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Eurohoops: 6️⃣ EuroLeague players will earn a higher salary than LeBron ($3,8M) will with the 76ers in the upcoming season 👀📊 🔴 Vasilije Micic — $5,6M 🟢 Kendrick Nunn — $5,3M 🟢 Guerschon Yabusele — $5M 🟢 Nigel Hayes-Davis — $4,5M 🔴 Sasha Vezenkov — $4,2M 🟢 Sylvain Francisco — $4M
“I love basketball, and anywhere that I can be involved with it, I would love it“, Giannis said. “I could transition to a coach or I could transition to an owner“, he added. “I don’t know how it works, because in the Euroleague, players have that sports equity and they also play at the same time”, he answered the question before mentioning Vasilije Micic as an example.
The pursuit of Nigel Hayes-Davis has reached a definitive conclusion, marking one of the most significant mid-season acquisitions in modern EuroLeague history. After intense speculation and competing offers from powerhouses like Fenerbahce Beko and Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv, Panathinaikos Aktor owner Dimitris Giannakopoulos confirmed via Instagram that the American forward has signed a deal through 2028. Αccording to club sources, his total salary is $10M, pushing him in the Top3 highest paid players in Europe, behind Hapoel’s Vasilije Micic and his new teammate Kendrick Nunn.
“In the United States, it’s about timing. I believe both Micic and Vezenkov understood this as well. Over there, regardless of who you are, I believe the team and timing are the most important. If you get hurt or stay healthy, which players are playing. Because Micic can play in the NBA, but he was on a team at Oklahoma, which won the championship the next year, then at Charlotte with some young players that had more playing time and space, so he could not find any space. On the other hand, I recall Sasha being really good whenever he played, but he could not find his path. However, I am sure both are very happy with their time there,” he said.
It was well-known that Micic wanted to be the highest-paid player in Europe and got exactly that with a three-year contract that is valued at 14M euros net. The exact clauses and details of the contract are unknown and complicated, with Hapoel owner Ofer Yannay insisting that his team gave the same money that Micic was offered by other clubs, which is not the case, per Eurohoops sources. Also, the most puzzling quote is that Micic also got shares presumably of the club, which raises the question of how much they are valued. Still, according to sources close to the situation, Micic’s annual salary translates to $5,6M net, putting him on top of the Top 10 list, as he wanted.
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“Booker is an outstanding guy, but different,” Micic said. “He thinks that’s what the offseason is for. He believes that if you strike the iron while it’s hot and during the regular season, it’s money time, but he’s also an outstanding leader. He was a bit in the shadow, but not in a bad way, because he really respects KD so much.”
“So these younger guys, there was that kid Ryan (Dunn),” Micic continued. “He enjoyed training with KD. KD often has this kind of intimidating body language, but he’s actually a real chill guy, seriously, but simply, he has to keep his guard up for his own reasons, but he’s very open to talk with people and so on. He’s extremely intelligent.”
Micic sensed the trade was imminent, but he had an “accident” before it went down. “Just a couple of days before the trade that I kind of saw it coming,” he said. “I was already packed. I tweaked my ankle against Denver. It was really bad.” Micic didn’t score in 15 minutes on 0-of-5 shooting in a 107-104 home loss Feb. 1 to the Nuggets. Two days later, Micic posted 13 points, going 3-of-4 from 3, and five assists in 29 minutes against Washington. The Hornets lost, 124-114, at home Feb. 3. Hindsight 20/20, Micic should’ve been a spectator that night. “And I probably should’ve taken those five, six days off back then, to wait for the trade and then be ready to finalize it,” Micic said. “I didn’t know it was going to be Phoenix, but I at least wanted to be healthy. Phoenix was a good spot to get some minutes those first two weeks, but the next day, I didn’t want to look like a coward, so I played 36 minutes on that ankle and ended up extending my recovery by another three or four weeks, which was pretty much the end.”
Micic revealed the six teams that were interested in his services, denying that there was any talk about joining Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens this summer. "Regarding Europe, I really didn't have any talks with Panathinaikos. I have a great relationship with coach Ataman, but they have a different vision. Some teams couldn't financially follow my requirements," Micic said. "Four teams were in intense competition: Real, Hapoel, Fenerbahce, and Olympiacos. And Zvezda was up to a certain moment," Micic noted.
Vasilije Micic: Well, that’s interesting for the NBA. I’ve experienced three different organizations. One that’s just on another level. Host: Oklahoma? Vasilije Micic: Oklahoma—the best. And let’s say, there are maybe two or three more for sure, but they’re the best as an organization. Player: There are organizations that are really good, but they’re boosted by the players they have. For example, I think that’s the case with Golden State. It’s elevated to another level because of the players. But the organization itself, initially… maybe San Antonio, from what I’ve heard, is good.
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Vasilije Micic: See, now this is interesting to me. I used to talk a lot with Dejan Bodiroga, like, “So why didn’t you go to the NBA, huh?” And he’d say: “Wait a second… I mean, me going somewhere just to be an experimental player? Come on… I mean, I had won everything here, I don’t know… and then to have somebody over there test me out, like, ‘Is he good enough to make the roster, maybe be the 8th guy in the rotation?’ No way.” Maybe a few years back, I didn’t really see it that way.
Unbeaten Serbia got the 82-60 win over winless Czech Republic with Aleksa Avramovic having 14 points, Filip Petrusev 13 points, and Nikola Milutinov adding 12, while Nikola Jokic (6 p., 7 r., 4 as.) getting some rest. Vasa Micic got an injury scare, but coach Svetislav Pesic and Micic himself, speaking to Serbian television, confirmed that he is ready to go, so the issue at the press conference was the upcoming game against Turkey.
However, his off-the-court actions are not as well known, but his Serbian national team teammate Vasilije Micic shed some light on them. Former Oklahoma City Thunder, Charlotte Hornets, and Phoenix Suns guard described Jokic as a leader. "Great guy, great guy. Very humble, really unique in terms of that," Micic told BasketNews. "His integrity with the team and his behavior in general are really a great example for everyone who wants to become like Nikola, a superstar and NBA leader."
"He never complained. He really never complains about anything. He never dresses differently. He's always on time. He always dresses perfectly as we agreed on. It's like a small detail, but really never, never missed since I know him," Micic said. Finally, the 31-year-old shed light on Jokic's close involvement with his teammates. "And then, like his contribution with small things. He likes to play cards with us. He likes to play fantasy soccer stuff. I don't even know what they play because I don't know any video games. But he's always into those things with the team, and he just does it naturally," Micic concluded.