2014/2015 CHICAGO BULLS YEARBOOK

$5

20

14

/2

015

Ch

ica

go

Bu

lls

Ye

ar

bo

ok

@

CH

ICA

GO

BU

LL

S

134

COMING

Nikola Mirotic is hardly your typical NBA rookie. When

the young European joined the Chicago Bulls over the

summer, it was a long awaited and much anticipated

arrival. For Mirotic, who played five years professionally in

Spain, it was a matter of the timing being right. Now, as he

experiences his first season, Mirotic knows his transition won’t

be easy. But everyone who knows him believes he’s got what

it takes to get the job done.

AMERICATO

20

14

/2

015

Ch

ica

go

Bu

lls Y

ea

rb

oo

k @

CH

ICA

GO

BU

LL

S

135

BY ADAM FLUCK

NIK

OL

A M

IRO

TIC

: C

OM

ING

TO

AM

ER

ICA

20

14

/2

015

Ch

ica

go

Bu

lls

Ye

ar

bo

ok

@

CH

ICA

GO

BU

LL

S

136

GROWING UP IN MONTENEGRO AND DISCOVERING BASKETBALL

In February, 1991 Nikola Mirotic was born in Podgorica, the capital city of Montenegro, a place he called home for the first 15 years of his life. Montenegro, a country of about 625,000, is located in Southeastern Europe and bordered by the Adriatic Sea, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, and Albania.

“It’s very beautiful with nice people who [are] very polite,” says Mirotic, who along with his parents, Ranko and Dragana, and older brother Filip, lived just over a half hour between the sea and mountains.

Like a lot of boys who grew up in Podgorica, Mirotic played soccer at a young age. He even dreamed of someday starring for the local club, FK Buducnost Podgorica.

“It’s not a world famous team, but we have talent, great young players there, just like America with bas-ketball,” explains Mirotic. “We are a small country and many of the most talented players from Montenegro are in the European leagues.”

It wasn’t until after Mirotic turned 13 that he started playing basketball. Before then he focused only on “fútbol,” as he likes to call it. That is, until a wise family elder talked him into giving basketball a try.

“As I started growing up, I was always playing fútbol,” recalls Mirotic. “One day, I was talking with my grandfather and he said, ‘Hey, you need to go practice basketball. I know of a school named Joker.’ I told him, ‘No, I like fútbol. I don’t want to go.’ He said, ‘Just go to one practice and you will see. You will like it.’ I went and he was right — I immediately felt something very special playing basketball.”

The Joker School of Basketball in Podgorica is where Mirotic, then around 6’5”, first met Jadran Vujacic, a fellow Montenegrin and former professional basketball player who helped Mirotic fall in love with the game.

“Jadran really did everything for me,” says Mirotic. “He is the one who pushed me to being a basketball player.”

Vujacic quickly recognized Mirotic’s raw ability as the two worked out daily. They even-tually set a goal of getting Mirotic to where he could play professionally in Spain, Italy or Greece. Bulls Director of International Scouting, Ivica Dukan, discovered Mirotic not long after.

“Jadran and I played against each other [in Europe]. He played for Partisan Belgrade and we competed against each other a lot,” remembers Dukan. “That’s how I found out about Nikola.”

After two years at Joker, all the work that Mirotic and Vujacic spent in the gym began to pay off. During a workout in Campos, Spain, Mirotic caught the eye of a couple of Real Madrid scouts. Shortly thereafter, he joined their program, and the relationship with Vujacic continued to grow. In fact, each summer, including this past one, Mirotic travels to Montenegro just to spend time with Vujacic so the two can continue practicing.

“I speak with [Jadran] all the time. He is, for me, a father for basketball,” says Mirotic.

A couple of years after Nikola signed on with Real Madrid, Vujacic became Mirotic’s father-in-law, as the 6’10” forward married Jadran’s daughter, Nina. This past summer, Nikola and Nina welcomed their first child, a boy named Aleksej.

The Joker School of Basketball in Podgorica is where Mirotic, then around 6’5”, first met Jadran Vujacic, a fellow Montenegrin and former professional basketball player who helped Mirotic fall in love with the game.

