Teletovic has no fear after Bosnian War, blood clots; excited about Suns
Mirza Teletovic has been through a lot.
At only 30 years old, he has seen his fair share of conflict, rivalry, and loss.
Born and raised in Bosnia, Teletovic grew up in an environment dominated by warfare.
"Those were really tough times," he told AZ Central's Paul Coro. "You have grenades falling down. The army structure building was right next to the park court. They would sound the alarm when they started bombing and we would flat-out sprint home."
For Teletovic, basketball provided refuge from the violence of the Bosnian War, and the competitive nature of the game piqued his interest at a young age.
"I just fell in love with it," he said. "I liked the aggressiveness, the fighting, the trash-talking. In our language, we have more curse words so I think it works better."
His experiences have given him a renewed outlook.
"With the things that have happened to me in my life, I don't have a scare. Some people get scared and back down or give up. I don't have that in my mental structure."
Teletovic leveraged his skills on the hardwood into a professional career, playing in Belgian and Spanish leagues before signing with the Brooklyn Nets in 2012, but it wasn't long before his NBA career was put in jeopardy.
His third NBA season was interrupted by a serious health scare, when blood clots were discovered in his lungs in January.
Miami Heat's Chris Bosh suffered the same problem last season, and former Portland Trail Blazers forward Jerome Kersey died in February due to a blood clot in his calf.
Teletovic persevered with his treatment and returned to game action in three months - half of his expected recovery time - just in time for the Nets' first-round playoff series against the Atlanta Hawks.
Now, as one of the latest additions to the Phoenix Suns after signing a $5.5 million one-year deal, Teletovic is excited about the change of scenery.
"They like shooting 3s. I like the energy around the team," he said.
Head coach Jeff Hornacek will likely use Teletovic in the same role former Sun Channing Frye had: as the recipient of pick-and-pop passes resulting in long-range shot attempts.
The 6-foot-9 stretch-four has a career average of 36.2 percent from beyond the arc.
"It's just a different vibe for me here," he said, having already scrimmaged with his new teammates this summer. "I don't mind coming to practice. I'm getting up in the morning smiling and excited to come in. That hadn't happened in a while."
Considering how far he's come - both geographically and health-wise - Teletovic has a lot to smile about.