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| Mirza struggled a bit in his first NBA season, but has been honing his game this summer in Europe, and looks to be primed for a big year |
When the Nets signed Mirza back in the summer of 2011 for three years at a value of around $10 million, they were unsure of what expect from him. A native of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Teletovic had been playing in Europe for ten years, since he was 17 years old. Shuffling from Sloboda Tuzla in Bosnia to Oostende in Belgium before finally heading to Spain to play for Saski Baskonia, the 6'9" sharpshooter was already a Euroleague veteran and at 25 years of age (at the time), not a young and naive 20-year-old anymore.
The one thing he certainly was: a much-hyped three-point shooter who wowed Europeans watching him games in person and Americans seeing them on the internet.
However, Mirza's transition to the American game and the NBA style of play was probably harder than he expected, as his rookie campaign was a bit of a struggle. With a slashline of 38.4/34.3/81.8 (FG%/3FG%/FT%), the forward just couldn't get into the nice shooting rhythm that he was used to experiencing overseas. He missed tons of open threes throughout the season and demonstrated an aversion to driving to the hoop, taking just 77 two-pointers and a stunning 11 free throws in his 53 games. Playing 499 minutes in a NBA season and only taking 11 free throws is absurd, and likely a record of some sort.
But by no means does a poor rookie year mean that Mirza won't be able to figure out his role on the Nets this season. With a souped-up roster full of talented veterans, a lot less pressure is on the Bosnian's shoulders to score. He won't have to worry as much about every shot and can just try to go with the offensive flow and hopefully keep up with Brooklyn's new defensive scheme under new coach Jason Kidd.
Even after a greuling offseason schedule of games for Mirza internationally, he's ready to begin his 2nd NBA season early and effectively, as he is reportedly heading to the United States soon to join the Nets' informal workouts , joining nearly the entire Brooklyn roster at the PNY Center in New Jersey. That willingness to get back on the proverbial horse with his Nets responsibilities maybe a precursor to a more focused and matured Mirza in 2013-14. The addition of solid, consistent three-point shooting; rebounding help; and defensive growth from him would be a massive boon for Kidd and the Nets, already increasing the depth on already-deep squad.
Just wait and see how good the Nets could be if Mirza can figure out and play his game to his ability. Brooklyn could really make a splash in the East and in NBA this year.
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