AD

AD

NIK

OL

A M

IRO

TIC

: CO

MIN

G T

O A

ME

RIC

A

20

14

/2

015

Ch

ica

go

Bu

lls Y

ea

rb

oo

k @

CH

ICA

GO

BU

LL

S

139

MOVING TO MADRID WHERE THINGS GOT REAL

Though Mirotic was just a teenager when he left for Madrid, the magnitude of the opportunity was not lost on the then 15-year-old basketball prodigy.

“I started to believe that I could be something,” says Mirotic. “But it was hard. [Going to Spain] was a big change for me.”

The transition from living in Montenegro to Spain was eased a great deal when Nikola’s parents decid-ed they would also move to Madrid in order to be with their son. Then in his second season, Mirotic moved to a residence hall where he lived with other young players who had signed to join Real Madrid’s program. During this stretch he continued to attend school, living a comparable life to that of a high school student-athlete in America. It also was during this period when Dukan first saw Mirotic play.

“Nikola was about 16,” recalls Dukan. “I saw him working out with Real Madrid’s top team and I said, ‘Who the heck is that kid?’ He was skinny, but you could tell, just like today, that he was very skilled. He had the ability to shoot. He also had some impressive post-up moves. He was just a baby, but his skill and size, I liked those right away. I thought he was somebody I needed to follow.”

Different divisions exist within Real Madrid with play-ers primarily grouped by age but Mirotic’s advanced skills and rapid improvement had him jump from the cadets team to the junior team before ultimately joining the senior team by the time he hit 17.

“It was a big step,” says Mirotic. “It was hard, but a good experience. I was very young, but I learned a lot. I had great coaches.

“That first year with the senior team, they didn’t expect I would stay long,” adds Mirotic. “But I played really well and surprised them. So they kept me around. I played 15-20 minutes a game.”

At 19, Mirotic signed his first professional contract with Real Madrid. That same year, Nina came to join him in Spain and his future started to take shape. While playing for Spain at the 2010 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship Tournament, Mirotic averaged a record 27 points and 10 rebounds, earning MVP honors. In 2011, Mirotic was named the Euroleague’s Rising Star Award honoree. The following season, he did it again, marking the only time a player has claimed the honor more than once.

“It was a great feeling,” says Mirotic of his accom-plishment. “It meant that I was doing a great job and growing as a player.

“Basketball is a team sport so it was impossible for me to win [the award] without [the] help of my teammates and coaches. But it felt really good [to win].”

Though Mirotic was just a teenager when he left for Madrid, the magnitude of the opportunity was not lost on the then 15-year-old basketball prodigy.

NIK

OL

A M

IRO

TIC

: C

OM

ING

TO

AM

ER

ICA

20

14

/2

015

Ch

ica

go

Bu

lls

Ye

ar

bo

ok

@

CH

ICA

GO

BU

LL

S

140

At the same time, Mirotic says he also knew he wasn’t close to being a finished product, and that his game still had a lot of room for improvement.

“I like to be in [the] gym very early before practice, an hour before it starts,” says Mirotic. “I stay after practice. In the summer, I practice a lot; I really don’t take a lot of time to rest.

“I think a lot about basketball, always try to be focused. I try to learn from other players with experience. If you want to be good at something, you need to learn from others, especially if you are young. I think that’s import-ant, [the] best way to grow as a player. Be focused, work hard every day and learn.”

In April 2010, as Mirotic continued to shine with Real Madrid, he was chosen to participate at the Nike Hoop Summit held in Portland, Oregon, as a member of the World Select team. At the end of the week, Mirotic and his teammates faced a USA Junior National Select Team featuring future NBA players Kyrie Irving, Harrison Barnes and Jared Sullinger. It just so happened that Dukan’s son, Duje, was a teammate of Mirotic’s at the Summit, and Dukan flew to Portland and spent the week watching Mirotic and his son practice together. Though Dukan had already seen Mirotic play in Spain, the two had never spoken to each other until that week.

Mirotic scored 14 points, shooting six-of-thirteen from the field, and added seven rebounds in 25 minutes against Team USA, who won the game, 101-97.

“I had a chance to study him,” recalls Dukan. “They practiced twice a day. Nikola was pretty good in the game. From then, I saw him every year. I would go to see him in Europe about two or three times each year.”

Dukan wasn’t the only Bulls front office member on hand in Portland that week. General Manager Gar Forman also saw Mirotic play and came away very impressed.

