Nemanja Đurišić Explained

Nemanja Đurišić
Height M:2.03
Weight Kg:100
Position:Forward
League:VTB United League
Team:BC Nizhny Novgorod
Number:42
Birth Date:23 February 1992
Birth Place:Titograd, SFR Yugoslavia
Nationality:Montenegrin
High School:South Kent School
(South Kent, Connecticut)
College:Georgia (2011–2015)
Draft Year:2015
Career Start:2015
Years1:2015–2017
Team1:Zielona Góra
Years2:2017–2018
Team2:Bonn
Years3:2018–2019
Team3:Oostende
Years4:2019–2020
Team4:Beşiktaş
Years5:2020–2022
Team5:Estudiantes
Years6:2022–2024
Team6:Stal Ostrów Wielkopolski
Years7:2024–present
Team7:BC Nizhny Novgorod
Highlights:

Nemanja Đurišić (born February 23, 1992) is a Montenegrin professional basketball player for BC Nizhny Novgorod of the VTB United League. Đurišić is also currently a member of the Montenegrin national team and during his college years he played for the University of Georgia in the United States. He can play both small or power forward position. He is one of the few players from Montenegro who completed all 4 years of basketball scholarship at a university in the United States.

Early life

Đurišić grew up in the neighborhood of Stari Aerodrom, Titograd, and started playing basketball at age of 12, for the local basketball club Sinalco. He was persuaded to start playing basketball by his brother Boris. His childhood basketball idol was Vlade Divac and as a kid he loved watching Yugoslavian national basketball team, who were a powerhouse during the 1990s and early 2000s. After taking his first basketball steps in Sinalco, Đurišić joined the youth academy of KK Budućnost Podgorica, where he gained an audience with several scouts.[1]

High school

After completing first 2 years of high school in Podgorica Đurišić got an offer to finish his high school overseas, in South Kent School, and be part of their basketball team. Despite his lack of knowledge in English language at the time he managed to prove himself well both as a basketball player and as a student, which led to him deciding to pursue basketball scholarship at a college in the US. In two seasons for South Kent Đurišić averaged 20.1 points and 10.3 rebounds per game.During his high school years Đurišić also made appearances for Montenegrin national basketball team at FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship.

College career

Freshman year

In 2011 Đurišić enrolled at the University of Georgia and was immediately recognized as skillful basketball player by the coaching staff. In his freshman year for the Bulldogs Đurišić started 12 games at the power forward position, including four of the last five games of the season.

Sophomore year

In 2011–12 season Đurišić had team's only double-double of the season in an SEC Tourney win over Miss. State. During his sophomore year Đurišić gained more playing minutes and had a career-high 21 points against Florida A&M.

Junior year

In 2013–14 Đurišić had a breakthrough year and was a key player from the bench for the Bulldogs. During junior year he was team's best 3-point shooter, in terms of percentage. He set a new career-high, with 22 points in a win against South Carolina.

Senior year

During his senior year Đurišić became one of team's top players and a regular starter. In a game against Tennessee, he became the 44th player in UGA history to reach 1,000 career points. Đurišić scored 35 points in two games vs. #1-ranked Kentucky, including a team-high 18 at home against the Wildcats. He nearly had a triple-double in Georgia's win over Fla. Atlantic, with 8 pts., 10 rebs., and a career-best 8 assists (no UGA player has ever recorded a triple-double). Đurišić is one of just 19 players in UGA history to score 1,000 points and pull down 500 rebounds.[2]

