Kings Sign Minnesota Forward Nemanja Bjelica
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — The Sacramento Kings announced Saturday that they signed Nemanja Bjelica to contract, according to General Manager Vlade Divac.
Bjelica is a 6-10, 234-pound forward is a Serbian National who played the previous three NBA seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves. According to the Kings, he accrued averages of 6.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 18.9 minutes per game in 192 contests with the Timberwolves.
After making his professional debut in the 2007-08 season with the Austrian League's Arkadia Lions, Bjelica returned home to Crvena Zvezda where he was a started and had a reputation as a reliable perimeter shooter.
Following the 2009-10 campaign, he was selected 35th overall by the Washington Wizards, who traded his draft rights to Minnesota.
Bjelica remained overseas for the following five seasons, spending three years at Saski Baskonia of the Spanish League (2010-13) and a pair of seasons for Turkish league club Fenerbahce Ulker (2013-15), teaming with current Kings guard Bogdan Bogdanovic in 2014-15 to help guide the club to its first EuroLeague Final Four in team history. For his contributions throughout the most successful season in Fenerbache annals, Bjelica was bestowed EuroLeague MVP, All-EuroLeague First Team and Serbian Player of the Year honors.
