After four years in the NBA, it appears 7’0″ big man Aleksej Pokusevski will play basketball next season in Serbia. Per reports, the Serbian native has signed a deal to play for Partizan Mozzart Bet. With his new deal, he will become teammates alongside 2024 Paris Olympics star Carlik Jones, former first-round pick Bruno Caboclo, and former lottery pick Frank Ntilikina.
Aleksej Pokusevski is expected to join Partizan Belgrade after getting waived by the Charlotte Hornets earlier in the offseason 😳 pic.twitter.com/SoxJeUF0ZO
— BasketNews (@BasketNews_com) August 12, 2024
The Oklahoma City Thunder drafted Pokusevski with the No. 17 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. In parts of four seasons with the Thunder, he averaged 7.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2 assists per game. This includes a 23-point, 10-rebound performance against the Memphis Grizzlies in 2021. In the game, Pokusevski shot 7-for-13 from the field, including 5-for-8 from beyond the arc. Additionally, he recorded 10 rebounds, four assists, one steal, and one block in the win.
In February, the Thunder waived Pokusevski before he signed with the Charlotte Hornets. Pokusevski only appeared in 18 games for the Hornets before the team waived him this summer. With Charlotte, he averaged 7.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game.
2020 NBA First-Round Pick Signs With Serbian Team
Aleksej Pokusevski Was Reportedly Still Seeking NBA Offers
Following his departure from the Hornets, rumors began surfacing that Pokusevski would sign with Partizan Mozzart Bet. While this did ultimately come to fruition, the former Thunder rookie reportedly had interest in remaining in the NBA. According to Mozzart Sport’s Bojan Brezovac, Pokusevski was still seeking an NBA contract.
“As Mozzart Sport unofficially learns, Pokusevski still sees himself in the NBA and is waiting for an invitation from a club from the United States of America.”
“It is already known that he was fired in Charlotte a few weeks ago, and at that time we wrote that the primary priority for Pokushevsky is to stay in the NBA, where he has been since 2020. So far, he hasn’t received the offer he wants, but as we know, he is still willing to wait. If an adequate offer from the NBA does not arrive, then there is a possibility to return to Europe.”
With Pokusevski now a part of the Serbian club, it is fair to assume he did not receive a contract offer from an NBA team this summer. However, he is still just 22 years old, and the possibility of a return to the league is still open.
The Last Word on Aleksej Pokusevski
Although his NBA career has not entirely panned out to this point, Pokusevski is still an intriguing player. He has a unique skill set as a seven-footer. Pokusevski can score from the perimeter and is a solid ball-handler, especially for his size. Though his skinny frame prevents him from being a truly good defender or rebounder, he has the tools due to his height. Pokusevski is an interesting basketball player who will take his talents back to Serbia. However, it seems that he has his eyes set on a return to the NBA. It would not be a surprise if that dream becomes a reality at some point down the line.
