Uroš Trifunović

Uroš Trifunović
Trifunović with Partizan
No. 6 – Tofaş
PositionShooting guard / Small forward
LeagueBasketbol Süper Ligi
FIBA Europe Cup
Personal information
Born (2000-12-05) 5 December 2000 (age 24)
Belgrade, Serbia, FR Yugoslavia
NationalitySerbian
Listed height2.01 m (6 ft 7 in)
Listed weight96 kg (212 lb)
Career information
NBA draft2022: undrafted
Playing career2018–present
Career history
2018–2024Partizan
2018–2019→ Mladost Zemun
2019→ Mega Bemax
2024–presentTofaş
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Men's basketball
Representing  Serbia
FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship
Gold medal – first place 2018 Latvia U18 Team

Uroš Trifunović (Serbian Cyrillic: Урош Трифуновић; born 5 December 2000) is a Serbian professional basketball player for Tofaş of the Turkish Basketbol Süper Ligi and the FIBA Europe Cup.

Early career

Trifunović started to play basketball in his hometown Belgrade, for the Zemun youth selections. In Summer 2015, he joined the Mega Bemax. During the 2017–18 season, he played in Turkey for the junior team of Pınar Karşıyaka, where his father Aleksandar coached the first team.[1]

Professional career

Partizan

In September 2018, Trifunović joined Partizan.[2][3] Prior to the 2018–19 season, he was loaned out to Mladost Zemun. On July 4, 2019, he was loaned out to Mega Bemax for the 2019–20 season.[4]

Trifunović played in Mega Bemax in the first two rounds of the ABA League, after which he left the club dissatisfied with the minutes and the role in the team. The loan was officially terminated on October 18, 2019, after which Trifunović returned to Partizan. On April 24, he declared for the 2020 NBA draft, but later withdrew.[5] On June 27, 2020, Trifunović signed a four-year contract extension for Partizan.[6] On July 19, 2021, he withdrawn his name once again from consideration for the 2021 NBA draft.[7] Finally, he went undrafted in the 2022 NBA draft after becoming automatically eligible.

During the 2022–23 season, Trifunović for the first time played in EuroLeague where Partizan was eliminated from the Real Madrid in tight playoffs series. Over the season, Trifunović averaged 1.7 points over 35 games. Partizan ended the 2022–23 season by lifting the ABA League championship trophy, after 3–2 score against Crvena zvezda in the Finals series.[8]

The 2023–24 season was deemed to be unsuccessful for Partizan as they finished the season without lifting any trophy.[9]

On July 26, 2024, Trifunović amicably parted ways with the Serbian powerhouse after six years together.

Tofaş

On August 31, 2024, he signed with Tofaş of the Turkish Basketbol Süper Ligi (BSL).[10]

National team career

Trifunović was a member of the Serbian under-18 team that won the gold medal at the 2018 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship in Latvia. Over seven tournament games, he averaged 10.0 points, 2.3 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game.[11]

Trifunović was a member of the Serbian under-19 team that finished 7th at the 2019 FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup in Heraklion, Greece. Over seven tournament games, he averaged 14.0 points, 2.0 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game.[12]

In February 2020, he received the first invitation for the senior Serbia national team. Coach Igor Kokoškov included him on the list of players for the matches against Finland and Georgia in the qualifications for EuroBasket 2022. Trifunović made his debut for the senior team on February 20, 2020, in an 80–58 win over Finland.

Career statistics

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  PIR  Performance Index Rating
 Bold  Career high

EuroLeague

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG PIR
2022–23 Partizan 35 11 8.7 .400 .429 .667 .9 .5 .3 — 1.7 1.7
2023–24 19 5 13.9 .422 .320 1.000 1.5 .5 .3 .1 2.8 2.8
Career 54 16 10.5 .410 .377 .857 1.1 .5 .3 .0 2.1 2.1

EuroCup

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG PIR
2019–20 Partizan 9 1 13.2 .415 .350 .889 1.7 .8 .2 — 5.4 5.6
2020–21 14 1 11.6 .292 .292 .600 1.3 .4 .4 — 2.9 1.2
2021–22 13 3 18.1 .406 .235 1.000 2.1 .8 .1 .1' 5.2 4.6
Career 36 5 14.3 .373 .282 .808 1.7 .6 .3 .0 4.4 3.5

Domestic leagues

Year Team League GP MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2018–19 Serbia Mladost Zemun KLS 25 32.3 .437 .373 .803 3.1 3.0 .8 — 13.8
Serbia Partizan KLS 7 11.0 .444 .438 .833 1.1 .7 .3 — 5.1
2018–19 Serbia Partizan ABA 2 3.9 — — — — .5 — — 0.0
2019–20 Serbia Mega ABA 2 17.2 .267 .000 1.000 2.5 1.0 — — 5.5
Serbia Partizan ABA 8 14.6 .351 .250 .556 1.2 .2 .1 — 4.4
2020–21 Serbia Partizan KLS 5 20.4 .500 .533 .857 1.4 .6 .4 — 9.6
2020–21 Serbia Partizan ABA 22 15.5 .390 .385 .778 1.5 .9 .2 .0 5.6
2021–22 Serbia Partizan ABA 28 15.6 .444 .339 .650 1.4 .7 .5 .0 4.3
2022–23 Serbia Partizan ABA 35 16.2 .527 .448 .806 1.4 .9 .3 .0 6.3
2023–24 Serbia Partizan KLS 4 32.2 .486 .412 .500 5.2 1.0 .2 — 11.5
2023–24 Serbia Partizan ABA 19 18.6 .469 .365 .667 2.7 .9 .8 .0 5.9

Personal life

His father Aleksandar Trifunović is a professional basketball coach and former player.[13][14]

References

  1. ^ "Uroš Trifunović zaigrao za Karšijaku". basketballsphere.com (in Serbian). Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  2. ^ "Partizan signs Uros Trifunovic". eurohoops.net. 3 September 2018. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  3. ^ "Sin Ace Trifunovića došao u Partizan". b92.net (in Serbian). Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  4. ^ "Trifunović u Megi". novosti.rs. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  5. ^ "Uros Trifunovic made himself available for the NBA Draft". 25 April 2020.
  6. ^ "Zvanično: Trifunoviću novi ugovor od Partizana". b92.net. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  7. ^ "NBA announces 51 early entry candidates withdraw from 2021 Draft". nba.com. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  8. ^ "PARTIZAN MOZZART BET ARE 2022/23 ADMIRALBET ABA LEAGUE CHAMPIONS". aba-liga.com. 22 June 2023. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
  9. ^ "Očekuje nas burno leto u Partizanu – ko ostaje, a ko odlazi?" (in Serbian). 6 June 2024. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  10. ^ "Uros Trifunovic joins Tofas". Sportando. 31 August 2024. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  11. ^ "Uros Trifunovic Point Guard". fiba.basketball. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  12. ^ "Average Statistics of Serbia at the 2019 FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup". fiba.basketball. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
  13. ^ "ZLATNI KOŠARKAŠI ZA "ALO! SPRINT" Trifunović i Pecarski: Očevi su nam UZORI, ali ćemo ih nadmašiti!". alo.rs (in Serbian). Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  14. ^ "STOPAMA OČEVA Njihove tate su briljirale u dresovima Partizana i Zvezde, a oni sada donose medalju Srbiji". sport.blic.rs (in Serbian). Retrieved 4 September 2018.