Vasilije Micić ( sr-Cyrl, Василије Мицић, born 13 January 1994) is a Serbian professional
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...
player for the
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division (NBA), Pacific Division of the Western Conference (NBA), We ...
of the
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...
(NBA). He also represents the
Serbian national team in international competition. He was selected by the
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers, also known colloquially as the Sixers, are an American professional basketball team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The 76ers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlan ...
with the 52nd overall pick in the
2014 NBA draft
The 2014 NBA draft was held on June 26, 2014, at Barclays Center, Brooklyn. National Basketball Association (NBA) teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players and other eligible players, including international players. The ...
.
A three-time
All-EuroLeague selection, Micić led Anadolu Efes to two
EuroLeague
The EuroLeague is a European men's professional basketball club competition. The league is widely recognised as the top-tier and the most prestigious men's basketball league in Europe. The league consists of 20 teams, of which 16 are given lon ...
titles, for
2021
Like the year 2020, 2021 was also heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, due to the emergence of multiple Variants of SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 variants. The major global rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, which began at the end of 2020, continued ...
and
2022
The year began with another wave in the COVID-19 pandemic, with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, Omicron spreading rapidly and becoming the dominant variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus worldwide. Tracking a decrease in cases and deaths, 2022 saw ...
, winning the
EuroLeague MVP
The EuroLeague MVP, or EuroLeague Regular Season MVP, is the EuroLeague awards, award bestowed to the player that is deemed to be the "Most valuable player, Most Valuable Player" during the regular season of the EuroLeague. The EuroLeague ...
in 2021 as well as both
Final Four MVPs.
Junior career
From 2002 to 2006, Micić played for the
OKK Beograd youth system. In 2006–07, he played for
Crvena zvezda juniors, and then from 2007 to 2010, he played for
FMP Železnik juniors.
Professional career
Mega Vizura (2010–2014)
In 2010, Micić signed with
Mega Vizura. At the age of 16, he made his
Basketball League of Serbia
The Basketball League of Serbia (), commonly abbreviated as KLS, is a Serbian basketball league system, top-tier men's professional basketball Sports league, league in Serbia. Founded in 2006. It is currently not run by the Basketball Federation o ...
debut, going on to play 35 games in 2010–11. In his first season with the club, he appeared in 35 games of the
Serbian League
The Serbian League () is the third level football league in Serbia. It consists of four groups, namely Belgrade, East, Vojvodina, and West. The winner of each group earns promotion to the Serbian First League.
History
1992–1995
In the summer o ...
and averaged 8.5 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game. On 22 November 2011, just 8 games into the 2011–12 season, Micić suffered a season-ending knee injury. Over 8 games, he averaged 15.9 points, 5 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game.
In the 2012–13 season, he became a leader with
Boban Marjanović of the team which was promoted to the
Adriatic League
The ABA League, renamed the ABA League First Division in 2017, is the top-tier regional men's professional basketball league that originally featured clubs from former Yugoslavia (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, ...
for the first time in the club's history at the end of the season. Over 41 games in the Serbian League, he averaged 11.8 points and 5 assists per game.
On 6 June 2013, Micić signed a two-year contract extension with Mega Vizura. On 8 April 2014, he broke his hand which sidelined him off the court for one month. In his first
ABA League
The ABA League, renamed the ABA League First Division in 2017, is the top-tier regional men's professional basketball league that originally featured clubs from former Yugoslavia (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedoni ...
season, he averaged 12.1 points, 3.2 rebounds and 5.8 assists over 25 games.
Bayern Munich and loan to Crvena Zvezda (2014–2016)
On 4 August 2014, Micić signed a two-year deal with an option for one more season with the German team
Bayern Munich
Fußball-Club Bayern München e. V. (FCB, ), commonly known as Bayern Munich (), FC Bayern () or simply Bayern, is a German professional sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. They are most known for their men's professional football team, ...
. On 28 November 2014, in a EuroLeague game against
Panathinaikos, he partially ruptured collateral ligament in his right elbow and was expected to miss six weeks of play. He appeared in 32 games of the
German League averaging 7 points and 3.3 assists per game. He also made a debut in the
2014–15 Euroleague, but appeared in only 6 games and averaging 7.5 points per game.
