Bogdan Bogdanović (basketball)

1.1. Childhood and Early Basketball

Bogdan Bogdanović was born on 18 August 1992, in Belgrade, Yugoslavia (present-day Serbia). He began his organized basketball journey with ŠKK Zvezdara, a local club in Belgrade. In April 2008, he transitioned to KK Žitko Basket, also based in Belgrade, then known as Alimenti Basket. Under coach Dragan Jakovljević, Bogdanović was part of the Žitko Basket team that secured third place in the 2009-10 Junior Serbian League in April 2010. During this tournament in Vršac, the team defeated Partizan juniors in the quarterfinal, despite losing to Hemofarm juniors in the semifinal. They clinched third place by defeating the FMP junior team with a score of 82-76.

1.2. Junior Club Career

In May 2010, shortly after his success with Žitko Basket, Bogdanović joined the FMP junior team, alongside fellow Žitko player Luka Pajković, for the Nike International Junior Tournament (NIJT) in Paris. FMP's junior team, which included future notable players such as Nenad Miljenović and Nikola Janković, aimed to defend the club's double title from the previous two years. They competed in a round-robin group against KK Split, Treviso, and Málaga. Bogdanović's crucial performance, including a last-second buzzer-beater for a 79-78 victory against Málaga juniors, helped FMP win their group and advance to the final. He scored 21 points and recorded 6 rebounds in that game. However, in the final against INSEP, FMP lost 73-83, and Bogdanović's participation was cut short due to a mid-game injury.

2.1. Partizan (2010-2014)

In September 2010, at the age of 18, Bogdanović signed his first professional contract with Partizan. During his initial two seasons under head coach Vlada Jovanović, Bogdanović had limited playing time. However, with the return of head coach Duško Vujošević in the summer of 2012, Bogdanović, then 20, saw an increase in his minutes on the court. His role in the team became even more stable following Danilo Anđušić's departure in December 2012. The 2012-13 season marked his EuroLeague debut, where he averaged 5 points and 1.8 rebounds over 6 appearances.

His selection to the Serbian national team in the summer of 2013 further solidified coach Vujošević's trust, leading to increased playing time and a more prominent role in the 2013-14 season. In a EuroLeague victory against CSKA Moscow in Belgrade, Bogdanović scored a career-high 27 points, shooting 10 for 16 from the field. This performance earned him praise from Serbian national team selector Aleksandar Đorđević, who recognized him as one of Europe's most promising young players. In a February ABA League away game against Cibona, he set another career-high with 32 points, adding 4 rebounds and 5 assists. Over 23 EuroLeague games that season, he averaged 14.8 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 3.7 assists, all personal bests. In April 2014, he was named to the Ideal Team of the ABA League, alongside his teammate Joffrey Lauvergne.

In May 2014, Bogdanović was voted the EuroLeague Rising Star of the season by the head coaches of 24 EuroLeague teams. Partizan concluded the season by securing their 13th consecutive Serbian League title, defeating archrivals Red Star Belgrade 3-1 in the finals. Bogdanović delivered an exceptional performance in the finals, averaging 30.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.2 assists, earning him the league's Finals MVP award.

Following his transfer to Fenerbahçe in the summer of 2014, Partizan's head coach Vujošević publicly criticized Bogdanović's decision to leave. Vujošević claimed that Bogdanović had broken a verbal agreement made two years prior in 2012. According to the coach, Bogdanović, his parents, and his agent Aleksandar Rašković had agreed that Bogdanović would be immediately placed into Partizan's first team rotation in exchange for a three-year commitment to the team. Bogdanović left Partizan one year short of this supposed three-year commitment, after the club failed to qualify for the next EuroLeague season.

2.2. Fenerbahçe (2014-2017)

On 11 July 2014, Bogdanović signed a four-year contract with the Turkish team Fenerbahçe. The contract included opt-out clauses after the second and third seasons. Bogdanović was set to earn 3.50 M EUR in net income over four years, while Partizan received a 1.30 M EUR buyout as he was still under contract with the Belgrade club.

His 2014-15 season with Fenerbahçe saw him given significant minutes and a starting role by head coach Željko Obradović, despite being a newcomer. He initially struggled with shooting consistency but improved throughout the season. On 15 November, he scored 18 points and delivered 7 assists in a 93-86 victory over FC Bayern Munich. He averaged 10.4 points and 3.4 assists per game in the first phase of the EuroLeague. On 20 March, Bogdanović set a season-high with 25 points and 4 assists in a 98-77 win against Emporio Armani Milano, earning him the EuroLeague MVP of the Round with a Performance Index Rating of 32. He also hit a 20-meter buzzer-beater at the end of the second quarter against Unicaja Málaga on 26 March. Although he struggled with shooting in the EuroLeague quarter-final playoff series against Maccabi Tel Aviv, Fenerbahçe advanced to the 2015 Euroleague Final Four, a first in the club's history. On 7 May, he was voted the EuroLeague Rising Star for the second consecutive season, becoming only the second player, after Nikola Mirotić, to achieve this distinction. Fenerbahçe ultimately finished fourth in the EuroLeague, losing to Real Madrid in the semifinal and to CSKA Moscow in the third-place game. Over 29 EuroLeague games, Bogdanović averaged 10.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 2.8 assists. In 36 Turkish League games, he averaged 11.5 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.4 assists.

