Nikola Popović (basketball)

Nikola Popović (Serbian Cyrillic: Никола Поповић; born 19 July 1997), also known as Nik Popovic,[1][2] is a Serbian professional basketball player for Lietkabelis Panevėžys of the Lithuanian Basketball League (LKL). He played college basketball for the Boston College Eagles.

For other uses, see Nikola Popović.

Nikola Popović
Popović with Boston College in 2017
No. 21 – Lietkabelis Panevėžys
PositionPower forward / center
LeagueLithuanian Basketball League
Personal information
Born (1997-07-19) 19 July 1997
Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina
NationalitySerbian
Listed height2.11 m (6 ft 11 in)
Listed weight115 kg (254 lb)
Career information
High schoolSagemont School
(Weston, Florida)
CollegeBoston College (2016–2020)
NBA draft2020: undrafted
Playing career2020–present
Career history
2020–2021Crvena zvezda
2020→FMP
2021Chemidor Qom
2021–2023Okapi Aalst
2023–presentLietkabelis Panevėžys
Medals
Men's basketball
Representing  Serbia
FIBA Under-17 World Championship
Bronze medal – third place2014 UAETeam

Early career

Popović was born in Banja Luka, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. He was a member of the Crvena zvezda under-18 team that lost to Real Madrid in the 2014–15 Euroleague Next Generation Tournament Final.[3] Over four games in the final tournament, he averaged 5.8 points and five rebounds per game.[4]

High school career

Popović began playing high school basketball in 2015 with the Sagemont School in Weston, Florida.[5] In his senior year, he averaged 8.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 3.0 blocks per game, earning him All-County First Team honors.[6][7]

College career

Popović posted 6.1 points and 3.5 rebounds per game as a freshman at Boston College.[8][9] As a sophomore, Popović averaged 9.9 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, starting 33 games. He had 20 points against Georgia Tech in the ACC Tournament.[10] Popović averaged 14.5 points and 7.2 rebounds per game as a junior at Boston College. As a senior, Popović averaged 10.5 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. His season was marred by a back injury that forced him to miss a substantial number of games. Popović had a season-high 23 points in a 100–85 loss to Belmont.[11] He played the forward position as #21.[12]

Professional career

2020–2021 season

On 7 June 2020, Popović signed a four-year contract with Crvena zvezda. On the same day, he was loaned to FMP for the 2020–21 season.[13][14] On 24 December 2020, Popovic decided to leave FMP.[15] He played only one game for FMP in 2020. In January 2021, Popović parted ways with the FMP to sign with Chemidor Qom of the Iranian SuperLeague.[16][17] He averaged 15.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.1 steals per game.

Okapi Aalst (2021–2023)

On 9 August 2021, Popović signed with the Belgian team Okapi Aalst.[18]

Lietkabelis Panevėžys (2023–present)

On 16 January 2023, Popović signed with Lietkabelis Panevėžys of the Lithuanian Basketball League (LKL) until the end of the season.[19]

National team career

Popović was a member of the Serbian under-17 team that won the bronze medal at the 2014 FIBA Under-17 World Championship in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Over six tournament games, he averaged 7.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game.[20] Also, he was a member of the Serbian under-18 team that finished 5th at the 2015 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship in Volos, Greece. Over nine tournament games, he averaged 5.6 points, four rebounds, and one assist per game.[21]

Career statistics
Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage  3P%  3-point field goal percentage  FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high

College
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2016–17 Boston College 29113.8.488.294.5313.5.4.1.36.1
2017–18 Boston College 353326.0.507.200.7136.21.3.4.89.9
2018–19 Boston College 282429.6.526.256.7147.21.1.5.814.5
2019–20 Boston College 201325.6.435.333.6605.21.61.1.510.5
Career 1127123.7.496.277.6825.61.1.5.610.2

References
  1. "Nik Popovic Out Indefinitely With Back Injury". si.com. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  2. "Boston College Men's Basketball Update: Nik Popovic Out Indefinitely with Back Spasms". bcinterruption.com. 6 December 2019. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  3. "U18 Real Madrid 73 U18 Crvena Zvezda Telekom Belgrade 70". adidasngt.com. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  4. "POPOVIC, NIKOLA - 16 Forward". eurocupbasketball.com. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  5. "Nikola Popović Banjalučanin na putu ka NBA ligi". banjaluka.com. 8 August 2015. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  6. "21 Nik Popovic at bceagles.com". bceagles.com. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  7. "Nikola Popovic Basketball Player Profile, KK Crvena Zvezda MTS Beograd, Boston Coll., News, KLS stats, Career, Games Logs, Best, Awards - eurobasket". Eurobasket LLC. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  8. Sullivan, Michael (6 November 2017). "Playing It Cool: Nik Popovic has moved past last season's mental blowups, and is finally having fun playing basketball". The Heights. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  9. "EagleAction - Who is Nikola Popovic?". bostoncollege.rivals.com. 20 July 2016. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  10. "Nic Popovic a big asset for Boston College basketball". Boston Herald. 6 November 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  11. Black, A.J. (7 June 2020). "Former BC Center Nik Popovic Signs Contract in Serbia". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  12. "Nik Popovic Stats, News, Bio". ESPN. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  13. "Zvezda vratila svog đaka iz Amerike: "Kupujemo domaće!"". mondo.rs. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  14. "Zvanično: Popović se iz Bostona vratio u Zvezdu". sportklub.rs. 7 June 2020. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  15. "FMP naciljao i treće pojačanje". mozzartsport.com. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  16. "Nikola Popovic (ex Crvena Zvezda) is a newcomer at Chemidor". eurobasket.com.
  17. "Banjalučanin raskinuo sa Zvezdom, brzo našao novi klub". kosarka24.ba. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
  18. "Nikola Popovic (ex Chemidor) agreed terms with Aalst". Eurobasket. 9 August 2021. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  19. ""7bet-Lietkabelis" sustiprino priekinę liniją". kklietkabelis.lt (in Lithuanian). 19 January 2023. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  20. "2014 Serbia #11 - Nikola Popovic". archive.fiba.com. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  21. "2015 Serbia #11 - Nikola Popovic". archive.fiba.com. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
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