With the start of 2015–16 season, his playing time furtherly decreased in Bayern. In mid-season, on 27 December 2015, Micić was
loaned to
Crvena zvezda
Fudbalski klub Crvena zvezda ( sr-cyrl, Фудбалски клуб Црвена звезда, lit=Red Star Football Club), commonly referred to as Crvena zvezda () and colloquially referred to as Red Star Belgrade in anglophone media, is a ...
for the rest of the 2015–16 season. He appeared in 17 games of the
2015–16 Euroleague
The 2015–16 Turkish Airlines Euroleague was the 16th season of the modern era of Euroleague Basketball and the sixth under the title sponsorship of the Turkish Airlines. Including the competition's previous incarnation as the FIBA Europe Champi ...
for Crvena zvezda, averaging 5.5 points and 3.6 assists per game. With loan being ended, Micić was released by Bayern on 25 July 2016.
Tofaş (2016–2017)
On 26 July 2016, Micić signed with Turkish
BSL club
Tofaş for the
2016–17 Basketbol Süper Ligi
The 2016–17 Basketbol Süper Ligi (BSL) was the 51st season of the Turkish basketball league system, top-tier professional basketball league in Turkey. The season started on October 8, 2016. Fenerbahçe Men's Basketball, Fenerbahçe won their e ...
season. In 24 games with Tofaş, Micić averaged 13.2 points, 3.9 assists and 2.7 rebounds while shooting 46% from the field.
Žalgiris Kaunas (2017–2018)
On 15 June 2017, Micić signed a two-year contract with the Lithuanian club
Žalgiris Kaunas. Žalgiris Kaunas had a historic season in which it won yet another
Lithuanian League championship and qualified to
EuroLeague Final Four
The EuroLeague Final Four is the final four format championship of the European-wide top-tier level EuroLeague professional club basketball competition. The Euroleague Basketball Company used the final four format for the first time in 2002, fo ...
tournament. In
2018 EuroLeague Final Four, it lost to the
Fenerbahçe Basketball in the semifinal and won in the third-place game against the
CSKA Moscow
CSKA Moscow () is a Russian sports club based in Moscow. It was created in 1911 in the Russian Empire on base of OLLS (Skiing Society, founded 1901). Later, during the Soviet Union, Soviet era, it was the central part of the Armed Forces (sports ...
. Over 36 in
2017–18 EuroLeague
The 2017–18 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague was the 18th season of the modern era of Euroleague Basketball and the eighth under the title sponsorship of the Turkish Airlines. Including the competition's previous incarnation as the FIBA Europe Champi ...
season, Micić averaged 7.7 points, 4.2 assists, and 2.2 rebounds per game. After the season, Micić along with his teammate
Kevin Pangos parted ways with the team.
Anadolu Efes (2018–2023)
On 20 June 2018, Micić signed a two-year contract with Turkish club
Anadolu Efes
Anadolu Efes Spor Kulübü, commonly referred to as Anadolu Efes or simply Efes, is a Turkish professional basketball team based in Istanbul. Founded in 1976, the club was formerly known as Efes Pilsen until 2011. Efes is the 2021–22 EuroLeagu ...
. In 2018–19 season, Micić led his team to the
2019 EuroLeague Final Four
The 2019 EuroLeague Final Four was the concluding EuroLeague Final Four tournament of the 2018–19 EuroLeague season, the 62nd season of Europe's premier club basketball tournament, and the 19th season since it was first organised by Euroleague B ...
, where they lost in the final game to the CSKA Moscow. Over 37 games in
2018–19 EuroLeague
The 2018–19 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague was the 19th season of the modern era of Euroleague Basketball and the eighth under the title sponsorship of the Turkish Airlines. Including the competition's previous incarnation as the FIBA Europe Champi ...
season, he averaged career-highs of 12.1 points, 5.5 assists, and 2.2 rebounds per game.
On 25 May 2019, Micić signed two-year contract extension with Anadolu Efes. On 10 August 2020, his agent confirmed that he was returning to the team for the 2020–21 season, rather than try for the NBA.
