Ex-Wildcat Dusan Ristic to start pro career with Belgrade's Red Star

Dusan Ristic will circle back home to start his professional career, agreeing to a three-year contract with the Red Star of Belgrade, Serbia.

The former UA center announced on Twitter Monday morning that he will sign with KK Crvena zvezda, a multi-sport club also known as Red Star Belgrade that competes in the Basketball League of Serbia, Adriatic Basketball League (ABA) and the EuroCup.

🔴⚪️@kkcrvenazvezda @APlayersProgram pic.twitter.com/leUK6QyHOY

— Dušan Ristić (@ristic_dusan) July 16, 2018

"I'm more than excited to announce that I will start my professional basketball career at the European powerhouse Red Star Belgrade," Ristic said. "Just like the University of Arizona basketball team, Red Star has an extremely rich history, tradition, and amazing fans. I'm thrilled to continue my career with a high-level team, and to keep representing the University of Arizona worldwide."

The 7-footer had played for the Red Star's developmental clubs before moving to the United States as a high school senior, first joining Kansas' Sunrise Christian and then Arizona. 

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Ristic has said his relationship with the club was strained when he decided to leave Serbia but said this spring that things had improved. Ristic went through the predraft process this spring and played in the Portsmouth Invitational, and was initially expected to join the Suns' summer league team.

Last season, Ristic was named to the All-Pac-12 Second Team, and surpassed Matt Muehlebach and Kaleb Tarczewski on the all-time wins list at UA. As a senior, Ristic averaged a career-high 12.2 points and 6.9 rebounds per game, and was named Pac-12 Player of the Week in January. 

Now, he joins a team that won the previous four Serbian League titles. Ristic is the only 7-footer on the roster besides Omic Alen who's a free agent this season.

Ristic will play for first-year head coach Milan Tomic, who just signed a three-year deal with Red Star last Friday.

Ristic's first game with Red Star Belgrade is scheduled for October 2 against Germany's Ratiopharm Ulm in the EuroCup.