Boban Marjanovic is one of the most-liked players in the NBA simply because the man never stops smiling. Everyone always has a smile on their face when Marjanovic enters the room, and he conducts himself with such a joy that resonates with those who know him. Although he may not be someone like Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James on the court, Boban understands his role as a mentor and locker room character off the court. That is why he has remained in the league for so long.
After recently turning 36 years old, Marjanovic is still searching for his next NBA gig as a free agent. With the start of NBA training camp right around the corner, the veteran center is not giving up hope just yet. Despite receiving offers from clubs in other countries, Marjanovic is still waiting to see if there is another opportunity for him in the league.
More importantly, Boban wants to stay in the NBA for his family and until he is 40 years old, inspiration that he drew from LeBron.
“I want to stay in [the] NBA; this is the main goal,” Marjanovic said, via NBA insider Marc Stein. “I want my kids to be there and I want myself to be there.”
Boban Marjanovic's memorable moments
Marjanovic has spent the last two seasons as a member of the Houston Rockets, but this roster is currently full with a list of 20 players that includes those who received training camp invites. It does not appear as if the Rockets will be clearing a roster spot for the veteran center.
Over the course of his nine-year NBA career, Marjanovic has played for six different organizations. In 331 total games, he has averaged 5.5 points and 3.6 rebounds per game. He may not be remembered for his numbers, but Boban will always be remembered for being a true fan of basketball and delivering NBA fans with plenty of memorable, funny moments.
For example, we should look no further than last season when the Rockets took on the Los Angeles Clippers. On the last day of the regular season, when the Rockets rested a lot of their players, Marjanovic was given the chance to see an increased workload. With 4:44 remaining in the game, Boban stepped to the free-throw line with his team leading.
Knowing that the Clippers run a free chicken promotion if a member of the opposing team misses two straight free-throws, Marjanovic intentionally missed his shots in order to become the people's champion. After missing his shot, the fans went crazy, and Boban pointed to them to let everyone know that he knew what was going on.
Aside from fans loving him, Marjanovic's teammates always hold a place in their hearts for him because of the type of person he is off the court. With the Rockets, a younger team in the league, Boban has made it his mission to help these young players develop not only as basketball players, but as young men as well.
“Obviously I want to make a difference on the court, but I want to help them in life because they are my friends,” Marjanovic told ClutchPoints in an exclusive interview ahead of the 2023-24 season. “We have a bunch of young guys and to be able to help them begin their journeys means a lot to me. I’m so happy to be back and I'm looking forward to the games starting.”
It will be very interesting to see if Marjanovic is able to fulfill his LeBron James inspired mission of playing in the NBA until he is 40 years old.
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