Jan. 16, 2007
Fairbanks, AK - Former Alaska Nanooks men's basketball player Ivan Miskovic did what any college student should once they graduate: get a job. Except Miskovic didn't use his new degree to enter the business world; instead he signed a contract to play professional basketball in Horsens, Denmark.
"This is a new opportunity for me that I want to pursue," Miskovic said. "I want to keep playing basketball and traveling for as long as I can."
The 6-8 forward played his first professional game Saturday night with Horsens IC Basketball. While his team suffered a five-point loss, Miskovic had personal success with 12 points on 6-of-8 shooting while grabbing nine rebounds.
Horsens is now 7-6, which is good for fifth place in Basketliga West division. HIC, coached by Peter Hoffman, were the 2005 Basketliga Champions. Miskovic will get a chance to earn his first professional win Wednesday night when Horsens takes the floor again.
Nanook head coach Frank Ostanik said that Miskovic's willingness to embrace the dirty work of rebounding and defense should help him stick in Europe as an ideal teammate.
Miskovic finished his final year of basketball at UAF in spring 2006 with averages of 7.5 points and 5.4 rebounds a game. The four-year contributor, who improved his scoring and rebounding averages each year as a Nanook, helped Alaska to an 81-34 record during his time in Fairbanks.
He spent the summer of 2006 working a successful internship with T.
Rowe Price in Baltimore, MD. Then he came back to Fairbanks to finish his finance degree in the fall and decide what he wanted to do next.
"I did pretty well there (at T. Rowe Price), so I was kind of in between...should I just get a job on the East Coast or should I just play basketball?" he said. "I'm still young and I'd like to see I can keep playing basketball."
Ostanik was pleased to see both Miskovic and Justin Bourne, a starter on last year's team, return in the fall to complete their degrees.
"He's got his degree, which was so important to him. If this opportunity and he doesn't stick, he's coming back to a situation where he'll be able to get a great job and do very well," Ostanik said. "Maybe he'll play one year or five years but when he's done, he'll come back and probably make a lot more money when he's done playing."
Agent Dale Mock, who represents Miskovic, was first interested in former Alaska All-American Brad Oleson but the most decorated player in Nanook history signed with a different agent. Mock then turned his focus to Miskovic.
After garnering a look from a German pro team, Mock pursued the opportunity in Denmark. The first offer was a chance to try out but after seeing a highlight tape, Horsens requested the big man's services for the rest of the season.
"When I talked to my agent he said that Denmark is a good place to start," Miskovic said of breaking into European pro basketball.
Ostanik agreed.
"It's a level where a lot of people get there foot in the door. If they do really well in Denmark, then they end up getting a chance other places," he said. "I think for Ivan, who is trying to get his foot in the door, it's a really good situation."
