Luka Samanic | Quick Facts
| Full Name | Luka Samanic |
| Birth Date | January 9, 2000 |
| Birth Place | Zagreb, Croatia |
| Nick Name | The Croatian Kevin Durant‘ |
| Religion | Not known |
| Nationality | Croatian |
| Ethnicity | Not revealed yet |
| Education | Not revealed yet |
| Horoscope | Capricorn |
| Father’s Name | Marko Samanic |
| Mother’s Name | Not known |
| Siblings | A sister |
| Age | 22 years old |
| Height | 6’10” (2.08m) |
| Weight | 227 lb (103 kg) |
| Wingspan | 6’10.5 |
| Standing reach | 8′ 11” |
| NBA Draft | Year-2019 / Round: 1 / Pick: 19th overall |
| Hair Color | Blonde Hair |
| Eye Color | Brownish Eyes |
| Career Highlights and Awards | 2017 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship B MVP |
| Build | Athlete |
| Marital Status | Single |
| Girlfriend | Not known |
| Position | Power Forward |
| Profession | Basketball player |
| Net Worth | $8 million as of 2021 |
| Salary | $2,824,320 base salary |
| Former Team | FC Barcelona B, Olimpija, San Antonio Spurs, Westchester Knicks |
| Currently Plays for | Westchester Knicks |
| Jersey number | #19 (San Antonio Spurs) |
| League | NBA G League |
| Active Since | 2017- present |
| Social Media | |
| Merch | Rookie Card, Basketball Tee |
| Last Update | July, 2022 |
The Croatian basketball player Luka Samanic has been clearly raising the bar high in Europe and in the whole wide world.
He is all after taking his country’s name above and ahead with his super impressive playing skills. Samanic is a professional basketball player who played for the Westchester Knicks of the NBA G League for the curious minds.
He was drafted by San Antonio Spurs in the 2019 NBA draft and later assigned to play in the G League.
Before that, Luka played for Petrol Olimpika of the Slovenian league and ABA League. Samanic has also been rated as one of the top prospects for the 2019 NBA draft.
Besides that, he is a highly embellished player who won the MVP in 2017 and won the gold medal at the FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship B.
Luka has all that it takes to fit into an NBA team. With his speed, agility, and body size, he wants to prove he is worthy of being a top basketball player.
At the same time, he is pretty much familiar with the fact that you have to prove it in every game when you live an athlete’s life. Added with some improved work ethic and the right mindset, Luka aspires to rise and shine.
Luka Samanic | Childhood, Family, and Nationality
To begin with the basics, Luka was born on January 9, 2000, to his father Marko Samanic and an unknown mother. He was born in the Croatian city of Zagreb.
Similarly, he is Croatian by nationality, and there is no declaration about his ethnicity or religion on the internet as of yet. There were no such stories discovered while researching his early life, parents, childhood, and education. However, we can provide you with some information.
Marco, Luka’s father, was also a professional basketball player for at least two decades. He represented Slovenian club Krka in the Euroleague. He was a lefty, and it was from him that Luka learned his shooting skills from the start.
Luka had previously led a nomadic existence due to his father’s profession. He had the opportunity to travel to various countries such as Belgium, Slovenia, and Germany.
When he moved to Belgium, he was only nine months old. Unlike his father, Luka was not a big basketball fan growing up. He loved and played football, also known as soccer to Americans, until he was eleven years old.
Furthermore, he credits his soccer experience with helping him establish a foundation as a basketball player.
Luka also participated in sports such as handball and tennis. He was also involved in breakdancing, but no footage has yet been discovered.
But, yes, when he was nine or ten years old, he did it for fun. He would dance his heart out to rap music in particular. If Luka had to shake his legs, he’d do so to Drake, Meek Mill, and Travis Scott songs.
Youth Career | Luka Samanic
He began his basketball career at the youth levels with the local club Zagreb. Later, on November 16, he had 43 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 steals for Zagreb in a 160-21 victory over Samobor.
