Akey, a former Golden State Warriors role player during the team’s 2021-22 championship run, is hanging up his sneakers. Nemanja Bjelica, a sharpshooting veteran forward, has announced on his personal Instagram page that he has decided to retire. He’s had quite a run.
A post shared on Instagram
Bjelica wrote, “20 years… Thank you basketball,” yesterday. The 6’10” stretch four began his professional career with the Austrian League’s Traiskirchen Lions in 2007. The 35-year-old Serbian star then spent two seasons with his native club Crvena Zvezda.
He was selected in the second round of the 2010 NBA Draft. Instead of moving immediately, Bjelica remained to work abroad until 2015. After being drafted, he spent three years with Spanish team Saski Baskonia, from 2010 to 2013. He later joined Turkish club Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul, where he won the EuroLeague MVP award in his second season. Following this, Bjelica decided to join the NBA, signing with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He later played with the Sacramento Kings and Miami Heat before signing with the Warriors in 2021.
During his regular season championship run with the Warriors, Bjelica averaged 6.1 points on.468/.362/.728 shooting, as well as 4.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 0.6 steals. He had his greatest season as a starter with the lottery-bound Sacramento Kings in 2019-20. In 72 games (67 starts), he averaged 11.5 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.6 blocks.
Bjelica returned to the scene of his EuroLeague MVP victory while still basking in the glory of Golden State’s NBA championship season. He signed a two-year contract to return to Fenerbahce Beko, but a calf injury kept him out for much of the season. He was cut by the squad before his second season back, in 2023-24. Bjelica signed a deal to rejoin Crvena zvedza, but after a disagreement with head coach Duško Ivanović, he departed the team permanently.
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