The Pistons also had their share of injuries that disrupted their start to the season. It didn’t take much to shake up an already fragile balance which quickly plunged Detroit to last place in the Eastern Conference with… 12 defeats in a row! Among the main absentees, we can mention Joe Harris, Isaiah Livers, Jalen Duren but also Bojan Bogdanovic.
Part of Michigan’s team last season, the 34-year-old Croatian winger has been away from the field since the start of training camp due to a right calf injury. As his last season ended at the beginning of March due to pain in his Achilles tendon, it was with a certain enthusiasm that the entire group saw him return to training on Thursday to participate in his first session complete.
Especially Monty Williams who will bring back a complete player, with experience, able to give a boost to his squad. During his press briefing, he relied on an anecdote to illustrate the investment and intensity of the winger when he played in Utah, and Monty Williams was then coaching the Suns.
“Most people in the NBA say they fear what he can do shooting and with the ball and all that. But he’s not a guy who isn’t competitive defensively. That’s what I noticed when he was at Utah. I said to myself: ‘This guy, in the playoffs, he defends Luka Doncic all over the court.’ In the next round, we played against Dallas, who had beaten Utah, and I remembered that Bogey had defended Luka all over the place,” he remembered. “So we will be delighted to see him come back. We obviously have to give him time to gain momentum. It’s not something that’s going to happen quickly. We hope he comes back soon, but we have to take our time.”
Valuable at every level
During his convalescence, Bojan Bogdanovic remained active in his own way, with the (many) young players in the squad, in particular to advise them, guide them and encourage them, as was the case with Isaiah Livers, who predicted that his “rehab buddy” was going to have “a big impact” on the team upon his return.
Among the staff too, his presence is an asset to facilitate communication and understanding within the group.
“He encourages them, but he’s also very helpful when guys make the same mistakes. He’s the one who comes and tells them: ‘No, man, the coach is right, this is what we have to do’. He does it in a respectful manner. The players appreciate it. They know his intentions are good. But he’s also the same guy who takes Ausar Thompson aside when he’s in trouble. I think everyone here knows what he did on the pitch, and they respect him.”added Monty Williams.
Still listed as a forfeit for tonight’s match against the Pacers, Bojan Bogdanovic to play his first minutes in 2023/24 sometime next week.
| Bojan Bogdanovic | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2014-15 | BRK | 78 | 24 | 45.3 | 35.5 | 82.1 | 0.6 | 2.1 | 2.7 | 0.9 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 9.0 |
| 2015-16 | BRK | 79 | 27 | 43.3 | 38.2 | 83.3 | 0.5 | 2.8 | 3.2 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 0.4 | 1.5 | 0.1 | 11.2 |
| 2016-17 * | All Teams | 81 | 26 | 44.5 | 36.7 | 89.3 | 0.5 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 0.4 | 1.6 | 0.1 | 13.7 |
| 2016-17 * | BRK | 55 | 27 | 44.0 | 35.7 | 87.4 | 0.4 | 3.2 | 3.6 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 0.4 | 1.7 | 0.1 | 14.2 |
| 2016-17 * | W.A.S. | 26 | 23 | 45.7 | 39.1 | 93.4 | 0.5 | 2.5 | 3.1 | 0.8 | 1.8 | 0.4 | 1.5 | 0.2 | 12.7 |
| 2017-18 | IND | 80 | 31 | 47.4 | 40.2 | 86.8 | 0.4 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 0.1 | 14.3 |
| 2018-19 | IND | 81 | 32 | 49.7 | 42.5 | 80.7 | 0.4 | 3.7 | 4.1 | 2.0 | 1.7 | 0.9 | 1.7 | 0.0 | 18.0 |
| 2019-20 | UTH | 63 | 33 | 44.7 | 41.4 | 90.3 | 0.6 | 3.5 | 4.1 | 2.1 | 1.8 | 0.5 | 2.5 | 0.1 | 20.2 |
| 2020-21 | UTH | 72 | 31 | 43.9 | 39.0 | 87.9 | 0.6 | 3.4 | 3.9 | 1.9 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 1.8 | 0.1 | 17.0 |
| 2021-22 | UTH | 69 | 31 | 45.5 | 38.7 | 85.8 | 0.8 | 3.5 | 4.3 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 0.5 | 1.7 | 0.0 | 18.1 |
| 2022-23 | DET | 10 | 31 | 50.0 | 48.6 | 94.7 | 0.6 | 2.7 | 3.3 | 1.9 | 2.2 | 0.5 | 1.8 | 0.0 | 20.2 |
| Total | 613 | 29 | 45.7 | 39.4 | 86.3 | 0.5 | 3.1 | 3.6 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 1.6 | 0.1 | 15.1 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
