, starting from assistant coaches to facilities are on whole another level.. even if you compare it with Fenerbahce, who has maybe best facilities in Europe, it is still slim comparing even to USA college teams..

as for Bogdan and Nedovic.. well Nedovic could not play in GSW, even if he spent 3 years in Europe, he does not have quality to play there.. if he went to for example Orlando or Phoenix, it would maybe be different.. as for Bogdan I also think he will, next and especially season after, after couple of years working in NBA really explode, and he would be much better now, if he went straight after Partizan to NBA..

Bjelica had interview few weeks ago, that if he is now young player he would skip Euroleague and moved to NBA.. because, he said, what he learned in Fenerbahce, did not mean anything to him in NBA.. he was developing as a piece of a system, not as an individual.. until NBA he was not really working on his body..

and also I think problem with Euroleague is that now there are to many matches, and less competitiveness than before.. One third of teams is in play off, and they calculate, one third is out of play offs and they lost edge, and you have 4-5-6 teams that fight for 2-3 spots..

so overall for Vanja would be better to go to G-League, and spends two years working on his body and working more individually on weaknesses, than to spend time in Europe..

but I think he will stay in Europe..
And Teodosić was interviewed by Serbian TV in preparation for World Championship for the series “Zlatni Momci” and he said he left it to late and if had his time over again, he would do what Bogdan did and come over as a 25 year old. Saying by that age you are an established player that has done something in Europe and confident in his game.

Facilities are better in the NBA but facilities don’t make a player. Partizan arguably has some of the worst facilities in Europe but they are a production line of quality players whether in the NBA or European clubs.

On Bjelica, he was a lateish bloomer anyway. He bounced around some crapty Belgian league before Pešić got him to the red star and gave him freedom once they lost their PG.

Nedović might not have played for GSW but if he developed enough, other teams would have traded for him. Scola was drafted by Spurs and traded to Houston because Rockets liked what they saw from his games in Europe. Bertans would have struggled had he not spent time in Europe. Do you think that Marinković would get a chance to play with the Kings with Buddy and Bogdan getting majority of the minutes and likely also playing 2 PG at times? Yeah, I don’t think so. Nedović himself said he should have stayed in Europe for 2-3 years like Bogdan did.

Playing in G-League is not great for development. In Europe, teams stress fundamentals. Player needs to be able to dribble, pass, shoot. In the G-League there is not as much emphasis on this. The numbers would support that a larger number of European teenagers that get drafted and move straight to the NBA, majority did not have productive, long NBA career. Those that stayed 2-4 years and developed themselves playing tough games in Euroleague went on to have productive NBA careers.

Luka is the exception. He was a star in Europe. Mirotić did not come straight over. Neither did Saric, the 2 Bogdanović# etc. Nedović did, Kuzmić did, Miličić did (who also said he should have stayed in Europe for 2-3 years before going to the NBA) and things didn’t end in a great way (though Darko set himself up for life financially but didn’t come close to fulfilling his potential)
 
#33
. On Bjelica, he was a lateish bloomer anyway. He bounced around some crapty Belgian)

Worse, Austrian league. Morning shifts he worked in some bakery and had trainings in evening...

Miličić vas too immature for NBA and living culture on different continent.

Nedović besides low b'ball IQ had issues with poor defence.

Kuzmić is not calibre for NBA... Good rim protector and roll man but lacks muscle
 
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#34
@ParniValjak

I do not want to drag this conversation to much, as it is not main topic.. so I will be super short..

I understand what you are saying, and few years ago I would agree.. but today NBA basketball is very fast and physical, while Euroleague is played in a same pace as it was 10 years ago.. so for a player to be NBA ready is more important to work individually on strength, pace and fundamentals, than to play games and has just have few training sessions per week (as number of matches in Euroleague is now bigger than before)..

of course there is a lot with that does team know what to do with you, some players are lucky, some not.. if I am a GM, development team would not be used just so players can pump up their stats, but it would be used to create players for NBA team.. for example I draft Marinkovic, and than for 2 years (or how many team decides) I am preparing him, monitor him and giving him role in Stockton, which he will have in Sacramento.. and then after two years I put him on Sacramento, to do what he was schooled in Stockton..

just one more thing.. if Jokic went from Mega to Real Madrid, and not NBA, I think at this moment he would not be on a same level he is now..
 
#35
Vanja Marinkovic could be the next Serbian player to play in the NBA. After being drafted with the 60th pick by the Sacramento Kings in Thursday’s Draft, the Partizan guard has expressed his desire to play for Sacramento in an interview with Novosti. “I’m waiting for a call from Sacramento, to know about their plans” he said “It will be an interesting summer: I’m ready for a new challenge and I hope to become a resident of Sacramento”. Marinkovic’s contract with Partizan has a modest buyout clause for either a NBA or a Euroleague team. Kings GM Vlade Divac has already expressed his intention to bring the Serbian guard to California soon.
48 mins ago – via Sportando

Sounds like he wants to come over to me?
 

