Why Gonzaga should target Serbian guard Mihailo Petrovic out of transfer portal

Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs have once again built a roster littered with talented players from all over the world.

Mario Saint-Supery (Spain) and Jack Kayil (Germany) are expected to start in the backcourt for the Zags in 2026-27, while newcomer Massamba Diop (Senegal) becomes the team’s latest international-born big man after committing to Gonzaga earlier in the week.

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Gonzaga’s international pipeline allows them to land players directly from overseas and – in the case of Diop – helps them bring in guys via the transfer portal as well.

Adding an international player who already has college basketball experience comes with the added bonus of eliminating the culture shock that often accompanies first-year players from overseas.

Gonzaga still has five open roster spots, and while most of the rotation appears set – assuming Kayil and Houston transfer Isiah Harwell withdraw from the NBA draft – the Zags still have room to make an addition or two in the backcourt.

One name that is worth keeping an eye on for the Zags is Serbian guard Mihailo Petrovic, who spent his first season stateside playing for Brad Underwood at Illinois.

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Who is Mihailo Petrovic?

Petrovic was one of many high-profile international players on the Illini roster this past season, alongside forward David Mirkovic and the Ivisic brothers, Tomislav and Zvonimir.

Many felt Petrovic would be a Day 1 starter for Illinois, thanks to the prolific numbers he posted in Serbia prior to his arrival.

Petrovic first played in the KLS – Serbia’s top league – as an 18-year-old in 2021 with Donav. He truly broke out in 2023-24 with OKK Beograd, appearing in 25 games as a 20-year-old and averaging 21.2 points and 6.8 assists per game.

The next year, he played in the ABA – one of the best non-NBA leagues on the planet – and averaged 14.3 points and 7.3 assists in 28 games for Mega Mozzart … where he was teammates with Gonzaga commit Jack Kayil.

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Petrovic came stateside to join the Illini ahead…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/why-gonzaga-target-serbian-guard-031008237.html

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Publish date : 2026-05-02 03:10:00

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