Nemanja Bjelica won his first championship last season with the Golden State Warriors. It seems that this may have been his last too, considering how the 34-year-old has now decided to take his talents abroad.
After his contract with the Warriors ended at the conclusion of the 2021-22 season, Bjelica decided to join Turkish outfit Fenerbache of the Basketball Super League and the EuroLeague. The Serbian national has now spoken out after his departure as he took to Instagram to send a farewell message to the Warriors and Dub Nation:
“Thank you Warriors, the 2022 NBA champions. To the best fans and everyone who supported and pushed us through the whole season until the very end, thank you. To this amazing organization who believed in me and let me be part of this legendary group of players, my brates. To all of you, for this unforgettable experience to close my NBA chapter, thank you. I will always remember this season, these fans and the Bay. Always a Warrior, Thank you #DjudjuFandjo” Bjelica wrote.
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Nemanja Bjelica was no star in his role with the Warriors last season, but he was an important piece to the puzzle for the Dubs and their title run. In 71 games played last term, the 6-foot-10 forward/center averaged 6.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 16.1 minutes per game.
Earlier in the summer, Warriors star Draymond Green revealed that he was “a little bit hurt” by Bjelica's departure. The former Defensive Player of the Year revealed how he formed quite a bond with his ex-teammate. Green also stated, though, that he understood Bjelica's decision to move back to Europe in order to be closer to his two young children.