Twelve months is a long time in sport – especially a fast-paced one like basketball.
This time last year, Sydney Kings guard Dejan Vasiljevic was recovering from a torn achilles tendon sustained against Perth on April 9.
Fast-forward to July 2022 and the Canadian-born sharp-shooter is lining up for the Phoenix Suns at the NBA Summer League.
“Everything in this sport comes at you quick,” Vasiljevic said to Only Sports.
“I’m just fortunate I rehabbed properly and did everything right to get back on the court – full credit to my physio Dave Hillard and surgeon for helping me on that process.
“Both of them did a fantastic job of getting me back in eight to nine months, which is really unheard of with achilles injuries.
Embed from Getty Images“That work allowed me to go on and win a championship with Sydney and now be here in Las Vegas playing Summer League – it’s been a whirlwind but super enjoyable ride.”
Coming straight to the United States after another dominant performance with Diamond Valley in NBL1 South, Vasiljevic joined up with the Suns on June 29 for their pre-Summer League camp.
“Being my first Summer League, that camp was really good for me personally, to get to know everyone, see what this whole tournament is about and get up to speed with our team’s game-plan,” the 25-year-old said.
“With so many guys in our group on the cusp of making the NBA, with numerous players on two-way deals, I enjoyed showcasing what I can do against them and prove to the coaches what my game is all about.”
Vasiljevic and his Suns, which also feature NBL duo Duop Reath (Illawarra) and Jo Lual-Acuil (Melbourne), have now played all four round games in Vegas – including wins against the Los Angeles Lakers (104-84) and Dallas (105-78).
“Although I haven’t played that much, I’ve just tried to stay ready for when my number is called,” said the University of Miami alum, who’s loved being around other Australians on the roster and having the chance to go out for meals each day and pick each others’ brains.
“I came in late to this whole process with the Suns, which has obviously played a factor but I’m happy with the way I’ve been able to showcase my skills, including shooting the ball, playing defence and whatever it takes to win when given the chance.
Embed from Getty Images“I’m happy with how I’ve played and everyone I’ve spoken to has given me positive feedback too, which is nice.”
The former Australian Institute of Sport of talent admits this won’t be his last Summer League.
“Summer League is something that has always been a dream of mine and checking in for the first time was a surreal moment and something I’ll never forget,” he said.
“It’s an experience that I definitely want to do again and next time, I hope to get a bigger role on a team that will allow me to showcase my talents a little more.
Dejan Vasiljevic- The 6'3 G from Australia has averaged 13.9 points on 43% and 39.3% from 3 over the last 2 seasons in the Australian basketball league. He also played 4 seasons at Miami where he averaged 13.2 points a game during his senior season. pic.twitter.com/LIN8r9l109
— Suns Draft Talk (@DraftSuns) July 8, 2022
“In saying that, I’m extremely grateful to the Suns organisation for this chance – it’s put me in a better position to know what to expect next time I come out to Vegas.”
A big part of getting Vasiljevic ready for the tournament was coach Chase Buford and the Sydney Kings’ NBL championship run.
“Chase brought that NBA approach from Milwaukee to the Kings, so I was familiar with the style of play that happens over here,” he said.
“The confidence we all got from winning that championship is incredible and I’ve tried to carry that across over here, even though I’ve gone from a 30-minute a game guy to a bit player over here.
“But as I said, it’s all about staying ready, performing when the coach calls our your name and bringing something different to the team that no one else does.”
Conversely, Vasiljevic admits this experience will boost his Kings’ chances of going back-to-back in NBL23.
“I’ve definitely grown as a leader during my time here and learnt how to get an advantage on the court against bigger and quicker guys – all aspects I plan to pass onto to my Kings teammates when I get back in Australia,” he said.
“I’m excited to get back to Sydney and start working on defending our title.”