By the end of his
2020–21 EuroLeague campaign, Micić became just the fourth EuroLeague player of all-time to score at least 100 two-pointers, 70 threes, and 100 free throws in a single season. He also became the first player ever to have made more than 132 two-pointers while making at least 70 triples and 100 free throws. For his major performances all season long, Micić was named to the
All-EuroLeague First Team, and received the
EuroLeague MVP
The EuroLeague MVP, or EuroLeague Regular Season MVP, is the EuroLeague awards, award bestowed to the player that is deemed to be the "Most valuable player, Most Valuable Player" during the regular season of the EuroLeague. The EuroLeague ...
award. As well, Micić and his fellow Serbian countryman
Nikola Jokić
Nikola Jokić ( ; sr-Cyrl, Никола Јокић ; born February 19, 1995) is a Serbian professional basketball player who is a Center (basketball), center for the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "the ...
became the first-ever pair of players from the same country to be awarded both NBA MVP and EuroLeague MVP honors in the same season. On 30 May 2021, he led his team to their first
Euroleague Championship and was named the
EuroLeague Final Four MVP. Over 40 EuroLeague games, he averaged then-career-high 16.7 points per game.
Over 34 games of the
2021–22 EuroLeague season, Micić averaged season-leading and career-high 18.2 points (for which he received the
Alphonso Ford EuroLeague Top Scorer Trophy), 4.6 assists and 2.7 rebounds per game. Micić won back-to-back EuroLeague title with Anadolu Efes, after scoring the winning three-pointer in the
2022 EuroLeague Final Four semifinal game against
Olympiacos
Olympiacós Sýndesmos Filáthlon Peiraiós (, Olympic Association of Fans of Piraeus) is a major multi-sport club based in Piraeus, Greece. Olympiacos is parent to a number of different competitive departments which participate in football, ...
, and later scoring 23 points in the final game against Real Madrid. For his performances, he was once again named the EuroLeague Final Four MVP.
Oklahoma City Thunder (2023–2024)
In June 2014, alongside his teammates
Nemanja Dangubić and
Nikola Jokić
Nikola Jokić ( ; sr-Cyrl, Никола Јокић ; born February 19, 1995) is a Serbian professional basketball player who is a Center (basketball), center for the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "the ...
, Micić attended the Eurocamp, a basketball camp based in
Treviso
Treviso ( ; ; ) is a city and (municipality) in the Veneto region of northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Treviso and the municipality has 87.322 inhabitants (as of December 2024). Some 3,000 live within the Venetian wall ...
for the
NBA draft
The NBA draft is the National Basketball Association's (NBA) annual event, dating back to 1947 BAA draft, 1947, in which the teams in the league can Draft (sports), draft players who declare for the draft and that are Eligibility for the NBA dr ...
prospects. He impressed scouts, putting 14 points and 10 assists in 25 minutes of the game. In March 2014, Micić confirmed that he would enter the
2014 NBA draft
The 2014 NBA draft was held on June 26, 2014, at Barclays Center, Brooklyn. National Basketball Association (NBA) teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players and other eligible players, including international players. The ...
.
On 26 June 2014, Micić was selected by the
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers, also known colloquially as the Sixers, are an American professional basketball team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The 76ers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlan ...
with the 52nd overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft.
On 8 December 2020, the 76ers traded Micić's draft rights to the
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder are an American professional basketball team based in Oklahoma City. The Thunder compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division (NBA), Northwest Division of the Western Confer ...
alongside
Al Horford
Alfred Joel Horford Reynoso (born June 3, 1986), nicknamed Big Al, is a Dominican professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is a five-time NBA All-Star and won the NBA championship wi ...
and the rights to
Théo Maledon for
Danny Green,
Vincent Poirier and
Terrance Ferguson.
On 17 July 2023, Micić signed a contract with the Thunder. In 30 games with the Thunder, Micić had a limited role averaging 3.3 points and 2.5 assists per game.
Charlotte Hornets (2024–2025)
On 8 February 2024, Micić was traded to the
Charlotte Hornets
The Charlotte Hornets are an American professional basketball team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Hornets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference. The team ...
, along with
Dāvis Bertāns
Dāvis Bertāns (born 12 November 1992) is a Latvian professional basketball player for Dubai Basketball of the ABA League. Nicknamed the "Latvian Laser", he also represents the Latvian national team. He was the 42nd pick in the 2011 NBA draft ...
