Nenad Mijatovic
Encyclopedia
Nenad Mijatović (born January 21, 1987 in Split
, Croatia
, Yugoslavia
) is a Montenegrin
professional basketball
player. He currently plays for KK Buducnost Podgorica
.
, where he started playing basketball in Budućnost
youth teams. He was an exceptional talent, so much that he made his professional debut at the age of 14, when Budućnost
was dominating the national stage, under Bogdan Tanjević
. He kept developing his game as it was expected, and by the age of 18 (season 2005/06), he was one of the best players of the young Budućnost
squad. Against the odds, this extremely young and talented team (average age about 21) managed to finish fourth in the national championship, leaving behind KK Hemofarm
, among other talented Serbia
n teams. Season 2006/07 was even more successful for Budućnost
and Mijatović. They dominate in the relatively weak Opportunity League
and they already won the National cup. The biggest success was clearly the fifth place in the Adriatic League
, which will likely secure a place for Budućnost
in the ULEB Cup
next season. Mijatović and Goran Jeretin
formed probably the most explosive and exciting backcourt in the Adriatic League
, averaging 12 and 18 points respectivel
noooooojaaaaaaa
TV station IN TV, he stated that he will probably skip the 2007 NBA Draft
. By many, he is considered a first round prospect. In the same interview, he confirmed that he was contacted by officials of the Basketball Federation of Serbia
about playing under the Serbia
n flag (his parents have Serbian origins), but he decided to play for Montenegro
instead.
Split (city)
Split is a Mediterranean city on the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea, centered around the ancient Roman Palace of the Emperor Diocletian and its wide port bay. With a population of 178,192 citizens, and a metropolitan area numbering up to 467,899, Split is by far the largest Dalmatian city and...
, Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
, Yugoslavia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
) is a Montenegrin
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player. He currently plays for KK Buducnost Podgorica
KK Buducnost Podgorica
KK Budućnost Podgorica is a professional basketball club from Podgorica, Montenegro. It is a part of Budućnost Podgorica sport society. The team currently competes in First Montenegrin Opportunity League and regional Adriatic League...
.
Playing career
At his early age, his family moved to PodgoricaPodgorica
Podgorica , is the capital and largest city of Montenegro.Podgorica's favourable position at the confluence of the Ribnica and Morača rivers and the meeting point of the fertile Zeta Plain and Bjelopavlići Valley has encouraged settlement...
, where he started playing basketball in Budućnost
KK Buducnost Podgorica
KK Budućnost Podgorica is a professional basketball club from Podgorica, Montenegro. It is a part of Budućnost Podgorica sport society. The team currently competes in First Montenegrin Opportunity League and regional Adriatic League...
youth teams. He was an exceptional talent, so much that he made his professional debut at the age of 14, when Budućnost
KK Buducnost Podgorica
KK Budućnost Podgorica is a professional basketball club from Podgorica, Montenegro. It is a part of Budućnost Podgorica sport society. The team currently competes in First Montenegrin Opportunity League and regional Adriatic League...
was dominating the national stage, under Bogdan Tanjević
Bogdan Tanjevic
Bogdan Tanjević is an ex-Yugoslav, naturalized Italian, Bosnian, and Turkish basketball coach last managed Turkish national basketball team between 2004-10 and Fenerbahçe Ülker between 2007-10...
. He kept developing his game as it was expected, and by the age of 18 (season 2005/06), he was one of the best players of the young Budućnost
KK Buducnost Podgorica
KK Budućnost Podgorica is a professional basketball club from Podgorica, Montenegro. It is a part of Budućnost Podgorica sport society. The team currently competes in First Montenegrin Opportunity League and regional Adriatic League...
squad. Against the odds, this extremely young and talented team (average age about 21) managed to finish fourth in the national championship, leaving behind KK Hemofarm
KK Hemofarm
Košarkaški klub Hemofarm is a professional basketball club from Vršac, Serbia. The club currently participates in the Adriatic League and Serbian League...
, among other talented Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
n teams. Season 2006/07 was even more successful for Budućnost
KK Buducnost Podgorica
KK Budućnost Podgorica is a professional basketball club from Podgorica, Montenegro. It is a part of Budućnost Podgorica sport society. The team currently competes in First Montenegrin Opportunity League and regional Adriatic League...
and Mijatović. They dominate in the relatively weak Opportunity League
Opportunity League
The Opportunity Liga is a national professional basketball league in Montenegro. It is the top basketball division in Montenegro's Košarkaški savez Crne Gore national basketball federation. It was established in the year 2006, shortly after Montenegro declared its independence from Serbia and...
and they already won the National cup. The biggest success was clearly the fifth place in the Adriatic League
NLB League
Liga ABA, also known as Adriatic League, until September 2011 known as the NLB Liga ABA for sponsorship reasons, is a top-level regional basketball league, featuring teams from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Israel, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia.The league exists alongside scaled-down national...
, which will likely secure a place for Budućnost
KK Buducnost Podgorica
KK Budućnost Podgorica is a professional basketball club from Podgorica, Montenegro. It is a part of Budućnost Podgorica sport society. The team currently competes in First Montenegrin Opportunity League and regional Adriatic League...
in the ULEB Cup
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...
next season. Mijatović and Goran Jeretin
Goran Jeretin
Goran Jeretin is a Montenegrin professional basketball player who plays for Artland Dragons.-Basketball career:...
formed probably the most explosive and exciting backcourt in the Adriatic League
NLB League
Liga ABA, also known as Adriatic League, until September 2011 known as the NLB Liga ABA for sponsorship reasons, is a top-level regional basketball league, featuring teams from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Israel, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia.The league exists alongside scaled-down national...
, averaging 12 and 18 points respectivel
Player profile
Mijatović is 195 cm (6 ft 5in) tall. He is an explosive scorer, uses his tremendous quickness and athleticism to drive to the basket, and he does it without fear. He is also a good three point shooter, both from the spot and from the dribble. Quite an unusual euro guard, as his idols are NBA stars (which he admits). Possesses a killer crossover dribble. On the defensive end, he also performs with the best of them.noooooojaaaaaaa
Future plans
In an interview with MontenegrinMontenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
TV station IN TV, he stated that he will probably skip the 2007 NBA Draft
2007 NBA Draft
The 2007 NBA Draft was held on June 28, 2007 at the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. It was broadcast on television in 115 countries. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S...
. By many, he is considered a first round prospect. In the same interview, he confirmed that he was contacted by officials of the Basketball Federation of Serbia
Basketball Federation of Serbia
The Basketball Federation of Serbia is the governing body of basketball in Serbia. It is considered the successor of the Yugoslav Basketball Federation founded in 1936 . It organizes the Sinalco Superleague and runs the Serbia national basketball team.-External links:*...
about playing under the Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
n flag (his parents have Serbian origins), but he decided to play for Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
instead.