In his second season (2015-16), Bogdanović continued to excel, establishing himself as one of the team's leaders and occasionally handling the ball in late-game situations. Fenerbahçe won the Turkish Cup with a 67-65 victory over Darüşşafaka, with Bogdanović being named the Cup MVP. The team reached the final game of the 2016 Euroleague Final Four but narrowly lost the EuroLeague championship to CSKA Moscow in overtime, 96-101. He averaged 11.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3 assists over 28 EuroLeague games. Fenerbahçe concluded the season by winning the Turkish League championship.

The 2016-17 season presented challenges when Bogdanović sprained his right ankle in a EuroLeague game against Žalgiris Kaunas on 26 October 2016. Although initially expected to recover within two to three weeks, his return was delayed until January 2017. Upon his return on 6 January 2017 against Milano, Bogdanović proved to be a pivotal player for Fenerbahçe in the EuroLeague playoffs. He was the team's leading scorer in the first two games against Panathinaikos, as Fenerbahçe swept them to secure another EuroLeague Final Four appearance. His outstanding contributions earned him both the EuroLeague's Player of the Round for those playoff games and the EuroLeague's Player of the Month for April. He helped Fenerbahçe reach their second consecutive EuroLeague final, defeating Real Madrid 84-75 in the semifinals, where he contributed 14 points and 6 rebounds. Two days later, Bogdanović played a key role as the club secured its first-ever EuroLeague championship, beating Olympiacos 80-64 in the championship game. Following this historic victory, he led Fenerbahçe to its second straight Turkish Super League Finals win, sweeping Beşiktaş Sompo Japan, and was recognized as the Turkish Basketball Super League Finals MVP. In 2020, Bogdanović was named to the EuroLeague 2010-20 All-Decade Team.

2.3. Sacramento Kings (2017-2020)

While playing for Partizan Belgrade, Bogdanović was selected by the Phoenix Suns with the 27th overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft on 26 June 2014. On 23 June 2016, during the 2016 NBA draft, the Suns traded his draft rights to the Sacramento Kings, along with Georgios Papagiannis, Skal Labissière, and the Detroit Pistons' 2020 second-round pick, in exchange for the draft rights to Marquese Chriss.

On 13 July 2017, Bogdanović officially signed a three-year, 27.00 M USD contract with the Sacramento Kings. He made his NBA debut on 23 October 2017, against the Phoenix Suns, scoring 12 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists in 25 minutes off the bench, though the Kings lost 117-115. Bogdanović was selected to Team World for the 2018 NBA Rising Stars Challenge. He led Team World to a 155-124 victory over Team USA, contributing 26 points, 6 assists, and 4 rebounds, including 7-of-13 shooting from beyond the arc, and was named the game's MVP. The Kings finished the season with a 27-55 record, missing the playoffs for the twelfth consecutive season. In his rookie NBA season, Bogdanović averaged 11.8 points, 3.3 assists, and 2.9 rebounds over 78 games.

After the season, an MRI revealed a slight tear of the medial meniscus in his left knee. On 24 April 2018, he underwent meniscus debridement surgery for a full recovery. On 22 May 2018, he was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team. Bogdanović was again selected for Team World in the 2019 NBA Rising Stars Challenge. Following rehabilitation from his injury, he missed the first ten games of his sophomore season but primarily served as a sixth man and second unit leader. Over 70 games, he averaged career-highs of 14.1 points, 3.8 assists, and 3.5 rebounds. In his contract year with the Kings, Bogdanović averaged 15.1 points, 3.4 assists, and 3.4 rebounds over 61 games. The 2019-20 NBA season was suspended in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the Kings were invited to the 22-team 2020 NBA Bubble, they failed to qualify for the playoffs, ending the season with a 31-41 record.

2.4. Atlanta Hawks (2020-2025)

In November 2020, the Kings attempted a sign-and-trade deal to send Bogdanović and Justin James to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for Donte DiVincenzo, D. J. Wilson, and Ersan İlyasova. However, this trade fell apart when the NBA initiated an investigation into the Bucks for potential tampering, specifically for having contact with Bogdanović or his agent before it was allowed under free agency rules. The Bucks reportedly felt double-crossed and withdrew from pursuing the trade further, resulting in them being stripped of their 2022 second-round draft pick. According to Bogdanović himself, he was not informed of this trade by the Kings and felt betrayed by the organization.

On 24 November 2020, Bogdanović signed a four-year, 72.00 M USD contract with the Atlanta Hawks. He was limited to 44 games in the 2020-21 regular season due to injuries, but he set new career highs, averaging 16.4 points per game and shooting 90.9% from the free-throw line. Coincidentally, the Hawks faced the Bucks in the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals, which the Bucks won in six games before going on to win the NBA championship.

