The Limited Times

Now you can see non-English news...

Here it comes: Nicola Mirotitch Returns to the Hall | Israel today

2020-01-14T10:50:27.126Z


World Basketball


The few players at the height of their BBC career decide to return to Europe, but so did Mirotitch: "I was missing something, I wanted to lead" • On the Euroleague superstar, who grew up in Raleigh, but chose Barcelona: "Think I'm traitor" • Tonight (21:05) Maccabi Tel Aviv must stop him

  • Mirutitch. Barcelona is not at an incredible time

    Photo:

    GettyImages

  • "I missed basketball in Europe"

    Photo:

    IP

NBC players in Nikola Mirotitch's status and condition simply do not return to Europe. At 28, the terrific forward can give at least another 5 years of fertility in the world's best league as a significant player and at high pay levels. But Mirutich, who will meet tonight at the Hall of Elijah at 21:05, Maccabi Tel Aviv wanted something different - he wanted to lead and no less important to control his situation and his future.

But Mirotitch was not content with deciding to leave the best league in the Euroleague's favor, he should have shocked the basketball world twice, with the second time he was destined to return - Barcelona, ​​the bitter rival of Real Madrid, starred before advancing to the NBA. With his signature, Barcelona broke the salary record for a European player with $ 5.5 million per season in a three-year contract. Mirotitch, a Spanish national basketball player, had no recapture difficulties in Europe. He immediately plunged into the deep water.

The mighty forward has already won the Spanish Player's September title and December's EuroLeague player. He is third in the Euroleague in the index (21.1), fifth in points (18.5), third in rebounds (7.1) and in 34 league games and Euroleague he had only one game in which he did not score in double digits.

Mirutitch. Relatively arrested in recent games // Photo: GettyImages

Interdependence?

But what does that mean for Barcelona? Well, last season there was a team that didn't make it to the Final Four, but as soon as Mirotitch signed, she became one of the top crowns in a moment, and the team's big one recently - two consecutive Euroleague losses and a surprising league loss against Bilbao on Sunday - won't change that.

Like his team, Mirutich was also (relatively) stopped in the last games. He scored an average of 15.5 points on both, but the percentages were not good. In a loss to Baskonia he made 2 of 8 for three. In the loss to Anadolu Zero, he scored only 4 of 16 from the field and despite 14 points had trouble getting into the game. It also raises the question of dependency that the group has developed.

Barcelona are coming to the Hall at its worst time of the season and Forward, who wants to lead, now has a new mission to get her out of this situation. His good evening is the key of the Catalan team and Maccabi cannot build on his lesser good percentages, as it is likely temporary.

Mirotitch (right) in Real Media in 2014 against Maccabi Tel Aviv // Photo: Udi Tsiatyat

"I laughed when they said I was passing for money"

What makes a player who, for five years in the best league in the world, played 359 games and put up an average of 12.3 points to rise and one morning decide to leave? In his interviews, Mirotitch candidly explained what motivated him to return when one of the main reasons was the desire to leave his comfort zone and of course the desire to win the Euroleague - which he did not in the previous European term. He said he missed Euroleague: "Basketball basketball is more personal, in Europe more team and I missed it."

An important point was the stability of his family and his career control. Twice in the NBA career he was relocated to Trident and found himself in new places. "There is someone who decides for you even though you are under contract. You decide nothing."

The most important point is the desire to lead and take responsibility: "The 5 years in the US have been good, especially the last two years where I have taken a step forward and yet I have been missing something. I was an important player but every NBC team has its superstar and I was the third or fourth player. It's okay, but I wanted more. I wanted to be the carrier. But he added what was not in his eyes when he returned: "I found myself laughing when people said I came to Barcelona for the money."

However, his decision opened a front against Real Madrid. Mirotitch grew up in the youth section of the club and when he rose to graduation became a big star, so it was natural for some to see his step as a betrayal, which led to the struggle and tension in the air that will remain here for a long time, and have already brought both sides to their emotions.

In the first two games against Real in the Super Cup and Euroleague finals he lost, and to the teasing of the crowd in Madrid he replied: "We'll see who Isaac when I finish the career. If people in Madrid think I betrayed them is fine. I know there are many who understand the step I took."

The third game in the league was a different story. Barca crushed Real Madrid 63:83 with a performance by Mirotitch (20 points), who then stated that "it was a very special victory."

Source: israelhayom

All sports articles on 2020-01-14

You may like

Life/Entertain 2024-02-24T16:12:19.514Z
Life/Entertain 2024-02-24T15:22:46.182Z

Trends 24h

Latest

© Communities 2019 - Privacy

The information on this site is from external sources that are not under our control.
The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.