Tristan Vukcevic ready to ‘show world' what he can do in Summer League
Tristan Vukcevic ready to ‘show world' what he can do in Summer League originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
WASHINGTON -- Tristan Vukcevic insists he has had plenty of rest, and the Wizards have no plans to restrict him in the Las Vegas Summer League, yet it would be understandable if he was a bit tired after the last few weeks.
On June 22 he won a championship in the ABA League with his Serbian-based team Partizan, then later that night (technically the morning) he was selected by the Wizards in the NBA Draft. Vukcevic got the call from Wizards general manager Will Dawkins at 5:30 a.m. while he was still celebrating the victory.
Vukcevic flew to D.C. not long after to participate in the Wizards' pre-Summer League mini-camp, which took place less than two weeks after the draft. The next stop was Las Vegas where Vukcevic will join the Wizards' other top young prospects including 2023 first round pick Bilal Coulibaly for the team's five-game schedule.
"I’m from Europe, so a lot of people haven’t seen my game," Vukcevic said. "I just want to show the world what I can do and help my team get better and obviously win Summer League, be champions. Why not?"
There may be an adjustment for Vukcevic, even though he has spent time in the EuroLeague, which is widely considered to be the second-best league in the world. He has played against very talented, full-grown professionals, but has yet to experience the length and athleticism of the NBA.
Vukcevic expects the biggest differences to involve the speed of the game. In Europe, he was used to more set plays designed to run down the clock. In the NBA, he will need to take shots when he's open and keep the pace moving.
The Summer League will give him a glimpse of that, with the Wizards set to begin with the Pacers on Saturday (8 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Washington). It will also give Wizards fans an idea of the type of player Vukcevic is and could someday be.
When asked for player comparisons, he mentioned a few names including a very recent Wizards big man.
"Maybe [Kristaps] Porzingis, a little bit of Porzingis. [Dirk] Nowitzki. A little bit of let’s say Nikola Mirotic. He used to be in the league and now is in Europe," Vukcevic said.
Those are some good players to emulate. Vukcevic says he also received a call from former NBA All-Star Marc Gasol on Tuesday. Gasol reached out to offer advice as he makes the transition into the NBA. Vukcevic has also developed an early connection with Wizards assistant coach Joseph Blair, who played professionally with his father in the early 2000s.
While Blair is helping put Vukcevic through practices, Wizards Summer League head coach Landon Tatum will be tasked with determining his role and his minutes in Las Vegas. Tatum said the Wizards will play Vukcevic at both the four and the five and plan to test him on the defensive end to get a sense of his versatility.
"I think defensively, he’s more comfortable being in a drop coverage instead of being on the ball. But you know what, that’s what Summer League is for. Trying to see if they can develop, trying to see what they can really do," Tatum said.
Vukcevic has made fast friends with Coulibaly, as the two have found common ground coming from Europe and have been hanging out off the court during their early days in D.C. While Coulibaly is getting to know Vukcevic better, so will Wizards fans over time.
Vukcevic walked reporters through his unique background after Wednesday's practice. He was born in Italy where he lived for nine years, then moved to Athens, Greece for six years, spent four years in Madrid, Spain and then a year in Serbia. He has Serbian and Swedish passports and he's eligible for a Greek passport if he wants one someday.
Vukcevic said his favorite foods are his mom's carbonara and lasagna. Coulibaly's favorite food is also his mother's lasagna, so they have that in common.
Their chemistry is already developing on and off the court. Soon, fans will see them in action.
