Serbian guard Teodosic ready to join NBA
Milos Teodosic, widely considered one of the best guards on the international circuit, is ready to take his talents to the NBA.
The Serbian guard wrote on his official blog on Eurohoops.net that he's changed his mind with regards to the American game, and wants to match up against the best basketball players in the world.
"In the past I felt that playing in the NBA was not something really close to me," Teodosic wrote. "Now, I think about it. I want to travel to the States, play in the NBA and compete against the best players in the world. Maybe now I am more ready mentally and also on the court. I know what I can do, I believe in myself, and I have no doubts or second thoughts."
Teodosic is coming off the best stretch of his career. He led Russian club CSKA Moscow to the Euroleague title, then guided Serbia to a silver medal in Rio 2016, falling second to only the United States.
In a three-point loss to Team USA during the group stages of the Olympics, he dropped 18 points and six assists while hitting four threes.
However, any move Stateside would have to wait at least one year, as Teodosic is still under contract for the upcoming Euroleague season. The Memphis Grizzlies reportedly tried to lure him with a multi-year contract in 2013.
Related: Serbian guard Teodosic has NBA-ready game
Given that he's nearing 30, Teodosic is a bit past his physical peak, but his game has always been predicated on craft and guile. In plain terms, Teodosic is a wizard with the ball, as he sees the floor beautifully and is a deadly shooter from beyond the arc.
Plays like the following are not uncommon when he's on the floor.
Earlier this week, in a friendly against Panathinaikos, Teodosic busted out yet another ridiculous pass:
"Ιf I end up in the NBA, I just want to be able to be myself. The spaces on the court are bigger compared to Europe, traps on defense and hedge outs to guards are rare, while there are many great shooters and big men who can finish the pick and roll. I think that those are keys for my game, I could adjust easily and produce high quality basketball.
"I don't care about my numbers, that's not the point. The point is to play the basketball that I can and really influence the game of my team, help it be more effective."