NBL news: Dejan Vasiljevic joined the Adelaide 36ers after he didn’t feel the “love” from Sydney
Adelaide recruit Dejan Vasiljevic has hit back at the Sydney Kings for an “unprofessional” statement about his departure, claiming he was unfairly painted as the villain. See the full Logue Down.
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New Adelaide recruit Dejan Vasiljevic has hit back at the Sydney Kings for an “unprofessional” and “disappointing” statement about his departure from the club that he claims unfairly painted him as the “villain”.
In an exclusive interview Vasiljevic insists there was no ill-will in his “business” decision not to stay in America and pursue his NBA dream, instead opting to pay his own way out of his Kings deal to return to Australia and play with the 36ers.
He didn’t know he was going to get waived by the Washington Wizards until two days before NBA training camp at the start of October.
He was told he’d go to training camp, play four pre-season games and then potentially fight for a two-way contract.
“But I never got that opportunity at the Wizards,” Vasiljevic said.
“I had to think: what is best for me? Do I really want to stick around or what do I have to look forward to moving forward?
“For me it was joining a team where I can try and be myself and I also want to prove to Goorjian (Brian) that I should be an option for the Boomers at next year’s Paris Olympics.
“I had several NBL teams express interest, but in the end I opted for Adelaide as it’s the best fit for me.”
Vasiljevic says he contacted Sydney officials to explain his situation soon after he was waived by Washington on October 3.
He made calls to the likes of CEO Chris Pongrass, but didn’t hear back for some time.
Vasiljevic also claims he notified Sydney of his desire to sign with Adelaide, five days after the Wizards waived him.
However, he says he didn’t hear a response from the Kings until four days later – and only when his manager pushed for an answer.
It comes as Sydney officials claim they were only told last week that, “we had to decide within a day or two if we wanted him as we still had his NBL rights”.
Vasiljevic, though, is adamant he gave the Kings their due diligence to sign him back and they opted against it.
“As soon as I was waived by Washington I took the time to think, talk to my management and told them to give the Kings a call,” he said.
“I wanted to have a good personal relationship with Sydney. I tried to call Pongrass, Luc Longley and they didn’t get back to me until after a few days and they were trying to convince me to stay (in America).
“They had already sorted their roster and that is fine. Every GM has to do what is best for the business.”
Earlier this week, Kings expressed their “disappointment” in the “inequality” of the NBL’s contract system, which paved the way for Vasiljevic to alter an original clause and sign with the 36ers.
According to Sydney’s strongly-worded release, the club amended out clauses in the guard’s contract at the end of last season to allow him to pursue NBA opportunities.
The Kings didn’t contemplate activating its right of first refusal for NBL24 given Vasiljevic’s aspirations to chase his NBA goals.
It’s why Sydney officials were surprised to receive a request from the guard’s management to return to the NBL.
The Kings thought Vasiljevic would spend the season in the G League, despite being waived by the Wizards after signing an Exhibit 10 contract.
Sydney officials undertook a review process into whether to exercise the right of first refusal – and opted not to exercise this right, and allow for Vasiljevic’s release to the 36ers.
It didn’t stop Kings CEO Chris Pongrass from expressing his frustration in a release, saying: “We are disappointed with how this has been handled and another NBL team’s role in this process.
“We originally amended the contract in good faith and completed our roster with the understanding that DJ would play internationally this season.”
However Vasiljevic said his decision to return to the NBL was genuine and after the Kings made it clear they didn’t want him to return to Sydney, he did what he believes is best for his career.
“So for the Kings to come out and say we’re disappointed in Adelaide and DJ was unprofessional,” he said.
“The Kings have released a statement. They’ve made myself the villain, the 36ers the villain and then it’s all sweet on their end. It’s disappointing.
“Things didn’t work out how I wanted it to, but I took a gamble on myself.
“That is the one thing I will never regret. This isn’t a consequence coming back to the NBL. It’s what happened and I’m happy to be back playing in a competitive league.”
Multiple NBL teams have contacted Vasiljevic to show their support, but says he hasn’t felt the same love from the Kings.
“All these clubs still believe in me and it makes me feel like I’m still wanted in this league,” he said.
“Sometimes I didn’t feel that with Sydney. I didn’t get a phone call when I got waived by the Wizards, they were trying to convince me to stay.
“I gave the Kings and the city everything I had for three years.
“I had people message me from all over the world saying that the release was harsh.
“That’s my goal now, I want to get to the semis and beat these guys.”
Before then, Vasiljevic will get his chance when Adelaide host Sydney on January 11.
LEAKED FOOTAGE WENT FAR AND WIDE
It’s the video the NBL didn’t want you to see but the entire league ended up seeing it.
This was before the explosive CCTV footage of the physical altercation between Cairns coach Adam Forde and Brisbane big man Aron Baynes was leaked to us.
A large portion of NBL players had seen the video of the heated blow-up between Forde and Baynes.
The NBL has expressed its disappointment in the video being leaked, while Nissan Arena’s operator Netball Queensland has conducted an investigation into who leaked the explosive footage.
Leaked footage of what happened in the tunnels at halftime between Cairns vs Brisbane last round 👀
— NBL News (@NBL_News) October 14, 2023
via (Matt Logue/News Corp)#NBL24pic.twitter.com/wlSDTmACAH
UNHAPPY NEXT STAR IN THE GONG
Illawarra’s Next Star AJ Johnson has been projected as a first-round NBA draft pick for next year but he is struggling to get game time and his agent isn’t happy.
It’s understood Johnson’s manager is telling anyone who cares to listen about his client’s lack of court time.
In the 18-year-old guard’s only three games, he has averaged just a tick over five minutes on the court.
HOGG IN LINE FOR CAIRNS REUNION
Prized Sydney Kings recruit DJ Hogg is set to return from a shoulder injury in the next round against his former club Cairns.
Hogg hasn’t suited up for the Kings since hurting his shoulder in the pre-season but I’m hearing he is edging closer to a return.
At this point, Sydney’s away clash against the Taipans in Cairns on Saturday, October 28, is being pencilled in for the forward’s comeback.
It will guarantee an intriguing match-up because Hogg starred during his one-year stint in Cairns last season when he averaged 18.1 points to earn All-NBL Second Team honours.
Originally published as NBL news: Dejan Vasiljevic joined the Adelaide 36ers after he didn’t feel the “love” from Sydney
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