Recent NBA Champion Officially Joins Turkish Basketball Team

Veteran big man and NBA champion with the Golden State Warriors Nemanja Bjelica has officially joined Fenerbahce in Turkey.

Winning a championship with the Golden State Warriors this past NBA season, veteran big man Nemanja Bjelica has decided to leave the NBA and join Fenerbahce in Turkey.

On Tuesday, Bjelica officially signed a new two-year deal with Fenerbahce, re-joining the Turkish club that he played with from 2013-15 before signing with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Profesör ait olduğu yere, evine geri dönüyor! 🌕🏡

Yine, yeniden, daha fazlası için, hoş geldin @NemanjaBjelica! 💛💙#HeIs8ackHome pic.twitter.com/SlY5pCK4Jt

— Fenerbahçe Beko (@FBBasketbol) August 9, 2022

During his time with Fenerbahce, he was named the 2015 EuroLeague MVP and helped the club reach their first ever league Final Four.

Bjelica, 34, had bounced around the NBA quite a few times in recent years in search of joining a true championship contender. Playing with the Minnesota Timberwolves the first few years of his career, Nemanja Bjelica then joined the Sacramento Kings, Miami Heat and played the 2021-22 season with the Golden State Warriors, finally achieving his goal of winning a championship.

In 71 total regular season games this past year with Golden State, Bjelica averaged 6.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and shot 36.2% from three-point range.

In seven complete NBA seasons, Nemanja Bjelica has averaged 7.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and has shot 38.4% from three-point range.

While he was never the star on his team and while he was never really a high-impact player, Bjelica played his role to perfection and now is able to call himself a champion after aiding the Warriors in their championship quest this past year.

It is unknown what kind of role he will play with Fenerbahce this upcoming season, but nonetheless, Nemanja Bjelica will find a way to contribute at a high-level.

A power forward and center that can stretch the floor and knock down multiple three-pointers on any given night, the Serbian big man may very well look to finish out his professional career overseas.