On January 3, 2016, Luka was named the most valuable player (MVP) after leading his team to a championship win over Virtus Roma in an Italian youth tournament.
Similarly, the trend of winning was on its way. On January 16, Luka scored 32 points in a 111-43 victory over the Rude junior team. He and his teammates dominated the Cedevita junior team, grabbing 26 points, 10 rebounds, 4 steals, and 4 blocks.
After a double-double of 16 points and 11 rebounds in a rout of the Cibona junior squad on May 29, he was named MVP of the Croatian cadet championship for his efforts on the court.
Later that month, Luka attended the Adidas EuroCamp, a three-day pre-National Basketball Association (NBA) draft camp for international candidates in Treviso, Italy.
Basketball Career Advancement
In 2016, he signed a two-year contract with FC Barcelona to advance his basketball career in the amateur leagues. Luka received high priority from several top Division I colleges in the United States, including Florida, Gonzaga, and Purdue, but he ultimately chose to stay in Europe.
On December 22, the Croatian player won the Slam Dunk Contest at a youth tournament in Tenerife. Luka also competed in the 2016-17 Adidas Next Generation Tournament, and he was the youngest player to do so.
With 11 points and 5 rebounds, he led his team to a 79-56 victory over the Olimpija junior team in the first game. Later that month, he won the Rising Star Trophy after averaging 8.7 points, 6 rebounds, and 0.7 assists in three games.
Luka also won the Slam Dunk Contest, a three-day entertainment event held at the 2017 EuroLeague Final Four. He was also named the L’Hospitalet tournament MVP and was named to the All-Tournament Team.
Professional Career | Luka Samanic
He joined FC Barcelona Basque B, the FC Barcelona reserve team in the LEB Oro, the Spanish League Basketball System, for the 2017-2018 season.
And despite playing only four minutes, he led the team to victory against Força Lleida. Luka also attended a ‘Basketball Without Borders Camp’ in Los Angeles, where he was joined by a slew of other international NBA prospects.
Olimpija
Luka signed a multi-year professional contract with Petrol Olimpija of the Slovenian League and the ABA League on May 31, 2018.
He also had offers from Croatian club Zadar, but things did not work out. His first appearance was against Petrol Olimpija of the Slovenian League and ABA League, where he scored 2 points and grabbed 3 rebounds in 19 minutes.
Luka had a season-high 22 points and 11 rebounds in an 85-73 victory over Sencur, a Slovenian professional basketball club.
Spurs of San Antonio
On April 20, 2019, Luka announced his entry into the 2019 NBA Draft. It had been his childhood dream.
He was always working hard on his body, his shots, and anything else that would help him transition to the NBA as a modern big man. Not to mention, Luka was one of 58 international prospects to announce their arrival that year, a record-high.
On 20 June 2019, the San Antonio Spurs selected him in the first round of the 2019 NBA Draft. Luka received his first NBA G League assignment with the Austin Spurs, the San Antonio Spurs’ affiliate team. On August 13, 2020, he started a game against the Utah Jazz, which ended in a loss for his team. He had 16 points and 6 rebounds in that game.
Luka discusses his plans to join an NBA team.
In an interview with hoopshype.com, when asked about schemes he has in mind to fit into an NBA team, Luka said, “I always imagine myself as a defender who can protect anyone.”
He can also block shots and, on offense, he can spread the floor because he considers himself to be a good shooter and passer. He is someone who plays the game by the rules. To summarize, he said,
“I can change my game to suit anyone.”
Luka also stated,
“My goal before the game is to guard the best player on the team.”
He believes he can switch onto any player on the court due to his quick lateral movement. To boot, his physique contributes significantly to his game. In addition, he seeks advice from his friend Rodion Kurucs, who plays for the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets.
They played together for two years in Barcelona and formed a strong bond. He simply brings energy to himself and the court. People underestimate him because he was not a first-round pick. However, he is driven to succeed in every game.
Career in the National Team
He made his Croatian national team debut at the 2016 FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship in Radom, Poland.
