Filip Petrusev comments on his choice to sign with Olympiacos / News - Basketnews.com

Petrusev said he wanted to play and felt like he would be in a better position for it in Europe.

Credit: AP Photo/Chris Szagola - Scanpix Credit AP Photo/Chris Szagola - Scanpix

After a few short months in the NBA, Filip Petrusev has joined Olympiacos Piraeus in the EuroLeague. The Serbian center has already landed in Greece and gave his first comment after the signing.

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After a breakout year with Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade in the EuroLeague last season, Petrusev tried his luck in the NBA. However, he was traded twice in the first weeks of the season and cut just a month later.

Now, back in Europe, he feels the situation is better here.

"I feel like I will be in a better situation in Europe. I went through some things in the NBA that weren't expected, that weren't my fault. I think I'm a young player, I need to play. I feel like I can help the team," he said.

Petrusev was playing for the Sacramento Kings before returning to the EuroLeague. Sasha Vezenkov, a former EuroLeague MVP and Olympiacos star, is currently with the Kings, fulfilling his NBA dream. Asked whether he talked about his move with the Bulgarian forward, Petrusev said Vezenkov encouraged him.

"He told me all the best. We spent a lot of time together, actually, since I got to Sacramento. We were talking a lot, and he told me all the best. He told me I should probably come to Olympiacos because I had other offers," Petrusev said. "He told me all the best."

Petrusev is currently not sure when he will suit up for his new team.

"It happened very quickly. I was just released two days ago. I just came. I have time to adjust, to talk with everybody. We'll see," the big man said.

Has Petrusev abandoned his NBA dream with this move? The player disagrees.

"I'm obviously still a young player. There will be a time when I can come back. I went there, I experienced it. I saw how it is. I really had to go because Philadelphia had my rights. Now that I'm back, if I want to come back to the NBA, I can come back to any team, it doesn't have to be one team," he explained. "I still have time. I just want to play, that's it."

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