SEPTEMBER 18: Marjanovic’s deal is official, according to a press release from Fenerbahce. NBA reporter Marc Stein confirms (via Twitter) that the agreement includes an opt-out window in December.
SEPTEMBER 17: Veteran free agent center Boban Marjanovic has reached an agreement to sign with the Turkish club Fenerbahce, reports Bugra Uzar of Eurohoops. The agreement, which was hinted at in a cryptic tweet by agent Misko Raznatovic, has also been confirmed by Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com.
According to Urbonas, Marjanovic and Fenerbahce are on track to complete a one-year contract that will allow both sides to opt out of the deal before January.
Marjanovic, 36, has been in the NBA since 2015, having spent time with the Spurs, Pistons, Clippers, Sixers, Mavericks, and Rockets over the past nine seasons. The Serbian’s size (7’4″) and skill set made him a situational specialist throughout his NBA career — he has never averaged more than 11.7 minutes per game or appeared in more than 58 games in a single season.
Marjanovic, who holds career NBA averages of 5.5 points and 3.6 rebounds in 8.7 minutes per game across 331 outings, appeared in just 14 contests for Houston last season, logging 71 total minutes.
For most of the offseason, Marjanovic has been seeking a new opportunity in the NBA. However, he drew more interest overseas and is no stranger to European competition, having played in Serbia, Russia, and Lithuania from 2006-15 before making the move across the Atlantic.
He’ll be joining a Fenerbahce team that has made an effort to fortify its frontcourt this month upon losing Luka Samanic — the Istanbul-based club, which competes in the EuroLeague, also added longtime NBA center Khem Birch last week. Nicolo Melli, Wade Baldwin, Nigel Hayes-Davis, Bonzie Colson, Devon Hall, and Marko Guduric are among the other former NBAers on Fenerbahce’s roster.
Mr Goldfish on the move. Good luck to him.
Booo. Bobi needs to be in the nba
Man, Boban’s PER stats are pretty dang solid. Now, obviously, due to his size, he could never sustain those numbers over the course of even 30 minutes a game and for a full season, BUT it just goes to show how even if a player is limited, there are ways to get the most out of their skills.
Boban has always been able to provide his team with solid production in short spurts. Frpm a statistical perspective, Boban’s ten minutes a night would typically be more productive than most role player’s twenty-five minutes per game.
It would’ve been interesting to see how Boban might have faired during a different time in the NBA.
He gave them chicken. He’s a man of the people!
Hard to believe he’s only 22