“Nikola’s talent was very evident,” recalls Forman. “Duke had known of him for several years so he was on our radar.”

Despite performing well in front of a crowd of high ranking league executives, playing in the NBA still had not crossed Mirotic’s mind.

“Believe me, it was a good experience, something new, but I still was not thinking about [the] NBA because at the time I was happy [playing] in Europe,” Mirotic says. “I liked how European basketball is played and I was thinking I would spend more time there.”

The following spring, Mirotic was approached by his agent about entering the 2011 NBA Draft. It’s not uncommon for young European players to enter the Draft simply to get a sense of interest from NBA teams before ultimately withdrawing. Mirotic had just signed a long-term contract with Real Madrid, so he eventually planned to pull his name out of the Draft, but at the last minute he changed his mind.

“Duke had developed a personal relationship with Nikola so he knew that we really liked him,” explains Forman. “At the end of the day, that was an important factor in Nikola staying in the Draft.”

The thought of one day coming to Chicago to play for the Bulls was tempting. So Mirotic chose to keep his name in the pool of available players just to see what would happen.

EYE ON THE NBA

The Bulls entered the 2011 NBA Draft with a pair of late first round picks, Nos. 28 and 30, and according to Forman, selecting Mirotic was a “priority.”

Team chairman Jerry Reinsdorf had been briefed on Forman’s intentions and gave his blessing. However, it wasn’t as simple as just waiting patiently and then selecting Mirotic once Chicago’s turn came up. On the night of the Draft, the Bulls caught wind of a credible rumor that another team with a higher pick was planning to grab Mirotic out from under them. So Forman began working the phones and eventually pulled off a trade that sent the No. 28 pick, which ended up being Norris Cole, and Chicago’s second round pick, No. 43, Malcolm Lee, and cash to the Minnesota Timberwolves for the chance to move up to the No. 23 slot where the Bulls could select Mirotic before anyone else could.

“Jerry [Reinsdorf] put in a good chunk [of money] in order for us to move up,” recalls Forman.

Chicago then chose Jimmy Butler with the 30th overall pick. Whereas Butler joined the team right away and over the past three seasons has developed into one of the NBA’s premier defenders, the Bulls understood adding Mirotic to the team’s mix was going to take some time.

Despite performing well in front of a crowd of high ranking league executives, playing in the NBA still had not

crossed Mirotic’s mind.

AD

NIK

OL

A M

IRO

TIC

: C

OM

ING

TO

AM

ER

ICA

20

14

/2

015

Ch

ica

go

Bu

lls

Ye

ar

bo

ok

@

CH

ICA

GO

BU

LL

S

142

“We knew going in that if we drafted Nikola, we would have to be patient and allow him to stay in Spain because of his contractual situation with Real Madrid,” says Forman.

Mirotic, on the other hand, began giving the NBA serious thought once the Bulls owned his draft rights.

“Before that, I was never thinking of [the] NBA,” says Mirotic. “I was thinking I would stay in Spain and try to be [the] best player in Europe.”

After the Draft, Forman and his staff shifted their focus to getting to know Mirotic as a person.

“We felt it was important for all of us to build a personal connection with Nikola,” explains Forman. “We wanted to let him know how much we thought of him as a player. From that point on, we stayed in regular contact him and his agent.

“I remember the first time we met Nikola, he seemed pretty nervous,” remembers Forman. “So we tried to put him at ease right away. Then each time we went over [to Europe] to visit he seemed to feel more comfortable. I think our patient approach gave him the time he needed to process the idea of coming over to play in the NBA.

“We saw right away that Nikola is an A-plus guy with an incredible make up and character,” adds Forman. “He is very, very grounded for as talented as he is. You can tell he gets it. Coaches that have worked with him in the past always rave about his work ethic.”

Forman was also on hand when Mirotic and Real Madrid traveled to North America to play the Memphis Grizzlies and Toronto Raptors in a pair of preseason games in October 2012. Afterwards, Memphis All- Stars Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph raved about Mirotic. Both said they felt he had the talent to do well in the NBA. Those games also provided Mirotic a much-needed confidence boost.

“I don’t remember how many points [I scored], but [I believed] I played well. I felt happy,” says Mirotic. “I started to think I could play in [the] NBA.”