After the 2021-22 season, Bogdanović underwent right knee surgery, which sidelined him for at least three months. On 16 March 2023, he signed a four-year, 68.00 M USD contract extension with the Hawks. On 11 December 2023, Bogdanović recorded a career-high 40 points, including 10 three-pointers, in a 129-122 loss to the Denver Nuggets. He also became the first player in Hawks franchise history to achieve at least 40 points and 10 three-pointers in a single game. On 6 December 2024, in a game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Bogdanović successfully made a three-pointer, extending his streak to 100 consecutive games with at least one three-pointer. This achievement made him only the fourth player in NBA history to reach this milestone, following Stephen Curry, Damian Lillard, and Kyle Korver. On 23 October 2024, he was sidelined for a month due to a right hamstring tendinopathy suffered during a game against the Brooklyn Nets.

2.5. Los Angeles Clippers (2025-present)

On 6 February 2025, Bogdanović was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers, along with three future second-round picks, in exchange for Terance Mann and Bones Hyland. He is expected to take on a key role with the Clippers, contributing his versatile scoring and veteran experience to the team.

3.1. Junior National Team

Bogdanović's performance with Žitko Basket earned him an invitation to a training camp for the 2009 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship in France. However, he was quickly cut by head coach Vlada Jovanović as he was still under 17 at the time. Despite this setback, he was selected to represent Serbia under coach Jovanović at the European under-18 Championship in the summer of 2010, where the team finished fourth.

The following year, while still with Partizan at the club level, Bogdanović was chosen to play for Serbia's Under-19 national team under head coach Dejan Mijatović at the 2011 FIBA Under-19 World Championship in Latvia. Playing alongside future talents like Aleksandar Cvetković and Nemanja Dangubić, the team finished as a runner-up, losing to a Jonas Valančiūnas-led Lithuanian team in the final. Bogdanović averaged 8.9 points and 5 rebounds per game throughout the tournament.

3.2. Senior National Team

Bogdanović made his debut with the senior Serbian national team at the EuroBasket 2013 in Slovenia, averaging 9.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2 assists per game. He was a key member of the Serbian team that won the silver medal at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup under head coach Aleksandar Đorđević. Bogdanović notably emerged in the knockout phase against teams like Greece, Brazil, and France, concluding the tournament with averages of 12 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 2.8 assists, shooting 47% from the field.

In the lead-up to EuroBasket 2015, head coach Đorđević benched Bogdanović during some friendly games due to a persistent back injury. Despite playing with pain injections and seeing limited minutes in the initial phase of the tournament, Bogdanović was named to the 12-man roster. Serbia dominated Group B with a perfect 5-0 record and advanced through the Round of 16 and quarterfinals. However, they were defeated by Lithuania in the semifinal (67-64) and lost to host team France in the bronze-medal game (81-68). Over 9 tournament games, Bogdanović averaged 8.9 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.2 assists, shooting 39.7% from the field and 27.1% from three-point range.

Bogdanović also represented Serbia at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, where the team earned a silver medal, despite a 96-66 loss to the United States in the final game. He continued his national team success at the EuroBasket 2017, leading Serbia to another silver medal, this time falling to Slovenia in the final. With the absence of long-time captain and leader Miloš Teodosić due to injury, Bogdanović stepped up as the team's primary leader. Across 9 tournament games, he averaged 20.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 5 assists, with 47.4% overall field goal shooting, earning him a spot on the FIBA EuroBasket All-Tournament Team.

At the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup, Serbia was considered a favorite for the trophy but was unexpectedly upset by Argentina in the quarterfinals. The team finished in fifth place with victories over the United States and the Czech Republic. Bogdanović was once again the team's top performer, averaging 22.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 4.4 assists over 8 games, with impressive shooting percentages of 55.6% from the field and 53% from beyond the arc. For his outstanding play, he was selected to the FIBA Basketball World Cup All-Tournament Team and was the tournament's top scorer with 183 points.

Bogdanović missed the EuroBasket 2022 due to right knee surgery. However, he returned to lead the Serbian national team to a silver medal at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup. He averaged 19.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 2.1 steals per game, earning his second consecutive selection to the FIBA Basketball World Cup All-Tournament Team.

At the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, Bogdanović led Serbia with 30 points in the third group stage game against South Sudan. In that game, he surpassed Miloš Teodosić to become Serbia's all-time leading scorer in all competitions, reaching 1,058 career points. His 30-point performance also set an Olympic record for a Serbian player. Serbia went on to win the bronze medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics. Over 6 tournament games, Bogdanović averaged 18.3 points, 3.8 assists, and 4 rebounds, shooting 47.6% from the field, 46.2% from three-point range, and 92.3% from the free-throw line. His strong performances earned him a place on the tournament's All-Second Team.

6.1. NBA

6.2. EuroLeague