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Three Goals For Bogdan Bogdanovic This Upcoming Season

By Rafe Wong

LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 8: Bogdan Bogdanovic #8 of the Sacramento Kings shoots the ball against the Los Angeles Lakers during a preseason game on October 8, 2017 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 8: Bogdan Bogdanovic #8 of the Sacramento Kings shoots the ball against the Los Angeles Lakers during a preseason game on October 8, 2017 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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What goals should Bogdan Bogdanovic have for this upcoming season? This article will state three objectives that the rookie should keep in mind.

The Sacramento Kings have a bevy of young talent going into their new season which includes Bogdan Bogdanovic, a star Serbian player.

This summer, Bogdanovic made history as the Euroleague star signed a 3-year contract worth $27 million, the richest rookie contract in NBA history.

With Bogdanovic signing a record deal, it is expected for him to become an asset for the Kings going forward. Here are three goals that Bogdanovic should keep in mind in order to live up to the hype.

Goal #1: Acclimate

LAS VEGAS, NV – OCTOBER 08: Bogdan Bogdanovic
LAS VEGAS, NV – OCTOBER 08: Bogdan Bogdanovic /

Although Bogdanovic excelled playing overseas, the Euroleague style of play differentiates from the NBA. In the NBA, the pace of the game is faster than Euroleague as well as there are more games scheduled throughout the season.

For Bogdanovic, he will face growing pains this season due to the change of environment. Although playing against better competition will be an obstacle for the Serbian star, adjusting to the style of play and the wear and tear that the NBA schedule brings might be a bigger challenge.

But if Bogdanovic is able to withstand these obstacles and finish with a solid rookie year, it should create a ton of optimism towards him for his future as a King.

Goal #2: Consistent Shooting

Becoming a reliable shooter is a must for Bogdanovic to thrive. In today’s NBA, guards, wing players, and sometimes even big men have to develop the ability to make jump shots at a consistent rate.

As a guard/wing player, Bogdanovic has to eventually become a good shooter in order to be a future asset for Sacramento. He shot the ball well in Euroleague during his previous season, making 50% of his field goals and 43% of his shots from the perimeter, but it does not mean that production will automatically translate to the NBA.

Bogdanovic does not have to shoot the lights out like Stephen Curry. That is “expected” from Buddy Hield. But Bogdanovic at least has to show progress in his shot as the season goes on.

Goal #3: Make/Stay In The Starting Five

Making the starting five would be a huge feat for Bogdanovic. If you ask me, he has two chances to be a starter, either at the shooting guard or small forward positions. To me, starting at the wing seems to be the most realistic option for Bogdanovic as I expect Hield or Garrett Temple to fill in the two-guard role.

For Bogdanovic to be efficient at small forward, he needs to be a 3-and-D guy which is a player who can make shots consistently while playing solid defense on the other end. The potential is there, he just needs to apply it.

Must Read: Three Goals For George Hill

Final Thoughts

The Kings have a lot of youth on their roster, and Bogdanovic is one of those young players which fans are most excited about during Sacramento’s rebuild.

Although Bogdanovic is a great talent who showed overseas he can play basketball at a high level, the transition from Euroleague to NBA will be a big challenge for him as he starts a new chapter in his life.

But with that being said, if he is able to achieve the three goals listed above in his rookie year, I believe those accomplishments should give the Kings and their fans confidence that Bogdanovic will be part of the core which Sacramento is trying to build around in the next coming years.

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