Nick Rakocevic Explained

Nick Rakocevic
Position:Power forward
Height Ft:6
Height In:11
Weight Lbs:225
League:Lebanese Basketball League
Team:Sagesse SC
Number:31
Birth Date:31 December 1997
Birth Place:Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Nationality:American / Serbian
High School:St. Joseph
(Westchester, Illinois)
College:USC (2016–2020)
Draft Year:2020
Career Start:2020
Years1:2020–2022
Team1:Zhejiang Golden Bulls
Years2:2022
Team2:Magnolia Hotshots
Years3:2023
Team3:Zhejiang Golden Bulls
Years4:2023–2024
Team4:Jilin Northeast Tigers
Years5:2024–present
Team5:Sagesse SC

Nikola "Nick" Rakocevic (Serbian: Никола Ракочевић; born December 31, 1997) is a Serbian professional basketball player for the Sagesse SC of the Lebanese Basketball League. He played college basketball for the USC Trojans and attended St. Joseph High School in Westchester, IL. Born in the United States, he represents Serbia internationally.

High school career

Rakocevic was born in Chicago to Momo and Denise Rakocevic. His father emigrated from Belgrade, Serbia at age 25. Rakocevic played for St. Joseph High School in Westchester, Illinois under coach Gene Pingatore. As a junior, he was a starter on the Class 3A state championship team.[1] [2] In his senior season, Rakocevic averaged 19.8 points, 14.4 rebounds and four blocks per game, leading his team to the Class 3A Westinghouse Sectional title.[3] He earned First Team All-State honors from the Chicago Tribune. On April 11, 2016, he committed to play college basketball for USC over offers from UNLV, Arizona State and Florida.[4]

College career

Rakocevic averaged 5.2 points and 4.2 rebounds per game as a freshman at USC, serving as a part-time starter.[5] On March 13, 2018, he recorded 24 points and a career-high 19 rebounds in a 103–98 double overtime win over UNC Asheville.[6] He grabbed the most rebounds by a USC player in a game since David Bluthenthal in 2000. As a sophomore, Rakocevic averaged 8.1 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, shooting 62.7 percent, the second-highest field goal percentage in program history.[7] In his junior season, he averaged 14.7 points, 9.3 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game. Rakocevic was a two-time Pac-12 Player of the Week and was named All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention.[8] On November 12, 2019, he tied his career-high of 27 points, grabbed 16 rebounds and reached 1,000 career points, in an 84–66 victory over South Dakota State.[9] As a senior, Rakocevic averaged 10.5 points and 8.3 rebounds per game.[10]

Professional career

On September 16, 2020, Rakocevic signed his first professional contract with the Zhejiang Golden Bulls of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA).[11]

In August 2022, he signed with the Magnolia Hotshots of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) as the team's import for the 2022–23 PBA Commissioner's Cup.[12]

National team career

Rakocevic played for the Serbia under-20 national team at the 2017 FIBA U20 European Championship in Greece. He averaged 6.3 points and 3.9 rebounds per game, helping his team finish in fifth place.[13]

Career statistics

College

|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2016–17| style="text-align:left;"| USC| 36 || 8 || 14.9 || .563 || – || .671 || 3.7 || .4 || .3 || .6 || 5.2|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2017–18| style="text-align:left;"| USC| 36 || 22 || 21.1 || .627 || – || .548 || 6.2 || .5 || .7 || .5 || 8.1|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2018–19| style="text-align:left;"| USC| 33 || 30 || 30.0 || .548 || .000 || .679 || 9.3 || 1.3 || .8 || 1.4 || 14.7|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2019–20| style="text-align:left;"| USC| 31 || 29 || 27.3 || .458 || .429 || .634 || 8.3 || 1.5 || 1.2 || 1.0 || 10.5|- class="sortbottom"| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career| 136 || 89 || 23.1 || .540 || .360 || .643 || 6.8 || .9 || .7 || .9 || 9.5

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Helfgot . Mike . Boys hoops: Nick Rakocevic maturing into leader for St. Joseph . . September 26, 2020 . December 17, 2015.
  2. Web site: Kaufman . Joey . The ebullience of Nick Rakocevic helps push USC basketball to new heights . . September 26, 2020 . February 22, 2018.
  3. Web site: Narang . Bob . All-area boys basketball first team: Nick Rakocevic . . September 26, 2020 . March 31, 2016.
  4. Web site: Mayor . Rich . Basketball: St. Joseph center Nick Rakocevic commits to USC . . September 26, 2020 . April 11, 2016.
  5. Web site: Gonzales . Mark . St. Joseph alum Nick Rakocevic comfortable with role at USC . . September 26, 2020 . January 10, 2017.
  6. Web site: USC Holds Off UNC Asheville in 2OT, 103-98 . USC Athletics . September 26, 2020 . March 13, 2018.
  7. Web site: Nick Rakocevic . USC Athletics . September 26, 2020.
  8. Web site: Spratling . Shotgun . USC's Nick Rakocevic has expanded his game in new ways . . September 26, 2020 . October 8, 2019.
  9. Web site: Nick Rakocevic, Jonah Mathews Reach 1,000 Career Points as USC Handles South Dakota State, 84-66 . USC Athletics . . September 26, 2020 . November 12, 2019.
  10. Web site: Nick Rakocevic College Stats . . September 26, 2020.
  11. Web site: Zhejiang Chouzhou signs rookie Nick Rakocevic . . September 26, 2020 . September 16, 2020.
  12. Web site: Magnolia bringing in former Serbia U20 player Nick Rakocevic as import. Spin.ph. August 25, 2022. August 25, 2022.
  13. Web site: Nikola Rakocevic's profile – 2017 FIBA U20 European Championship . . September 26, 2020.