Nemanja Bjelica
Encyclopedia
Nemanja Bjelica is a Serbian
professional basketball player. He is a 2.09 m (6 ft 10¼ in) tall small forward
and he can also play as a point forward
. He is currently playing for the Spanish team Caja Laboral
.
, he performed well, and he was particularly noted for his performance during the Eurocup
for his outside shooting.
in the 2007–08 season. He moved to the Adriatic League club Red Star Belgrade
in 2008.
Bjelica was drafted by the Washington Wizards
with the 35th pick of the 2010 NBA Draft
. His draft rights were then traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves
.
During 2010 summer, he signed a five-year contract with Spanish club Caja Laboral
.
, where he won the silver medal.
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
professional basketball player. He is a 2.09 m (6 ft 10¼ in) tall small forward
Small forward
The small forward, or colloquially known as three, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are typically somewhat shorter, quicker, and leaner than power forwards and centers, but on occasion are just as tall...
and he can also play as a point forward
Point forward
Point forward is an unofficial playing position in basketball for those who share the attributes of both a point guard and a forward.A point forward is usually described as a forward who possesses the ball handling skills and court vision to bring the ball up the court and to initiate the team's...
. He is currently playing for the Spanish team Caja Laboral
Saski Baskonia
Saski Baskonia, S.A.D., known as Caja Laboral for sponsorship reasons, is a Spanish professional basketball club from the Basque city of Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain...
.
Player profile
Although 2.09m tall, Bjelica is a shooter and small forward. He is known as a good ball handler and athletic. During the 2008–09 season with Red Star BelgradeKK Crvena zvezda
Košarkaški klub Crvena zvezda is a professional basketball club based in Belgrade, Serbia. Its name Crvena zvezda means Red Star and it's part of the Red Star Belgrade sports society ....
, he performed well, and he was particularly noted for his performance during the Eurocup
ULEB Cup
Eurocup Basketball is the second-tier level transnational professional basketball competition in Europe. The Eurocup is the level that is one tier below the Turkish Airlines Euroleague level...
for his outside shooting.
Pro career
Bjelica began his professional career with the Arkadia Traiskirchen Lions in the Austrian LeagueÖsterreichische Basketball Bundesliga
The Österreichische Basketball Bundesliga is the top men's professional basketball league in Austria. Until the 2004–05 season, the league was known as the A-Liga and then until the 2008–09 season it was called the Österreichische Basketball Bundesliga...
in the 2007–08 season. He moved to the Adriatic League club Red Star Belgrade
KK Crvena zvezda
Košarkaški klub Crvena zvezda is a professional basketball club based in Belgrade, Serbia. Its name Crvena zvezda means Red Star and it's part of the Red Star Belgrade sports society ....
in 2008.
Bjelica was drafted by the Washington Wizards
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
with the 35th pick of the 2010 NBA Draft
2010 NBA Draft
The 2010 NBA Draft was held on June 24, 2010 at the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. The draft, which started at 7:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time , was broadcast in the United States on ESPN. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur...
. His draft rights were then traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
.
During 2010 summer, he signed a five-year contract with Spanish club Caja Laboral
Saski Baskonia
Saski Baskonia, S.A.D., known as Caja Laboral for sponsorship reasons, is a Spanish professional basketball club from the Basque city of Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain...
.
Serbian national team
Bjelica played with the senior Serbian national basketball team at the EuroBasket 2009EuroBasket 2009
The EuroBasket 2009 was the 36th EuroBasket, the biennial regional basketball championship contested by European nations and held by FIBA Europe. The tournament, which was hosted by Poland, began on 7 September 2009 and concluded with the final on 20 September 2009...
, where he won the silver medal.