# Where are they now? Zoran Planinic



## Krstic All-Star (Mar 9, 2005)

Wonder where a former player from your favorite team is playing overseas - and how he's doing? HB and I will be profiling players who used to pick up an NBA paycheck before leaving (or being dropped). 

Today's profiled player is everyone's favorite 6'7 not-quite-a-point-guard Zoran Planinic.









As we all know, in his three NBA seasons with the Nets, he averaged 3.8 ppg, 1.3 rpg, and 1.1 apg, while shooting .405 from the field, including .268 on 3s, and .677 from the line in a measly 10.7 mpg. Not quite first-round pick numbers.

Since 2006-2007 he's played in Spain, for Tau Ceramica in Liga ACB and Euroleague competition, as well as Eurobasket. 

Last season he averaged 9.7 ppg to go with 3.0 rpg and 2.8 apg in ACB play, while upping his game a bit for Euroleague, averaging in the regular season and playoffs 9.3 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 3.8 apg, and even 1.3 spg. In the regular season he averaged 11.0 ppg over the course of the ten-game season. 

So how is he doing now?

In the single Euroleague game played so far, he scored 19 points with 4 rebounds and 3 assists, shooting 5/9 on 2-pointers and 3/8 on 3s against Olympiakos.

In 5 ACB games to date, his numbers have been slightly lower so far, averaging 8.4 ppg, 2.8 rpg and only 1.8 apg, while shooting .570 on 2s, .333 on 3s and .600 on fts. 

While he's not lighting up the league, numbers-wise, he is clearly an important part of Tau Ceramica's Igor Rakocevic-led team. 

Planinic's ACB stats and profile can be found here: http://www.acb.com/jugador.php?id=BBK

And his Euroleague current season stats can be found here:
http://www.euroleague.net/competition/players/showplayer?pcode=AFP


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## HB (May 1, 2004)

I wonder if Zoran will ever play in the NBA again.

The kid has skills, maybe like Boki he just needs the right situation to showcase his talent


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## Krstic All-Star (Mar 9, 2005)

I agree, but think that he'd need to put up bigger numbers, over a longer period of time, to be seriously scouted by the NBA again. On the other hand, he's only 25.


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## NetIncome (Jan 24, 2004)

Zoran is now a small forward...a point forward if you will. 

He is still only 25. Could he be another Boki. Not so sure of that. 

There was a time when Zoran and Tony Parker were viewed as the top two point guards in Europe. In the U20 European championships in 2001, Croatia and France went into OT and France won. Parker was MVP of the game, Zoran was high scorer. 

Stefanski loved him. Frank didn't.


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## Excel (Aug 5, 2002)

He never quite fit in for NJ. Whenever he came in for Kidd, the offense came to a screetching halt.


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## VCofMontreal (May 5, 2007)

zoran is ****ing garbage!


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## BDB (Dec 19, 2006)

I liked Z with the Nets. Byron Scott just didn't use him right.
Backup point guard is a hard job behind Kidd and if you don't know the language forget about it.

Caught a couple of euroleague games with him on NBA TV he looked good.
If anyone knows when he's playing again a head's up will get you rep points.


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## chubibo (Aug 6, 2006)

i think playing in Europe is the best place for him. and i agree with KAS that he needs to produce more if he wants to be scouted again.


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