Bulls’ Nikola Vucevic puts Hawks’ Bogdan Bogdanovic in elite company

Atlanta Hawks swingman Bogdan Bogdanovic is overseas, preparing to represent his native Serbia in the 2023 FIBA World Cup. One of his fellow competitors, big man Nikola Vucevic of Montenegro and the Chicago Bulls, name-dropped Bogdanovic when asked for his top-five active NBA players of European descent.

It’s a very talented group.

“Probably put Luka Doncic at the point guard, shooting guard: Bogdan Bogdanovic,” Vucevic said, via the FIBA World Cup on X on August 22. “[At] 3, I’d probably put Lauri Markkanen, 4: Giannis Antetokounmpo, and 5: Nikola Jokic.”

Bogdanovic is coming off averaging 14.0 points and shooting 40.6% from beyond the arc and, fully healthy in the offseason for the first time in years, is playing in the FIBA World Cup.

This is not the first time two players’ worlds have collided away from the basketball court, though the last time was also basketball-related. Both players credited former Serbian player, Dejan Bodiroga – not former NBA guard and now-Dallas Mavericks assistant – God Shamgod – for creating the move known across Europe as “the whip”, per BasketNews in May of 2022.

“I think Bodiroga is in Belgrade,” Bogdanovic tweeted to then-Phoenix Suns star Chris Paul who did the maneuver against Indiana Pacers – and Lithuanian – big man Domatas Sabonis in January 2022.

Vucevic was a bit more direct, saying, “The only Shamgod is Dejan Bodiroga…wannabees don’t count,” in a quote of Paul’s tweet.

Serbia and Montenegro won’t face each other during group play but could meet later.

Hawks Bogdan Bogdanovic works on golf swing prepping for FIBA World Cup

Footage emerged on August 24 of Bogdanovic using a golf simulator to practice his swing, though it did not appear to be anything serious – he was wearing his full Serbian uniform in the video.

His initial attempt ricocheted around the facility he was using prompting this message from the Serbian Basketball Federation.

“It doesn’t hit everyone though,” the SBF’s tweet reads, per Google Translate.

https://twitter.com/KSSrbije/status/1694677230377685437

“Bogi giving new meaning to watch ya head,” tweeted the Hawks’ social media team.

“The direction is there,” Bogdanovic said in a quote tweet of the original video.
The SBF would send another video, though, and Bogdanovic was much more controlled in his swing the second time around.

“We have few more shots,” the Serbian Basketball Federation’s message said.

Bogdanovic, in another quote tweet, said “The next shot is the best shot.”

Bogdanovic’s competitiveness is second to none.

It is no surprise that he was right back with a much-improved effort in the second clip.