Why Illinois basketball struck gold with Mihailo Petrovic

Last week, Illinois basketball landed another European player, Mihailo Petrovic, adding more depth at the guard position. It was a surprise commitment to many fans, as there wasn’t much buzz surrounding it. The frontcourt has been mostly set for a few weeks after the additions of Zvonimir Ivisic and David Mirkovic. Despite this, securing another guard to play alongside or back up starting guard Kylan Boswell was vital. Boswell showed capability as an on-ball point guard, however, it is clear he also likes to play off-guard. 

His catch-and-shoot numbers and quick drives to the rim can all be areas to improve in year two in Champaign. With Petrovic, the on-ball creation responsibilities are now shared. On top of that, Illinois finally has an older, experienced backcourt which should prove useful throughout the season.

Petrovic: The European Talent You Can’t Ignore

Petrovic is 22 years old and has been playing in the Adriatic League for Mega Superbet PG. He averaged an impressive 14.3 points and 7.3 assists for Mega, who currently sit in eighth place in the league. That assists total ranks second in the entire league, and a whopping 1.2 assists ahead of the third-ranked player. The Adriatic League, or “ABA,” is considered one of the best European basketball leagues and features former Big Ten players such as Tyler Wahl, Yogi Ferrell, and others.

The Serbian guard should make an immediate impact on this Illinois team as a player who can distribute to teammates and take care of the ball. Over his last five games, Petrovic averaged 11.2 assists and just 2.8 turnovers per game. His recent performances earned him the Hoops Agent Player of the Week award and the Round 28 ABA Most Valuable Player honor.

The European pipeline has quickly become a valuable resource for the Illinois staff. Petrovic is more proven at the professional level than any foreign prospect Illinois basketball has had thus far, so he should become a household name in no time. It will be interesting to see what year in school the NCAA decides to grant him, given that he is 22 years old. If readily available, the Illini are adding one of the best Overseas prospects.

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