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
#36
Vanja Marinkovic could be the next Serbian player to play in the NBA. After being drafted with the 60th pick by the Sacramento Kings in Thursday’s Draft, the Partizan guard has expressed his desire to play for Sacramento in an interview with Novosti. “I’m waiting for a call from Sacramento, to know about their plans” he said “It will be an interesting summer: I’m ready for a new challenge and I hope to become a resident of Sacramento”. Marinkovic’s contract with Partizan has a modest buyout clause for either a NBA or a Euroleague team. Kings GM Vlade Divac has already expressed his intention to bring the Serbian guard to California soon.
48 mins ago – via Sportando

Sounds like he wants to come over to me?
Unless things have changed, Sportando is not exactly the most reliable of sites. IIRC, a lot of their stuff is actually planted by agents, etc.
 
#37
@ParniValjak

I do not want to drag this conversation to much, as it is not main topic.. so I will be super short..

I understand what you are saying, and few years ago I would agree.. but today NBA basketball is very fast and physical, while Euroleague is played in a same pace as it was 10 years ago.. so for a player to be NBA ready is more important to work individually on strength, pace and fundamentals, than to play games and has just have few training sessions per week (as number of matches in Euroleague is now bigger than before)..

of course there is a lot with that does team know what to do with you, some players are lucky, some not.. if I am a GM, development team would not be used just so players can pump up their stats, but it would be used to create players for NBA team.. for example I draft Marinkovic, and than for 2 years (or how many team decides) I am preparing him, monitor him and giving him role in Stockton, which he will have in Sacramento.. and then after two years I put him on Sacramento, to do what he was schooled in Stockton..

just one more thing.. if Jokic went from Mega to Real Madrid, and not NBA, I think at this moment he would not be on a same level he is now..
You can work on your physical development over in Europe just as Bogdan did.

On style of play, it is harder to play at a slower pace and the style that is played in Europe than in the NBA. Now let me clarify that comment. The execution of fundamentals is harder to do when the defense sets up for it in a half court offense than it is in the run and gun. The execution of fundamentals in that half court setting is harder because the defense sets, the shot is not as open, the pass needs to be more accurate, the dribble needs to be tighter etc...

We will agree to disagree on this. If Vanja comes over, he will be back in Europe within 2 years max, just like Rade Zagorac was back from Memphis Grizzlies before the 12 months was up. I hope I am wrong but some players are just not skilled enough or seasoned enough to head over to the NBA straight away. Vanja is one of those players. Bogdan was one of those players. Doncic was not and neither was Jokic. Jokic always had the skills and the fundamentals at Mega, he just needed to get fit, shed some weight....he just needed a more professional approach to his eating habits and more targeted workout regime to for physical development. The skill level was already there. In those cases, sure come over straight away.

On Mega, they are a team that does not care about results, winning titles or anything like that. They are established by a player agent to ensure that they can attract the most talented young kids with NBA potential and develop them with a single goal in mind, that is to get them drafted. The player agent makes the money this way. Again Rade Zagorac was a product of Mega and one of the better wings in the Adriatic league. How long did he last in the NBA after getting drafted by Memphis?

The Kings or any other team will not be willing to invest 2-3 years into a player that might make it. Vanja is not the type of talent that NBA teams invest 2-3 years in hope of getting a return after that. I like Vanja, he plays for my team in Serbia but he is not the sort of talent that you put a great deal of effort in. He either works out or not. If he doesn't take his chance in the first season, he is out of there. He is 22 and not an overly consistent player as is. He needs more seasoning and he won't get that 2-3 year period in the NBA. Some of these 2nd round picks don't even get past the training camp invite. Next year, there will be another more talented kid that will get drafted which will make Vanja a surplus to Kings requirements. It is absolutely bad business to invest into a player for 2-3 years in a hope that he can become a role player when you get get better options for vet minimum every year.

With all due respects to Vanja Marinkovic, he is not an exceptional talent that teams are willing to invest in. He is a gamble that would not have been picked up if Kings didn't use their very last pick on him. Lets put it this way, he is not an Isaiah Thomas from this draft despite being 22 years old already. ;)
Vanja Marinkovic could be the next Serbian player to play in the NBA. After being drafted with the 60th pick by the Sacramento Kings in Thursday’s Draft, the Partizan guard has expressed his desire to play for Sacramento in an interview with Novosti. “I’m waiting for a call from Sacramento, to know about their plans” he said “It will be an interesting summer: I’m ready for a new challenge and I hope to become a resident of Sacramento”. Marinkovic’s contract with Partizan has a modest buyout clause for either a NBA or a Euroleague team. Kings GM Vlade Divac has already expressed his intention to bring the Serbian guard to California soon.
48 mins ago – via Sportando

Sounds like he wants to come over to me?
Sportando is not the most reliable source out there. If Vanja truly sees it as his best option, then good luck to him. I would love to see me prove me wrong because it would be great for Vanje, the Kings and the Serbian National team. I get the feeling he will be back in Europe quicker than he got to Sacramento. I have been wrong before so it won't be the first time if I am wrong again. I just can't see how he sticks in the NBA as a player he is currently and Kings will not want to put in 2-3 years of development into him. He is not that level of talent.