,
Tre Mann, a 2024 second-round pick, a 2025 second-round pick and cash considerations, in exchange for
Gordon Hayward
Gordon Daniel Hayward (born March 23, 1990) is an American former professional basketball player. He played 14 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Utah Jazz, Boston Celtics, Charlotte Hornets, and Oklahoma City Thunder.
...
. On 10 February, Micić made his Hornets debut, putting up 18 points and nine assists in a 115–106 win over the
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies (referred to locally as the Grizz) are an American professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee. The Grizzlies compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division of the ...
. Over 30 regular season games for the Hornets, Micić averaged 10.8 points, 6.2 assists and 1.8 rebounds on 43.7% shooting from the field.
Phoenix Suns (2025–present)
On 6 February 2025, Micić,
Cody Martin and a 2026 second-round pick were traded to the
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division (NBA), Pacific Division of the Western Conference (NBA), We ...
in exchange for center
Jusuf Nurkić and a 2026 first-round pick.
National team career
In 2011, Micić won a silver medal with the
Serbian U18 team at the
2011 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship. In 2013, he again won a silver medal with the Serbian U19 team at the
2013 FIBA Under-19 World Cup, where he was to
the All-Tournament Team. In the same year, he debuted for the senior
Serbian national team at the
EuroBasket 2013
EuroBasket 2013 was the 38th edition of the EuroBasket championship that was organized by FIBA Europe. It took place from 4 September until 22 September 2013 in Slovenia. The number of participating teams was 24.
France men's national basketball ...
in Slovenia, where he averaged 4.4 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game.
Micić also represented Serbia at the
EuroBasket 2017
EuroBasket 2017 was the 40th edition of the EuroBasket championship that was organized by FIBA Europe and held between 31 August and 17 September 2017. Beginning from 2017, the continental championships take place every four years with a similar ...
, where they won the silver medal, after losing in the final game to
Slovenia
Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia, is a country in Central Europe. It borders Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the south and southeast, and a short (46.6 km) coastline within the Adriati ...
.
At the
2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup
The 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup was the 18th tournament of the FIBA Basketball World Cup for men's national basketball teams, held from 31 August to 15 September 2019. The tournament was hosted in China and was rescheduled from 2018 to 2019, b ...
, the national team of Serbia was dubbed as favorite to win the trophy, but was eventually upset in the
quarterfinals by
Argentina
Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...
. With wins over the United States and
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, and historically known as Bohemia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the south ...
, it finished in fifth place. Micić averaged 5.6 points, 1.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists over 8 games. He won the bronze medal at the
2024 Summer Olympics
The 2024 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad () and branded as Paris 2024, were an international multi-sport event held in France from 26 July to 11 August 2024, with several events started from 24 July. P ...
with Serbia.
Over 6 tournament games, Micić averaged 13.3 points, 4.5 assists and 2.3 rebounds.
Personal life
Micić's sister,
Nina, is a professional
snowboarder
Snowboarding is a recreational and competitive activity that involves descending a snow-covered surface while standing on a snowboard that is almost always attached to a rider's feet. It features in the Winter Olympic Games and Winter Paralympic ...
.
Career statistics
NBA
, -
, style="text-align:left;" rowspan=2,
, style="text-align:left;",
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Oklahoma, most populous city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat ...
, 30 , , 0 , , 12.0 , , .407 , , .244 , , .737 , , .8 , , 2.5 , , .3 , , .1 , , 3.3
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
Charlotte
, 30 , , 21 , , 27.2 , , .437 , , .294 , , .839 , , 2.1 , , 6.2 , , .7 , , .1 , , 10.8
, -
, style="text-align:left;" rowspan=2,
, style="text-align:left;",
Charlotte
, 36 , , 16 , , 21.2 , , .348 , , .360 , , .829 , , 2.4 , , 3.5 , , .4 , , .0 , , 7.5
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
Phoenix
, 5 , , 0 , , 4.2 , , .0 , , .0 , , .0 , , .4 , , .2 , , .0 , , .0 , , .0
, - class="sortbottom"
, style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career
, 101 , , 37 , , 19.4 , , .395 , , .315 , , .819 , , 1.8 , , 3.9 , , .5 , , .1 , , 6.8
EuroLeague
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
2014–15
, style="text-align:left;",
Bayern
Bavaria, officially the Free State of Bavaria, is a state in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest German state by land area, comprising approximately 1/5 of the total land area of Germany, and with over 13.08 million ...
