Arizona Basketball: Dusan Ristic has a solid chance at a Pro career

Arizona Basketball senior Dusan Ristic was invited to play in the Portsmouth Invitational and will have a good chance to impress NBA Teams.

Why wouldn’t there be a place in professional basketball for a 7-foot Serbian who can shoot a three-pointer, post up, nails floaters, can pass for assists and earns double-doubles on the regular? There has to be, and Arizona Basketball senior Dusan Ristic has more of a shot than some might give him credit.

In Ristic’s final season at Arizona, he proved he has another gear. We all knew he had it in him, but he had to find it, and he did. If the team had gone farther in the NCAA Tournament maybe more of the nation would have been able to see his skills. Bowing out early was unfortunate for Dusan who could have used the extra attention.

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Thank goodness Dus shot those key three-pointers this season! That showed scouts that he has a great outside game. We all would like to see his beast-mode all the time, and that would really help his chances in the Pros. Just look at Ivica Zubac’s game. He was a fan favorite but sat on the bench in his second NBA Season seen as soft. Then he played in the G-League for the South Bay Lakers with very serious players who rubbed off on him like Alex Caruso, and now he is all out balling on the Lakers. He is defending the three, he is banging the boards, he is slamming down dunks! And he is young! Dusan comes with experience, and he has already figured that part out.

The NBA needs to pay more attention to experienced college players. Look at TJ McConnell and how his leadership has helped build the 76ers to be a playoff team who has won 15 straight games. Heck, look at fellow Pac-12 player Kyle Kuzma who is putting up record numbers this season.

Having experience coming out of school counts for something. Fans think the 18/19-year-old coming out of school with promise will cure all their ills, a top draft pick. It takes time usually. The Lakers are a great example of a team with multiple Lottery picks that cannot make the playoffs. We forget it’s a team sport.

Dusan has also proved he can lead. This season he led the team. He didn’t just talk the talk, and he did more than that. He sparked his team. He gave the fans a show. We all had confidence in him more than any other season he played in Tucson. And playing in the Portsmouth Invitational is a great step for our big man.

Each season Ristic improved and played more minutes. He earned eight double-doubles, scored in double figures in 23 games and earned Pac-12 Player of the Week honors this past season.

At this time last season, no one was talking about Kadeem Allen too much, except for his coach Sean Miller and teammates. We all hoped that he would have a chance, but Allen ignored everyone. He played and showed out at the Portsmouth Invitational last season. Then got some attention, and through interviews and tryouts, got and was drafted by the Boston Celtics in the second round at the 53 pick.

Allen ended up signing a two-way contract G League affiliate, the Maine Red Claws and became a star on the team. He received NBA G-League player of the week honors after scoring 38 and 46 points against opponents and landed on the All-Star G-League East team. Allen is ending the season playing for the Celtics and impressing.

Nick Johnson, after a season with the Houston Rockets, then a few years in the G-League, pulled out a Championship last night and was named MVP! What a night for Johnson! It took a little time, but he stuck with it.

Andre Ingram played in the G-League for ten years, six for the South Bay Lakers, and he was called up last night for the first time. The feel-good story of the season, Ingram hit 4-5 threes and scored 19 points against the Rockets.

The Portsmouth Tournament includes 64 of the top national senior collegiate players who play in a 4-day,12 game tournament with all of the NBA Teams watching. It is also open to the public if you live in Virginia, and takes place on April 11-14, 2018. It can be viewed on NetCast Sports for the live stream and will have a global audience.

Ironically enough, Dusan’s team, Norfolk Sports Club will include ASU star point guard Tra Holder and be coached by Mike Head and Mark Butts. The NBA Assistant coach for the team will be Derek Anderson (former Kentucky Wildcat).

Recently we’ve seen the 7-foot, three-point shooting Dus having fun in Los Angeles attending NBA games. Now he is working out in Tucson with his UofA Trainer Eli Foi.

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Never count a player with heart out. We saw Dusan’s heart this season, his passion and an NBA coveted three-point shot. If he brings confidence and his specific brand of beast mode along with his leadership, his three’s, his sweet hook shots, layups and floaters, and his leadership, anything is possible.