Misko Raznatovic is the European basketball super agent. He represents NBA and overseas stars, from Nikola Jokic to Dzanan Musa, and has built KK Mega Basket, the Serbian and Balkan basketball club focused on player development. Jokic, Nikola Topic, Nikola Jovic, and other NBA players have come through its ranks. Through all the twists and turns European basketball has undergone in the past decade or so, Misko has always been a few steps ahead in terms of recruitment, planning, and adaptation.
KK Mega’s growth came in the face of significant down periods – and even bankruptcy and shuttering – for some of Balkan’s basketball most notable clubs, such as Partizan Belgrade, KK Split, and Olimpija Ljubljana. Now, with the explosion of NIL money in NCAA basketball driving universities to build out more expansive recruitment teams and front office setups, Raznatovic is making the most of this development and getting a number of his younger clients solid NCAA opportunities.
David Mirkovic and Andrija Jelavic recently committed to NCAA universities for the upcoming season. They are now joined by Montenegrin forward Andrija Grbovic, who spent this past season with SC Derby and has committed to Arizona State for next season. A 6-foot-9 stretch big, Grbovic brings elite stretch big potential to Arizona State. He also turns 22 in September, meaning he could be playing college basketball almost into his late twenties.
Through potential NIL deals, Grbovic could make more over the next few seasons than he does for the rest of his professional career afterwards. Professional role players in Europe usually bring in low six-figure salaries. Even a ten-year career for Grbovic in Europe could come up short for total earnings compared to what he might make through NIL deals.
While it’s clear Raznatovic is once again a step ahead in doing what’s best for his client’s career, and capitalizing on a new development in the basketball transfer market better than the rest of his competition, it does raise the question again of where European basketball development is going.
Currently, it’s on what appears to be an accelerated downward trajectory. Following the stories of Luka Doncic and Victor Wembanyama, European basketball seemed poised for another generation of success stories. NIL money has sliced that to shreds. Top overseas prospects Egor Demin and Kasparas Jakucionis took NCAA deals last summer and moved up draft boards while their competitors who remained in Europe have largely seen the opposite.
Italian wing Dame Sarr forced his way into Barcelona’s rotation, capitalized on the opportunities given to him, and then, before one of their biggest games of the season – an El Clasico against rivals Real Madrid – he skipped out to participate in the Nike Hoop Summit. Barcelona and Sarr have since parted ways.
With each passing day, European clubs are becoming less incentivized to develop homegrown talent. Their best prospects are hefty investments sometimes from as early as 12 years old. Then, when they turn 18, they leave for next to nothing for an NCAA deal. This development doesn’t seem to be a priority for EuroLeague – European basketball’s top club competition – or FIBA either. Both are still duking it out to establish top senior club competitions, with the NBA getting involved with their NBA Europe project.
Young players having more options and getting paid is a good thing, to be clear. But the swift decline of European basketball development is a concern that could have long-term ramifications for player development on the continent at large. Currently, there is no solution in sight.
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