, 6 , , 1 , , 18.0 , , .450 , , .200 , , .875 , , 1.5 , , 3.2 , , .5 , , , , 7.5 , , 6.8
, -
, style="text-align:left;" rowspan="2",
2015–16
, style="text-align:left;",
Bayern
Bavaria, officially the Free State of Bavaria, is a state in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest German state by land area, comprising approximately 1/5 of the total land area of Germany, and with over 13.08 million ...
, 4 , , 0 , , 6.2 , , .000 , , .000 , , 1.000 , , .8 , , .8 , , .5 , , .3 , , .5 , , -1.0
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
Crvena zvezda
Fudbalski klub Crvena zvezda ( sr-cyrl, Фудбалски клуб Црвена звезда, lit=Red Star Football Club), commonly referred to as Crvena zvezda () and colloquially referred to as Red Star Belgrade in anglophone media, is a ...
, 17 , , 1 , , 17.4 , , .341 , , .361 , , .724 , , 1.8 , , 3.6 , , .2 , , .2 , , 5.5 , , 5.0
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
2017–18
, style="text-align:left;",
Žalgiris
, style="background:#CFECEC;", 36* , , 10 , , 22.4 , , .432 , , .355 , , .707 , , 2.2 , , 4.2 , , .9 , , .0 , , 7.7 , , 8.6
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
2018–19
, style="text-align:left;"rowspan="5",
Anadolu Efes
Anadolu Efes Spor Kulübü, commonly referred to as Anadolu Efes or simply Efes, is a Turkish professional basketball team based in Istanbul. Founded in 1976, the club was formerly known as Efes Pilsen until 2011. Efes is the 2021–22 EuroLeagu ...
, style="background:#CFECEC;", 37* , , 30 , , 28.2 , , .474 , , .371 , , .819 , , 2.2 , , 5.5 , , 1.0 , , .1 , , 12.4 , , 13.9
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
2019–20
, 24 , , 22 , , 30.6 , , .467 , , .397 , , .964 , , 2.5 , , 5.8 , , 1.3 , , .0 , , 14.5 , , 16.0
, -
, style="text-align:left;background:#AFE6BA;",
2020–21†
, 40 , , 34 , , 29.6 , , .489 , , .389 , , .865 , , 2.6 , , 4.9 , , 1.2 , , .0 , , 16.7 , , 17.5
, -
, style="text-align:left;background:#AFE6BA;",
2021–22†
, 34 , , 26 , , 30.2 , , .461 , , .339 , , .854 , , 2.7 , , 4.6 , , 1.1 , , .0 , , style="background:#CFECEC;", 18.2* , , 17.5
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
2022–23
, 31 , , 29 , , 31.3 , , .435 , , .357 , , .869 , , 3.2 , , 5.4 , , .9 , , .1 , , 16.0 , , 17.4
, - class="sortbottom"
, style="text-align:center;" colspan=2, Career
, 229 , , 155 , , 27.1 , , .455 , , .364 , , .842 , , 2.4 , , 4.8 , , 1.0 , , .1 , , 12.7 , , 13.8
See also
*
List of NBA drafted players from Serbia
*
Philadelphia 76ers draft history
References
External links
Vasilije Micićat
aba-liga.com
*
Vasilije Micićat
euroleague.net
*
Vasilije Micićat TBLStat.net
{{DEFAULTSORT:Micic, Vasilije
1994 births
Living people
2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup players
ABA League players
Anadolu Efes S.K. players
Basketball League of Serbia players
Basketball players at the 2024 Summer Olympics
BC Žalgiris players
Charlotte Hornets players
FC Bayern Munich basketball players
KK Crvena zvezda players
KK Mega Basket players
Medalists at the 2024 Summer Olympics
NBA players from Serbia
Oklahoma City Thunder players
Olympic basketball players for Serbia
Olympic bronze medalists for Serbia
Olympic medalists in basketball
Philadelphia 76ers draft picks
Phoenix Suns players
Point guards
Shooting guards
Serbia men's national basketball team players
Serbian expatriate basketball people in Germany
Serbian expatriate basketball people in Lithuania
Serbian expatriate basketball people in Turkey
Serbian expatriate basketball people in the United States
Serbian men's basketball players
Basketball players from Kraljevo
Tofaş S.K. players