European Prospects

Nenad Miljenovic, the top Serbian guard prospect from the 1993 generation announced a few days ago that he will not sign his first professional contract with FMP Belgrade, the team where he played during the last years. Serbian Media outlets announced that he is close to move to the United States and that USC, UCLA and Hawaii are currently his first choices. We spoke with Miljenovic about these different topics and here is what he has to say.

First of all, can you explain why you took the decision not to sign a first pro contract with FMP?

I made that decision because I wasn’t happy in FMP. I didn’t get a real chance to play with senior team so I wanted to go somewhere I can play. Also, I am not sure in what competition FMP will play next year, that competition may not be equal to my ambitions.

Have you talked before this decision with former FMP players that made the same choice like Milan Macvan or Branislav Djekic?

No, I haven’t talk to them, I talked to some other former FMP players but I won’t mention them.

How does your current practice routine look like now? Can you still practice with FMP or do you work on your own?

I am training individually twice a day, one basketball and one physical training, I am preparing on my own.

You are leaving FMP just in front of the NIJT in Barcelona and the Serbian U18 Finals, doesn’t that give you any regrets letting your former team mates alone?

Yes, it was hard decision because of my team mates but I felt like that was the best decision. If everybody knew that I am leaving the club and I am still playing for it, the atmosphere would be really negative and unnatural, everything would be weird. I played those competitions before and won them, now when I am not there some other players from my team will get more chances to prove themselves so I think that’s not bad decision for me or them.

The Serbian press spoke about a potential move to the United States to play College Basketball at Hawaii, USC or UCLA, all teams from the West Coast. Would go for one year to High School in the US or how would you handle this situation?

If I go to USA, I would go one year in High school but right now Europe is the first option. Additionally, the Serbian press is not well informed at all about that, in fact I had a lot more offers from Central and Eastern regions than from the West Coast; so that’s not true.

When do you think you have a decision considering your future? Do you sign with another team for the rest of the season or do you wait until the summer?

I think I will make a decision in the next 10-20 days. I will sign with a club but I can’t play for it until the next season. I will prepare for national team trainings.

Do you have concrete plans considering the NBA? Is that your goal?

Yes, that’s one of my goals in future but before that I need to develop and improve enough on European level so I can play in the NBA.