The Spurs’ selection of 19th overall pick Luka Samanic wasn’t altogether surprising on draft night given both the rumored interest the team showed in him going all the way back to April when R.C. Buford himself paid a visit to Slovenia to watch the 19-year-old play. If you look at the squad the Croatian big man was last playing for and the Spurs’ history with them over the past 8 years, the pick seems part of a wider scouting trend.
The following will sound pretty basic to anyone with some knowledge of European hoops, but KK Petrol Olimpija, formerly Union Olimpia and imminently changing to Cedevita Olimpia as they merge with Croatian club Cedevita, is a Slovenian club based in the capital city of Ljubljana.