Bogdan Bogdanovic: The $36 million rookie from Serbia
The wait is finally over. There is going to be a Serbian shooter in Sacramento after years of absence. But who is Bogdan Bogdanovic and what he brings to Coach Joerger’s rotation?
In case you missed it, the Sacramento Kings are finally bringing Bogdan Bogdanovic stateside. GM Vlade Divac’s compatriot is going to take the leap over to the west coast, coming off one of his most efficient Euroleague seasons stat-wise. And while the numbers sometimes might lie, this certainly is not the case here.
A 24-year old native of Belgrade, Serbia’s capital, often referred to by the locals as the ‘Land of Basketball,’ Bogdan Bogdanovic certainly has the qualities to be an elite NBA player. After all, he has been proving his value competing with the best in Europe since he was a teenager. Just looking at his resume without knowing anything about him would leave you impressed, no doubt.
Why did the Sacramento Kings, an organization that has struggled mightily in the last ten years, hand out a $36 million contract to a virtually unknown player to the American public?
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Bogdanovic’s a winner
No, it is not just the Serbian connection. $12 million a year doesn’t look that much in today’s NBA. Even though Bogdanovic (‘Bog’ means ‘God’ in Serbian) is a rookie in the States, he brings in more than five seasons experience in Europe’s top leagues and the Euroleague too.
To be exact, he will become the highest paid newcomer in NBA history.
Besides Bogdanovic’s deadly shooting – nearly joined the 50-40-90 club last season with 50.0% from the field, 43.0% from three-point and 85.5% from the foul line, Bogdan can bring a winning culture and habit to Sactown. He has been doing it all of his life. First in Serbia with Partizan and then in Turkey with Fenerbahce. Grabbing a couple of Adriatic league titles on the way and at the end of the day, it’s all about winning.
As Vlade Divac said concerning the DeMarcus Cousins exit drama early in the year, winning begins with culture and character. The Kings rookie named Bogdanovic absolutely has that manner. He can contribute to a rebuild that would last in California’s capital.
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That is why you give him a $36 million rookie deal.