Nemanja Bjelica, the celebrated Serbian international, has signed a contract with Crvena zvezda. He has returned to the club after 13 years.
The popular “Professor” terminated his contract with Turkish club Fenerbahce, thereby opening the doors to his return to the team from Mali Kalemegdan.
He began his career in Austria with the Traiskirchen Lions before moving on to play for Crvena zvezda. Afterward, he joined Baskonia, where his talent caught the attention of various EuroLeague and even NBA teams.
Bjelica has already played for the “Canaries.” From 2014 to 2018, he wore the blue and yellow jersey, earning recognition as the MVP of the 2014/15 season. He also won the Turkish championship and cup during his time there. He returned to Istanbul last year but struggled to secure significant playing time, largely due to injury. It was clear that he was no longer in Dimitris Itoudis’s plans.
He then ventured into the NBA, first playing for the Minnesota Timberwolves, where he had several standout performances. He later played for the Sacramento Kings and the Miami Heat. His most successful stint was with the Golden State Warriors, with whom he won an NBA championship ring in 2022.
With the Serbian national team, Bjelica boasts several medals. He won a silver medal at the 2009 EuroBasket and another silver at the 2014 FIBA World Cup. He also secured a gold medal at the Universiade held in Belgrade.