By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Tristan Vukcevic revisited the 2022-23 EuroLeague best-of-five playoff series between Partizan Mozzart Bet and Real Madrid, a turning point that continues to define his perspective on European basketball.
In an interview with the Serbian outlet Meridian Sport, the Washington Wizards forward expressed a mix of pride and lingering conviction regarding that period. “We would have won the EuroLeague. I say this honestly, not subjectively. We played by far the best basketball in Europe,” he reflected on the strength of the squad, noting that by the end of that season, the team’s rhythm and confidence were so dominant that every other club in Europe was actively trying to avoid facing them.
The series made history as the first time a team overcame a 0–2 deficit to win 3–2. However, the momentum was forever altered by the massive bench-clearing brawl in Game 2, which resulted in heavy suspensions for key players on both sides.
His experience in Belgrade, coupled with his formative years in Spain with Real Madrid, served as grueling mental preparation for his eventual move to the NBA. Vukcevic admitted that his time in Europe was often marked by a struggle for consistency and self-belief. “I still carry that from Madrid… It was very difficult mentally. I somehow pulled through in the end. Partizan helped me a lot with what happened to me in the NBA. It helped me to always be ready. To maintain rhythm and, of course, self-confidence. And I didn’t have that at Partizan. Everyone knows that, it’s no secret,” he explained.
Now with a three-year contract in Washington, he feels a level of professional security that eluded him in the past. He credits the Wizards’ coaching staff for providing the clear communication he lacked as a young player in Europe, where he often never knew when his name would be called. Today, he manages the play/don’t play cycle of the NBA with a disciplined mindset, adhering to the mantra he adopted upon arriving in the United States: “Stay ready so you don’t have to get ready.”
Through 38 games in his third NBA season with the Wizards, Vukcevic has become a steady contributor, averaging 8.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 0.7 blocks per contest.