Former Arizona center Dusan Ristic is now in Belgrade, Serbia, playing with the Red Star club, which oversaw the developmental teams he played for when he was younger.
You could say Dusan Ristic is back where it all started. But it’s more complicated than that.
And, he says, it’s better, too.
The former UA center signed a three-year deal this week with Belgrade’s Red Star, the parent of the developmental clubs he played for as a prospect from nearby Novi Sad, Serbia. It’s the same organization that wanted to keep him around all these years instead of having him finish up high school in the United States and spend four years playing for the Wildcats.
Because he took that path, Ristic says, he won’t be the same guy putting on a Red Star uniform this time.
“I feel I’m in a completely different place now, not only as basketball player but as a person,” Ristic said Thursday via phone from Belgrade, where he is participating in a Serbian national team minicamp. “I learned about a different culture and went to school. I felt if I stayed here, I wouldn’t have been able to improve my game as much as I did at Arizona.
“A lot of talented players, when they turn 18, sign a pro deal. I was offered that, but if I did I wouldn’t have gone to school and earned a degree. In Europe, you can’t go to school at the same time. There’s two practices a day. I would say 95 percent of the professional players in Europe don’t have a college degree. That’s why going to Arizona was a great option for me.”
Ristic’s initial departure led to sore feelings with the Red Star, though he said last spring that his relationship with the club had improved. The club eventually extended him an offer to come home.
Ristic spent the spring aiming for an NBA opportunity, playing in the Portsmouth Invitational, working out for several NBA teams and being offered a chance to join the Suns’ summer league club.
But in the end, he wanted to go back, too. Not just because it was home, Ristic said, but because of the opportunity it gave him to keep growing.
Ristic said the Red Star knows him well and plays good competition in the Adriatic League and EuroCup. While he will likely compete for playing time with two other centers, including former Florida State 7-footer Michael Ojo of Nigeria, Ristic said he will have an opportunity to play a varied game.
Known for his offensive skills around the basket, Ristic also popped out to hit 6 of 15 3-pointers last season (40 percent) and sunk 79 percent of his free throws.
“Our new coach watched a lot of film on me and mentioned I would be able to spread the floor as well,” Ristic said. “That’s one of the advantages. If I can play inside and outside, that’s a huge bonus. But it’s going to be a competitive environment. I’ll have to fight for minutes.”
Then again, it’s not like Ristic hasn’t seen competition before. He spent his UA career banging against guys like Kaleb Tarczewski, Lauri Markkanen and Deandre Ayton, the No. 1 pick in last month’s NBA draft.
“I’m not going to have a Deandre Ayton, but I’m gonna have players who are much more experienced, so that’s a challenge for me,” Ristic said. “I just got here and want to improve my game. So there will be that option available but now it’s going to be about my personal development and what kind of player I can become.”
Ristic’s three-year contract has an out every year. He says he is not focused on getting a chance at the NBA down the road as much as improving right now.
This month, Ristic is finishing up minicamp with the Serbian national team and will go to China for an exhibition tournament.
He said he hopes to be invited to play for Serbia in World Cup qualifying play in September, and will also begin training with the Red Star in mid-August.
That’s when the fun begins.
“The Red Star is similar to U of A in that the fans are crazy. They live for the team, and when they play a European game, 20,000 people come watch,” Ristic said. “It’s going to be fun to play in a packed arena again.”
