2020 First-Round Pick ‘Wants To’ Return To The NBA, Why Teams Would Be Interest

A view a Wilson NBA basketball and logo at the American Airlines Center. | Source: Lastwordonsports.com – Daniel Benjamin, Editor

Could former NBA first-round pick Aleksej Pokusevski return to the NBA?

2020 First-Round Pick ‘Wants To’ Return To The NBA

Pokusevski has been playing in Europe since last playing in the Association in 2023-24. Pokusevski has played the previous two seasons with KK Partizan in his native Serbia. The 7-footer really struggled this year as he produced 5.2 points on 44.8% shooting from the field and 2.5 rebounds in 14.3 minutes over 55 appearances.

Despite having a season left on his Partizan deal, Pokusevski moved to Russian club Lokomotiv Kuban for the upcoming season. It is a two-year deal.

Before signing with Partizan, Pokusevski was linked to several Greek clubs due to the possibility that the 24-year-old could obtain a Greek passport and play as a domestic player. He spent five years in Greece as a teenager and played for the Olympiacos club teams before heading to the NBA.

“The circumstances of life were such that I spent my formative years in Greece, from the age of 13 to 18. I spend every summer there, I have a house, and my future wife is Greek,” Pokusevski told Milun Nesovic of the Serbian outlet Meridian Sport. “I love that country, just as I love Serbia. I feel that I would like my children to grow up in Greece one day. Therefore, obtaining a passport is a logical step. There’s no pressure; I’m not rushing anything; when it’s meant to happen, it will happen. It’s normal. Greece is tied to my past and the future I would like to have. And maybe there’s a basketball connection as well. As I said, the Greek passport has nothing to do with basketball.”

NBA First-Time Around

Pokusevski was a surprise first-round pick in 2020 by the Minnesota Timberwolves, who ultimately sent him to the Oklahoma City Thunder two days after the draft. The Thunder, who were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs for the fourth straight season, decided to go young and rebuild following head coach Billy Donovan’s departure.

The reason that the Thunder decided to take a chance on Pokusevski, who was the No. 17 pick, was due to his guard-like skills, rare mobility for a guy his size, and developmental upside at 19. The Thunder gave up a haul in a three-team trade for Pokusevski. The Thunder sent Jaden McDaniels and Ricky Rubio to the Timberwolves and Immanuel Quickley to the New York Knicks while also receiving James Johnson and a 2024 2nd-round pick.

Pokusevski spent three and one-half seasons with the Thunder. While Pokusevski showed flashes of brilliance in his first two seasons, consistency was an issue. Injuries also stunted his growth, and he barely saw the floor in year four before being waived after the All-Star break. He finished the 2023-24 season with the Hornets, appearing in 18 games.

Overall, Pokusevski appeared in 165 NBA games, including 65 starts. Pokusevski averaged 7.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.9 assists with shooting splits of 39.1/30.4/70.1. He also produced nine times, with one triple-double.

“I went to the NBA early and played a lot. I was both good and bad,” Pokusevski said. “There was a bit of everything. After that, I came to the EuroLeague, to Partizan, where I wasn’t the happiest with how everything went and how it ended. I’m certainly considering a return to the NBA. I don’t like to think about unrealistic things, but I believe this is something realistic, especially considering my age.

Why Would NBA Teams Be Interested in Alexksej Pokusevski?

Let’s face it, if Pokusevski really wants to return to the NBA, he has a lot to prove with Lokomotiv. That is not to say that if he shows some consistency, teams won’t be interested, because he still possesses the skills and size that NBA teams crave.

While not a pure scorer, Pokusevski is a skilled passer who can make live-dribble reads and can space the floor — averaging one career 3-pointer per game during his NBA tenure. He can disrupt opposing offenses with his length, and it would also figure to be an inexpensive swing for teams. But unless Pokusevski has an NBA out in his contract with Lokomotiv, he won’t make his return to the Association until at least 2027-28.