College statistics

|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2011–12| style="text-align:left;"| Georgia| 32 || 12 || 19.8 || .405 || .364 || .659 || 4.2 || 0.8 || 0.4 || 0.2 || 7.0|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2012–13| style="text-align:left;"| Georgia| 32 || 10 || 24.4 || .395 || .317 || .747 || 4.3 || 1.4 || 0.5 || 0.3 || 7.9|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2013–14| style="text-align:left;"| Georgia| 34 || 3 || 22.9 || .482 || .432 || .684 || 4.0 || 0.8 || 0.5 || 0.4 || 8.4|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2014–15| style="text-align:left;"| Georgia| 33 || 32 || 30.0 || .468 || .340 || .704 || 5.2 || 1.5 || 0.7 || 0.5 || 11.0|-| colspan=2 style="text-align:center;"| Career[3] | 131 || 57 || 24.3 || .438 || .363 || .702 || 4.4 || 1.1 || 0.5 || 0.3 || 8.6

Professional career

Stelmet Zielona Góra

In August 2015 Đurišić signed a one-year contract with Stelmet Zielona Góra. He averaged 5.0 points and 3.3 rebounds per game in EuroLeague.In July 2016 Đurišić re-signed with the team for one more year.[4] [5]

Filou Oostende

After a season with Telekom Baskets Bonn in Germany, he signed with Filou Oostende for the 2018–19 season.[6]

Beşiktaş Sompo Japan

On July 12, 2019, he signed with Beşiktaş Sompo Japan of the BSL.[7] He averaged 10 points and 4 rebounds per game.[8]

Estudiantes

On July 28, 2020, he signed with Movistar Estudiantes of the Liga ACB.

Stal Ostrów Wielkopolski

On August 11, 2022, he signed with Stal Ostrów Wielkopolski of the Polish Basketball League (PLK).[9]

International career

In September 2016 Durišić helped Montenegro's basketball team reach EuroBasket 2017, through qualifiers, averaging 9.7 points and 2.7 rebounds per game. He scored a game-high 17 points in Montenegro's only loss of the qualifiers, against Georgia.[10]

Personal life

Đurišić majored in International relations and affairs at UGA. His parents, Snežana and Ranko Đurišić, both from Montenegro, took part in their first-ever UGA game on February 28, 2015, on the occasion of their first visit to the US, participating in the Senior Day recognition before the Kentucky game on March 3, 2015.

In June 2020, he married Miss Turkey 2013 contestant Ezgi Avcı.[11]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: kosarka.me - Nemanja Đurišić: Crnogorski biser sa Univerziteta Džordžia. kosarka.me. March 31, 2017.
  2. Web site: Nemanja Đurisic Bio - Men's Basketball - GEORGIADOGS.COM - University of University of Georgia Official Athletic Site. georgiadogs.com. March 31, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20161210180921/http://www.georgiadogs.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/nemanja_djurisic_761045.html. December 10, 2016. dead.
  3. https://sports.yahoo.com/ncaab/players/109771/ Nemanja Djurisic
  4. Web site: DJURISIC, NEMANJA - Welcome to EUROLEAGUE BASKETBALL. euroleague.net. March 31, 2017.
  5. Web site: kosarka.me - Zielona Gora angažovala Đurišića. kosarka.me. March 31, 2017.
  6. Web site: Basketkampioen Oostende haalt Montenegrijns international Djurisic. Het Laatste Nieuws. 2023-11-22. 2018-08-22. nl.
  7. News: Besiktas signs Nemanja Djurisic. July 12, 2019. Sportando. En. July 29, 2019.
  8. News: Nemanja Djurisic joins Estudiantes . Sportando . July 28, 2020 . July 28, 2020.
  9. Web site: Djurisić wraca do EBL! Podpisał umowę w Ostrowie Wielkopolskim. August 11, 2022. plk.pl. pl. August 20, 2022.
  10. Web site: FIBA EuroBasket 2017 - FIBA.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20160911044928/http://www.fiba.com/eurobasket/2017/qualifiers/Nemanja-DJURISIC#tab=stats. live. September 11, 2016. fiba.com. March 31, 2017.
  11. Web site: Ezgi Avcı ve basketbolcu Nemanja Djurisic evlendi. Hürriyet. June 25, 2020. June 26, 2020. Turkish.