DeRozan, Vucevic relish USC days
grew up primarily in Belgium and Montenegro, so he never fully understood how competitive American college basketball would be. gave education.
him an emphatic
When they were both University of Southern California freshman, DeRozan dunked on Vucevic during a team practice.
“Coach almost stopped practice,” Vucevic recalled.
“Everybody was laughing. I didn’t realize really how athletic he was until that happened.”
Vucevic and DeRozan reunited again Tuesday night, when Vucevic’s Orlando Magic hosted DeRozan’s Toronto Raptors at Amway Center. There was just one problem: DeRozan sat out because of a left thigh contusion.
When Vucevic enrolled at USC in 2008, the coaching staff wanted him to redshirt. Vucevic declined to redshirt, and he played sparingly as an 18-year-old, baby-faced freshman.
But DeRozan insists he saw special Vucevic.
“I always knew he was going to be good, because even when he was in college he was very skilled,” DeRozan said. “To see how far he came and to look at him now, he’s another one of my teammates who was a hell of a dude, a great individual. Every time I see him, every time I talk to him, there’s always just that good, positive energy from him.”
DeRozan and Vucevic played just one season together at USC, but their team reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament, where it lost to eventual tournament runner-up potential in Michigan State. DeRozan entered the 2009 NBA Draft, and the Raptors selected him ninth overall.
DeRozan has been selected to the All-Star Game four times since, including as an Eastern Conference starter in 2017 and this year.
“I’m really happy for how far he’s come since he got to the league,” Vucevic said. “He’s been able to really improve upon his jump shot, his game. He’s one of the best players in the league today, especially at his position.” Magic coach
inserted Aaron Gordon back into the team’s starting lineup Tuesday after Gordon missed five consecutive games while he was in the NBA concussion protocol.
But the Magic also were missing two starters.
Wing sat out his sixth consecutive game because of a sprained left knee ligament, and wing
didn’t play because he has a right wrist contusion.
Simmons has missed only two of the Magic’s 71 games this season.
With Fournier and Simmons out, Vogel started
Gordon and Vucevic.
who was inducted into the Magic Hall of Fame on Tuesday, isn’t bullish about the 2018 draft class.
“I don’t see anybody in the draft that changes the complexion of a team,” McGrady said.
“I look at some of these younger guys, these oneand-done guys, I don’t see the s. I don’t the the
guys. That’s why I think a lot of these top teams [in the NCAA Tournament] have been losing with the freshmen: because of their lack of skill set. Then when you have these teams that have juniors and seniors — much older, experienced guys — it’s no surprise to me why a lot of these bigtime schools are getting knocked off in the tournament.” see