Nemanja Popović

Nemanja Popović
No. 77 – Crvena zvezda Meridianbet
PositionPower forward
LeagueABA League
Personal information
Born (2001-12-29) December 29, 2001 (age 22)
Aranđelovac, Serbia, FR Yugoslavia
NationalitySerbian
Listed height2.05 m (6 ft 9 in)
Listed weight97 kg (214 lb)
Career information
Playing career2018–present
Career history
2018–2019Crvena zvezda
2018–2019→ Žarkovo
2019–2021FMP
2019–2020→ OKK Beograd
2021–presentCrvena zvezda
2022→ Vojvodina
2023–2024→ Mega Basket
Medals
Men's basketball
Representing  Serbia
FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship
Bronze medal – third place 2017 Montenegro U16 team

Nemanja Popović (Serbian Cyrillic: Немања Поповић, born December 29, 2001) is a Serbian professional basketball player for Crvena zvezda mts of the ABA League. Standing at 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) and weighing 214 pounds (97 kg), he plays power forward position.

Early career

Popović started to play basketball for KK BB Basket in Mladenovac. In 2015, he joined Vizura in Belgrade. In summer 2017, Popović was added to the Crvena zvezda youth team.[1] Popović won the second place at the 2017–18 Junior ABA League season with the Zvezda. Over six tournament games, he averaged 9.8 points, 6.1 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game.[2] In August 2018, he participated at the Basketball Without Borders Europe camp in Belgrade, Serbia.[3] In February 2019, Popović participated at the NBA All-Star Basketball Without Borders Global Camp in Charlotte, North Carolina.[4][5] Popović won the second place at the 2018–19 Junior ABA League season with the Zvezda. Over seven season games, he averaged 14.0 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game.[6]

Professional career

In January 2018, Popović was added to the Crvena zvezda ABA League roster for the rest of the 2017–18 season.[7] He missed to play a single game during that season. In August 2018, he was loaned out to Žarkovo of the Second League of Serbia. In April 2019, he was added to FMP of the Basketball League of Serbia. On April 27, he made his Serbian League debut against Zlatibor, making 2 points and 3 rebounds in under 14 minutes of playing time.[8] In January 2020, Popović signed a four-year contract with FMP.[9] Following the 2020–21 season Popović declared for the 2021 NBA draft. On July 19, 2021, he withdrawn his name from consideration for the 2021 NBA draft.[10] On 23 September 2021, Popović signed a three-year contract with Crvena zvezda.[11] On the next day, he made his debut for Crvena zvezda in their season opening 97–61 win over Split, making 3 points, a rebound, and an assist in under 11 minutes of playing time.[12][13] On 5 January 2022, Popović was loaned out to Vojvodina for the rest of the 2021–22 season.[14][15] He returned to the Zvezda for the 2022 pre-season training camp.[16]

National team career

Popović was a member of the Serbian under-16 national team that won the bronze medal at the 2017 FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship in Montenegro. Over seven tournament games, he averaged 5.9 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game.[17] Popović was a member of the Serbian under-17 team that participated at the 2018 FIBA Under-17 Basketball World Cup in Argentina. Over seven tournament games, he averaged 5.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game.[18]

References

  1. ^ "Nemanja Popović at Serbianhoop". serbiahoop.com. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  2. ^ "Season 2017/18 - Junior ABA League - Nemanja Popovic". aba-liga.com. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  3. ^ "Jokic, Vucevic Headline Basketball Without Borders Europe 2018". global.nba.com. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  4. ^ "2019 NBA All-Stars Nikola Jokić and Nikola Vučević, Deandre Ayton and Bogdan Bogdanović to coach top international prospects at fifth annual Basketball Without Borders Camp". pr.nba.com. 12 February 2019. Retrieved 19 February 2019.
  5. ^ "MLADA CRVENO-BELA NADA NA OL-STARU Nemanja Popović otputovao u Šarlot". sport.blic.rs. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  6. ^ "Season 2018/19 - Junior ABA League - Nemanja Popovic". aba-liga.com. Retrieved 3 May 2019.
  7. ^ "Alen Omić inks contract with Crvena zvezda!". aba-liga.com. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  8. ^ "KK Zlatibor 61 - 74 KK FMP". kls.rs. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
  9. ^ "ZALOG ZA BUDUĆNOST: Nemanja Popović potpisao je četvrogodišnji ugovor sa FMP!". kosarka.hotsport.rs. 10 January 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  10. ^ "NBA announces 51 early entry candidates withdraw from 2021 Draft". nba.com. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  11. ^ "Zvezda potpisala ugovor sa talentovanim krilnim centrom". b92.net. Retrieved 23 September 2021.
  12. ^ "Crvena zvezda mts Beograd 97 : 61 Split Split". aba-liga.com. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
  13. ^ "Zvezda odbranom samlela Split za +36, Ivanović indeksom 35 kupio navijače, Lazarević dao šmek pobedi". mozzartsport.com. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
  14. ^ "Zvezda pozajmila Popovića Vojvodini". mozzartsport.com. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
  15. ^ "Zvezda pozajmila krilnog centra Vojvodini". b92.net. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
  16. ^ "Crvena zvezda zvanično počela pripreme: Tim je sastavljen od pobednika, sa karakterom". mozzartsport.com. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  17. ^ "2017 Serbia 15 - Nemanja Popovic". archive.fiba.com. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  18. ^ "Nemanja POPOVIC, Serbia 2017". fiba.basketball. Retrieved 14 February 2019.