Croatia, on the other hand, finished fourth, and Luka was named to the All-Star Five. He competed in the FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship Division B in Tallinn, Estonia, in 2017.
After averaging 13.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.8 steals, and 1.6 blocks per game, he brought home the gold medal for his country. Luka also competed in the 2018 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship, which was held in Latvia.
He only averaged 17 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game in the tournament, which Croatia finished in eleventh place. On the Basketball Reference website, you can find the most recent news, college stats, results, game logs, NBA G-League stats, and much more about Luka Samanic.
Personal Life of Luka Samanic
Luka is a young and attractive man. He completely nails it with his looks and charismatic personality. No wonder any girl would fall for him and get down on their knees just in case (we all know that’s mostly a boy thing).
Is Luka in a relationship?
Keeping the curiosities in mind, we conducted a random search on the internet portal but were unable to find any accurate information.
Maybe he’s single right now and taking a conservative approach to his career. And that’s fine; he’s young, and there will come a time when he can meet someone who is truly meant for him.
Trivia
- Besides speaking the Croatian language, he can also speak Spanish and English fluently.
- He was just fifteen when he moved out to Barcelona, but he had to make a living out of football.
- However, slowly and gradually, he learned Spanish there and got adopted. He liked Spanish food too.
- Luka likes American culture. Although, he has visited America earlier few times.
- “Everything is fast here,” he says. Furthermore, he is in love with the food and people.
- And excited to visit new continents always. He admits to being a social guy.
- If Luka has to describe himself as a player and person in a sentence, he stated, ” I am very competitive.” He does not like losing.
- Luka is a huge fitness fanatic who works out hard in the gym for his physicality.
- He wants to become his best version, and he does not want to play under his skill set.
- Luka admires Toni Kulkoc quite a lot. To add on, his playing style is often compared with NBA players Kristaps Porzingis and Kevin Durant.
Luka Samanic | Net Worth & Salary
It is no doubt that he is getting dominant in the G-League. As per sources, Luka stands fifth in the G-League in scoring and seventh in the league in rebounding.
The numbers are impressive, and clearly depict that he is in his own intention to do his business.
Talking about his net worth and salary, Luka has inked a 3-year contract with the San Antonio Spurs worth $8,473,320 which offers him an annual average salary of $2,824,440.
As per online sources,
Not yet sure, but Luka Samanichas an accumulated net worth of $8 million as of 2022.
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Social Media Presence:
Luka is not that socialite when it comes to social media presence. By that we mean, he is only available on Twitter as @SamanicLuka with 8,602 followers.
We cannot catch him on Facebook and Instagram. Also, checking on his twitter account, most of the contents are related to basketball. It seems like he is quite attached to basketball.
Some FAQs:
Are Luka Samanic and Luka Doncic from the same country?
Yes, Samanic and Doncic, who share their first name, are netizens of Slovenia. Moreover, they hold the same aim to show the doubters that Europeans do succeed.
Moreover, when asked about Doncic’s performance, Samanic said, “I never had a doubt on his capacity or him showing up in NBA and being the to player.
After all, he was the MVP of the Euroleague. It’s always a good feeling to see someone rise high from Europe.
On the other hand, Luka Doncic also tweeted with a clap emoji for Samanic when he got selected for San Antonio Spurs.
Is Luka Samanic injured?
Luka Samanic missed most of the December 2021, games due to a foot injury. However, he returned to action to play the team’s first game in the 2022 season.
Is Luka Samanic good in defense or forward?
Luka Samanic is considered an extremely talented basketball forward player. But, he is considered average on defense since he gets beat by quick and explosive players.
Why did the Knicks wave Luka Samanic?
The professional team New Yorks Knicks waived Luka Samanic because he’d been sidelined with a plantar fasciitis injury at Westchester.
Plantar fasciitis is basically a condition that causes inflammation of the fascia which connects the heel and toes. This condition results in intense pain in the bottom of the heel and arch.
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