Report: Jazz draftee Tomic re-ups with Barcelona; Pleiss interested in NBA
Seven-foot-one Croatian center Ante Tomic, whose draft rights belong to the Utah Jazz, has opted to remain in Europe, signing a three-year contract extension with FC Barcelona of the Spanish League, according to Jody Genessy of the Deseret News.
Tomic, whom the Jazz drafted with the 44th overall pick in 2008, has blossomed with Barcelona after three seasons with Real Madrid, being named to consecutive All-Euroleague First Teams. He averaged 11.5 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists, while shooting 61 percent from the field in 2014-15.
Tomic's reservations about making the potential jump to North America reportedly owe to the protestations of his wife.
I'm told spouse of Ante Tomic vetoed leaving Espana. "A happy wife is a happy life," source said.
— David Pick (@IAmDPick) April 28, 2015
Now 28 years old, it appears unlikely he'll ever play in the NBA.
The same may not be true for Tomic's Barcelona teammate and backup Tibor Pleiss, another enormous, Jazz-owned center.
Then there's this: German center Tibor Pleiß, Ante Tomic's backup, has interest in playing with the Utah Jazz, according to EuroHoops.
— Jody Genessy (@DJJazzyJody) April 28, 2015
The rights to the 7-foot-2 Pleiss were acquired from the Oklahoma City Thunder as part of this season's deadline-day trade for center Enes Kanter.
Drafted with the first pick of the second round in 2010, the 25-year-old German, auspiciously nicknamed The Octopus, averaged 5.3 points and 3.9 rebounds in a reserve role this season. He shot 58.6 percent from the field and, encouragingly, 84.8 percent from the free-throw line.