Bojan Bogdanovic: how a call from America changed his mind on the NBA

In an interview with a Croatian newspaper on the eve of the World Cup, Bojan Bogdanovic talked about how a call from the Nets changed his mind about joining the NBA and how because of two coaches, he is not the one-dimensional player he would have been if he had joined the Nets after being drafted in 2011.

Bogdanovic, who played for Fenerbahce in Turkey the last three seasons, admitted he thought he was going to re-sign with the club, but then things change. For one, although he doesn't mention it, Shaun Livingston left the Nets and the mini-MLE earmarked for him became available. But, he says, it was a call from America that sealed the deal.

"Even during the season, I told people in Fener how I would stay, but when the call came from the NBA, when we started talking about my role in the team, about life in America....that was key moment and I decided I will go to the NBA," he told Vecernji, the Croatian newspaper that awarded him the national Player of the Year.

He said he's not intimidated by the challenge and will come to the U.S. alone.

"I'm used to traveling, not as much as the quantity in the NBA, but that's what I chose and I look forward to it. I look forward to a new lifestyle, a new beginning," he added.

In talking about his game, he said his coaches at Fener had pushed him to first post up, then last season, handle the ball as the initiator of the pick-and-roll offense. When the Nets drafted him in 2011, the team's international scout Danko Cvjeticanin called him a cross between Peja Stojakovic and Carlos Delfino, both known for their long-range shooting.

"Neven Spahija began using me in low post when he was coach at Fenerbache (in 2011), that I used my body well.  Then Jasmin Repesa did same thing in national team," Bogdanovic added that Zeljko Obradovic, who replaced Spahija, "asked the team to play a lot of pick and roll and he pushed me also. That's why I'm played more with the ball last season."

As for the World Cup, Bogdanovic didn't set specific goals, but did say he hoped the team could "do something so that everyone can feel an even greater commitment."

Thanks once again to eunets on our forum for alerting us to the article and providing a translation.