Bogdan Bogdanovic sets lofty goal for upcoming season with Hawks

Bogdan Bogdanovic is still not shy about supporting KK Partizan, the Serbian professional team with whom he got his start in 2012-13. But the Atlanta Hawks swingman is committed to the NBA and his current team.

He is looking to achieve a career first after winning bronze in the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics with Serbia.

Bogdanovic wants to appear in all 82 games.

“I haven’t managed to do that yet and it’s very difficult. Last season I missed two, in one I was sick, and on the other I was injured. I think I can make it happen this season. We need to work on the team atmosphere, we have a lot of young new players, so we have a chance to achieve it with players like Trae Young, [Clint] Capela, [De’Andre] Hunter,” Bogdanovic told Nikola Miloradovic in an interview published on September 22. 

“It’s a new challenge for me, in the NBA everything is possible, everything is possible everywhere, but you have to have faith and one should remain persistent.”

Bogdanovic actually missed three games en route to a career-high 79 appearances in 2023-24. He sat two games in mid-December with an ankle injury; one versus the Cleveland Cavaliers with the injury itself and the next versus the Detroit Pistons with lingering soreness.

His third, with the illness, was versus the Utah Jazz in March.

On the court, Bogdanovic averaged career-highs with 16.9 points and 1.2 steals per game last season, adding 3.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists and underscoring his versatility.

He finished in the top-10 in Sixth Man of the Year voting for the second time in the last three seasons and could have an even better shot at the award in 2024-25. The Hawks could need even more offense from him with Dejounte Murray traded to the New Orleans Pelicans.

Bogdan Bogdanovic’s ability to run offense could prove invaluable for Hawks

Young will soak up plenty of minutes as long as he returns to his usual durability. But the backup point guard minutes could be an adventure.

Trade pickup Dyson Daniels will contend with incumbents Vit Krejci and 2023 first-round pick Kobe Bufkin behind Young. Each of them presents questions that Bogdanovic mitigates when he is operating in that role.

Daniels and Bufkin are questionable shooters while Krejci is still unproven himself.

Bogdanovic is not considered a strong on-ball defender. But creating turnovers helps too, so it is encouraging the he set a new personal best in 2023-24.

His age – Bogdanovic turned 32 years old in August – and history with knee injuries will always be concerns going forward. But it is hard not to look at Bogdanovic’s body of work and outlook and not feel like he is still a bargain in Year 2 of his four-year, $68 million contract.

As for his eventual return to Partizan when his NBA career is over?

“Everyone knows how much I love Partizan, I trained in their gym, they provided me with the conditions I needed,” Bogdanovic told Miloradovic. “I know everyone is waiting for a promise (ed. note: to return someday), but my focus, not to lie to you, is the NBA and I am focusing on being as good as possible. When the time comes for that, emotions will surely rule”.