SWEET HOME CHICAGO

The process of getting Mirotic to Chicago had a unique set of circumstances and complications. Mirotic’s contract with Real Madrid included a significant financial buyout for the final season. After some give-and-take, the two sides came together on an agreement that each believed was fair, freeing Mirotic to jump to the Bulls for the start of the 2014-15 NBA season.

“We saw right away that Nikola is an A-plus guy with an incredible make up and character…

He is very, very grounded for as

talented as he is.”

AD

AD

20

14

/2

015

Ch

ica

go

Bu

lls Y

ea

rb

oo

k @

CH

ICA

GO

BU

LL

S

145

NIK

OL

A M

IRO

TIC

: CO

MIN

G T

O A

ME

RIC

A

“Until that happened, there was always the possibility of Nikola going back to Real Madrid this year,” acknowl-edges Forman. “We didn’t know until July that he would be would able to sign with us.

“It was always our goal to get him here as soon as possible.”

After playing five years in Europe, Mirotic had compiled an impressive resume: besides twice being named the Euroleague’s Rising Star (2011, 2012), he’s also a two-time Spanish King’s Cup Champion (2012, 2014), a two-time Spanish SuperCup Champion (2012, 2013), a Spanish League Champion (2013), a Spanish League MVP (2013), a two-time All-ACB Team (2013, 2014) and a Spanish King’s Cup MVP (2014).

On the afternoon of July 17th, 2014, Mirotic, along with Pau Gasol, who just happened to be on the same flight out of Madrid, arrived in Chicago to sign new contracts with the Bulls. The next day the team introduced both to the Chicago media and later that evening each threw out a ceremonial first pitch before a Chicago White Sox game at U.S. Cellular Field.

Mirotic had formally turned the page and began a new chapter in his life, and who better to do it with than Gasol,

a 13-year NBA veteran and two-time World Champi-on, a player who also began his pro career in Spain, playing for FC Barcelona.

While having Gasol as a teammate will surely help Mirotic’s acclimation to the NBA, it comes back to what he does best, which is why the Bulls are confident he will fit right in.

“Nikola gives us an element we haven’t had around here — a big man who can shoot the ball from distance. But he’s more than just a guy who can shoot,” says Forman. “He can put it on the floor and take the ball to the basket. He’s also a very good passer. He can take his man under the basket and score. He can do a lot of things. But at the same time, he’s still not a finished product. He needs to get stronger. But he’s got a high ceiling because of his size and ability. Nikola can become an impact player in our league because he’s got a lot of ability.”

Early reviews of Mirotic have been promising. Just a couple days into training camp, Bulls Head Coach Tom Thibodeau praised Mirotic for his professional approach and understanding of the challenges he faces.

“[Nikola’s] got a great attitude and he’s going to be a very good player,” said Thibodeau. “He still has a lot to learn, so we’ll take it day by day, keep concentrating on daily improvement. He’s got a lot of pride and also a great work ethic. Those are the things you look for with young players.

“How much he plays this year, I just don’t know. But I really like who he is.”

Two-time NBA All-Star center Joakim Noah also likes what he has seen of his rookie teammate.

“[Nikola’s] pretty good, man. He’s really good,” says Noah. “He adds a different dimension [to the game]. He is a lot more than just a shooter. He’s a great shooter and he’s doing a lot of things that are pretty surprising. You don’t think of a stretch four as a guy who can also block shots and run the floor. Niko’s a helluva player.”

“Nikola’s going to figure things out like he did when he first moved from Montenegro to Spain,” says Dukan. “The NBA is new for him, but he’s played under a lot of pressure before. He’s already been on one of the best teams in the world, played in one of the top leagues in the world. He’s been on a big stage. He was MVP on a big stage. People are going to be surprised just how ready he is because he’s not a typical rookie. He is young. He is 23, but he’s been through a lot already.”

Mirotic also looks to the future with a sense of excitement and confidence.

“It is hard to believe,” Mirotic says of being in Chicago. “It’s awesome, really. It’s an amazing feeling to be a part of this great team, organization, a team with history. I want to try to do my best, to help my teammates, to win games, and to win [the] Championship. But let’s go step by step. It’s time for me to work.”

“It’s an amazing feeling to be a part of this great team, organization, a team with history… It’s time for me to work.”