Aleks Maric

[blkout]

He's of Croatian heritage. There is a difference.

My parents are Italian but that doesn't make me Italian.

[Macho]

I think he is just listening to his heart:) clearly he feels more Serbian than Australian.

it's still a bit odd that both he and his family still choose to live in Australia, rather than Serbia. Apparently they don't feel that Serbian to still live there.

If they didn't feel Serbian they wouldn't have taught their son the language and culture . There are millions of Serbs living outside of Serbia because of war and communist oppression, it's not like we all left because we just didn't feel Serbian anymore.

Reading some of Aleks' interviews its clear that he feels a strong connection to his culture and people, to suggest that he only wants to play for Serbia because of money is a joke.

This is nothing new, for the Serbian soccer team you see guys like Subotic, Kuzmanovic and Smiljanic who were all born outside of Serbia but still decided to play for Serbia's national team. It's also nothing new for Australia because they have lost countless "wog" soccer players to other countries.

[Rasho Brezec]

I can totally understand why he'd rather play for his native country than Australia. Many of these people were left with no other choice but to emigrate. It's a similar thing that's happening with Emir Preldzic, as he said he'd like to play for BiH rather than Slovenia, and I don't blame him. I'd want to play for my home country, too.

[Bird And Magic]

Sportingbet December MVP: Aleks Maric, Partizan Belgrade

http://www.euroleague.net/news/i/63932/180

Euroleague video clip:

http://euroleague.infrontams.tv/index.php?id=1769

[Bird And Magic]

He's of Croatian heritage. There is a difference.

My parents are Italian but that doesn't make me Italian.

Yes it does. It's called Italian American.

[blkout]

When did I become American?

[kuhane gace]

They didn't let Bogut to play for Croatia I pretey much doubt they will let Maric to play for Serbia. He would fit perfect in young Duda team

[peja_the_legend]

^Why should they let an Australian play for Croatia anyway?

[kuhane gace]

http://www.nacional.hr/clanak/45587/u-p ... korijenima

[redred9]

Ive never seen Maric play, so it's interesting to read the Andersen comparisons, as Andersen will make a pretty useful NBA pf once he gets more adjusted to it (ie gets stronger). It will be great to watch him space the floor for Yao next season.

But there is no chance Maric plays for Serbia. NO chance. He needs specific clearance from Basketball Australia, and obviously they say get outta here. So im looking forward to watching Bogut, Maric, Jawai, Andersen & Ogilvy duke it out for a Boomers big man spot..

Sorry Serbia.

PS. Bogut never applied to play for Croatia.

[Bird And Magic]

Ive never seen Maric play, so it's interesting to read the Andersen comparisons, as Andersen will make a pretty useful NBA pf once he gets more adjusted to it (ie gets stronger). It will be great to watch him space the floor for Yao next season.

But there is no chance Maric plays for Serbia. NO chance. He needs specific clearance from Basketball Australia, and obviously they say get outta here. So im looking forward to watching Bogut, Maric, Jawai, Andersen & Ogilvy duke it out for a Boomers big man spot..

Sorry Serbia.

PS. Bogut never applied to play for Croatia.

Exactly. Australia has to grant him permission to play for Serbia. It's not like he can just say he wants to and that's it. As far as Maric and Andersen go......Andersen is a good player on offense and he is being played out of position by the Rockets which makes it harder for him on defense and rebounding. He will be fine in time for them. But Maric is already after 8 games of experience a bigger force than Andersen ever was in Europe.

[Livno]

^Why should they let an Australian play for Croatia anyway?

because hes a croat?

[peja_the_legend]

Some bright Mods in here i see.

Bogut a Croat?Yeah just like Robert DeNiro is Italian.

[Livno]

Bogut a Croat?Yeah just like Robert DeNiro is Italian.

yes hes a croat, not croatian, but he is definetly a croat, he belongs to this ethnic group!

[peltoff]

Isn't Maric ineligible to play for another country? Hasn't he already played for Australia's junior representative side?

[Rasho Brezec]

He can play for another country if Australia gives him the clearance to do so, which is highly unlikely. And even then, FIBA can still deny his request.

[Alyosha12]

He can play for another country if Australia gives him the clearance to do so, which is highly unlikely. And even then, FIBA can still deny his request.

The way it was presented in the Preldzic saga is that even if Slovenia had given the heads up for him to play for Bosna it still wouldn't have made a difference as the rule that players can play for their home nation even if they played for another only applies for developing countries like Somalia etc.

Of course that was the official memo of our organization, and they are real @ss hats so who knows if its true...

[magpies]

He won't play for Serbia, he played for Australia last year, still on the aquad.
The Serbian team would love him but with his form, he will go to Turkey and be a great addition to The Boomers front court.

Here is a link to the story
www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fc/news/lateNews ... /arti.html

With Him and Bogut and possibly Nathan J or Luke Schenscher will form the front court

[brassviews]

That's a pretty good frontcourt. I wonder if they play Bogut and Maric together.

[Sugatas]

He stepped up bigtime since last year when he was in Granada, what a frontcourt for Australia!