Vasilije "Vasa" Pušica (Serbian Cyrillic: Василије Пушица, born September 12, 1995) is a Serbian professional basketball player for Igokea of the ABA League. He played college basketball for the University of San Diego and Northeastern University.

Vasilije Pušica
Pušica with BC Labas GAS Prienai in his season debut, November 2021
No. 8 – Igokea
PositionShooting guard / point guard
LeagueLiga BiH
ABA League
Personal information
Born (1995-09-12) September 12, 1995 (age 29)
Belgrade, Serbia, FR Yugoslavia
NationalitySerbian
Listed height1.96 m (6 ft 5 in)
Listed weight92 kg (203 lb)
Career information
High schoolSunrise Christian Academy
(Wichita, Kansas)
College
NBA draft2019: undrafted
Playing career2019–present
Career history
2019Partizan
2019–2020VL Pesaro
2020–2021Dinamo Sassari
2021–2022Labas GAS Prienai
2022Galatasaray Nef
2022–2023Twarde Pierniki Toruń
2023Śląsk Wrocław
2023Avtodor
2024Astana
2024–presentIgokea
Career highlights and awards

Early career

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Pušica started to play basketball in his hometown Belgrade, for the Partizan youth selections.

In 2013, Pušica was recruited to attend a prep school in Kansas, U.S., Sunrise Christian Academy in Bel Aire, a suburb of Wichita. During the 2013–14 season, he averaged 9.3 points and 5.0 rebounds per game.[1]

College career

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San Diego Toreros (2014–2016)

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In the Toreros' 2014–15 season, Pušica appeared in 30 games with one start and averaged 4.6 points per game to go along with 2.1 rebounds and a team-leading 74 assists. In the Toreros' 2015–16 season, Pušica appeared in 30 games making 15 starts and averaged 8.3 points per game to go along with 4.0 rebounds and a team-leading 74 assists.

Northeastern Huskies (2016–2019)

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In 2016, was Pušica transferred from San Diego. Under NCAA transfer rules, he had to sit out for the 2016–17 season.[1] Pušica finished his first season with the Huskies as the team's leading scorer with 17.9 points per game, while pulling down 3.6 rebounds per game and dishing out 5.1 assists per game while playing and starting in all 33 games. Also, he added 36 steals while shooting 50.4 percent from the field and 42.7 percent from deep and 80.7 from the free throw line.[1] Pušica appeared in 27 games, including 26 starts in the Huskies' 2018–19 season. He averaged 17.4 points, 3.8 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game.[1]

Professional career

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Partizan (2019)

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On April 24, 2019, Pušica signed for Partizan NIS of the Basketball League of Serbia.[2]

Italian Serie A (2019–2021)

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On August 3, 2019, he has signed with VL Pesaro of the Italian Lega Basket Serie A (LBA).[3]

On June 23, 2020, Pušica signed in the same league, for Dinamo Sassari for the 2019–20 season.[4] He averaged 12.9 points, 3.8 assist and 1.4 steals per game.

2021–22 season

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On July 21, 2021, Pušica signed with Baxi Manresa of the Spanish Liga ACB.[5] However, his contract was voided after he failed the physical. On August 18, Pušica signed with BC Labas GAS Prienai of the Lithuanian Basketball League.[6] He averaged 8.2 points and 4.5 assists per game.

On February 25, 2022, Pušica signed with Galatasaray Nef of the Basketbol Süper Ligi and Basketball Champions League.[7]

2022–23 season

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On July 9, 2022, he has signed with FMP of the Basketball League of Serbia and the ABA League.[8] However, he parted ways with FMP on August 1.[9]

On November 16, 2022, he signed with Twarde Pierniki Toruń of the Polish Basketball League (PLK).[10]

On February 8, 2023, he signed with Śląsk Wrocław of the PLK.[11]

2024–25 season

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On August 7, 2024, he signed with Igokea of the ABA League.[12]

National team career

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Pušica was a member of the Serbian under-16 team that played at the 2011 FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship in the Czech Republic. Over seven tournament games, he averaged 4.0 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game.[13] Pušica was a member of the Serbian under-18 team that played at the 2013 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship in Latvia. Over seven tournament games, he averaged 7.9 points, 9.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game.[14]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "#4 - Vasa Pusica - 2018-19 Men's Basketball Roster". nuhuskies.com. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
  2. ^ "Vasilije Pušica se vratio u Partizan, Si neće igrati u Superligi". b92.net. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
  3. ^ "Pesaro officially signs Vasa Pusica". Sportando. August 3, 2019. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
  4. ^ "Una combo di ferro alla corte di Poz" (in Italian). dinamobasket.com. 23 June 2020.
  5. ^ "BAXI Manresa announces Vasa Pusica". Sportando. July 21, 2021. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
  6. ^ "Prienai announces signing of Vasa Pusica". Sportando. August 18, 2021. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  7. ^ Yahyabeyoglu, Fersu (February 25, 2022). "Galatasaray adds Pusica to their roster". Eurobasket. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
  8. ^ "KK FMP Meridian announced Vasa Pusica". Sportando. July 9, 2022. Retrieved July 9, 2022.
  9. ^ "Pušica napustio FMP posle tri nedelje". b92.net. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  10. ^ "Twarde Pierniki Toruń lands Vasa Pusica". Sportando. November 16, 2022. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
  11. ^ "Pusica przenosi się do Wrocławia". plk.pl (in Polish). February 8, 2023. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
  12. ^ "Vasa Pusica (ex Astana) signs at Igokea". Eurobasket. August 7, 2024. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
  13. ^ "2011 U16 Serbia #6 - Vasilije Pusica". fiba.basketball. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
  14. ^ "2013 U18 Serbia #6 - Vasilije Pusica". fiba.basketball. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
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