At Efes, he first encountered the harsh world of professional basketball
If he rejected the NCAA the summer before, there was no doubt about the NBA. He was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers but was then sent back to Europe, specifically to Ergin Ataman’s championship team – Anadolu Efes. It was a season that would forever mark him as a EuroLeague champion, albeit with a modest contribution. He played 22 games, starting in only four, which was enough for 5.9 points per game.
Petrusev experienced Ergin Ataman’s strictness for the first time, as well as the harsh world of professional basketball. However, there was no time for sorrow, and his reaction was once again good and timely. He stepped down to a “lower” level at that moment but thrived in the demanding system of Dusko Ivanovic.
Crvena Zvezda was one win away from making the EuroLeague playoffs, while in the ABA League, they were defeated in a tense final against Partizan after the decisive game.