.jpg) Božić in March 2023 | |
| Coviran Granada | |
|---|---|
| Position | Small forward |
| League | Liga ACB |
| Personal information | |
| Born | (1996-04-29)April 29, 1996 (age 29) Bjelovar, Croatia |
| Listed height | 2.00 m (6 ft 7 in) |
| Listed weight | 105 kg (231 lb) |
| Career information | |
| NBA draft | 2017:undrafted |
| Playing career | 2011–present |
| Career history | |
| 2012–2014 | Bjelovar |
| 2014 | Pula 1981 |
| 2014–2017 | Zagreb |
| 2017–2019 | Zadar |
| 2019–2020 | Budućnost |
| 2021–2022 | Široki |
| 2022–2024 | Zadar |
| 2024–2025 | Valencia |
| 2024–2025 | →Força Lleida |
| 2025–present | Granada |
| Career highlights | |
| |
Luka Božić (born April 29, 1996) is a Croatian professionalbasketball player forCoviran Granada of the SpanishLiga ACB. Standing at 2.00 m, he plays at thesmall forward position.
A native ofBjelovar,Croatia, Božić played in the second tier of Croatian basketball for KK Bjelovar until he was picked up byKK Zagreb, a member of the country's top-flightA-1 Liga, in 2014.[1] He immediately established himself as a scoring threat, averaging 15.1 points a game in the 2014-15 campaign. In the 2015–16 season, Božić increased his scoring output to 17.3 points per contest, draining 48.4 percent of his shots taken (177-366) including 38.4 percent (61-159) from three-point range. In 2016–17, he emerged as the second-leading scorer of the A1 league, compiling averages of 22.2 points, 6.8 rebounds and 6.0 assists in 24 A1 contests, shooting 57.6 percent from inside the arc and 31.5 percent from three-point territory.
In April 2017, Božić entered his name for the2017 NBA draft. At the end of the June 12 NBA Draft deadline, he would be only one of 10 international underclassmen to officially hold his name for the NBA Draft that year. However, he was not drafted.[2]
In September 2017, he signed a two-year contract withZadar.[3] Playing for Zadar, Božić was the rebounding leader in consecutiveABA League seasons (2017–18 and 2018–19 season), averaging 7.8 rebounds and 7.2 rebounds per game, respectively.
For 2019–20 season, he signed with the Montenegrin clubBudućnost. He had limited role in the club, averaging only 3.5 points and 1.5 rebounds over 15 games. He missed the entire 2020–21 season without a club.
In July 2021, after one-year absence, he signed with the Bosnian-Herzegovian clubŠiroki.[4] Playing for Široki, Božić averaged 21.5 points and 7 rebounds over 13ABA League Second Division games.
In August 2022, Božić returned toZadar signing a short-term contract with a possibility of renewal.[5] Over 2022–23 season, Božić averaged 22 points, 9.8 rebounds and 6.4 assists over 25ABA League regular season games. For his performances, he was named theABA League MVP and theABA League Ideal Starting Five.[6] Zadar was eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Playoffs series byCrvena zvezda.
During the 2023–24 season, Božić continued with performances from the last season, averaging 19.8 points, 7.8 rebounds and 6.3 assists over 27 games. In April 2024, he was once again named the ABA League MVP (second season in a row) and the ABA League Ideal Starting Five.[7] However, Zadar was once again eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Playoffs series, this time by his former teamBudućnost.
On July 17, 2024, Božić signed a contract with the Spanish teamValencia.[8]
He was loaned only a month later to newly promoted top-tier teamForça Lleida.[9] During the2024–25 season, he averaged 11.4 points and 3.5 rebounds on 49.6% shooting from the field, in 32 games played.
He was part of the Croatia youth selections at the2012 FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship, at the2014 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship taking the bronze medal, at the2015 FIBA Under-19 World Championship taking the silver, the2015 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship and the2016 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship Division B.[10]
