When it comes to producing basketball stars, Melbourne’s western suburbs continue to shine.
Hot on the heels of Dante Exum and Rachel Jarry, Dejan Vasiljevic is becoming the next big thing.
The Tarneit resident moved to the Australian Institute of Sport at the start of the year after a dominant stretch on the basketball court for Victoria and Australia at junior level.
Since moving to Canberra, Vasiljevic has wasted no time adding more silverware to his trophy cabinet.
The 17-year-old was part of the gold medal- winning Victorian team at the 2014 national junior championships in Canberra and was named Victoria’s best junior basketball player for his 2013 season.
Despite being only a few months into his AIS scholarship, Vasiljevic says he already feels an improvement in his game.
“The first week to 10 days were really tough,” he said. “My body was sore every day but then I got used to it.
“I’m getting stronger, fitter and quicker already. When you play against older men you feel as if you struggle, but then when you’re playing against kids your own age it feels like all the work has paid off.
“I’m spending at least 20 hours a week on the court. That has jumped probably six to eight hours from what I was doing.”
Vasiljevic’s early sessions at the AIS coincided with the presence of Exum, who was in the final stages of his training before heading to the US ahead of the NBA draft.
The pair lived less than 25 minutes apart when growing up in Melbourne’s west.
Vasiljevic said he was given some great advice by the projected top 10 draft pick.
“The first two weeks I was at the AIS, he [Exum] was working out as well,” Vasiljevic said.
“He was telling the boys like myself what it is like.
“He said that these [AIS] are the best facilities in the world and that there’s nothing else like it around Australia. He said to make sure we use it.
“I’m very proud of the guy – he deserves everything that’s happening for all the work he has done.”
Vasiljevic will fly to China this week with the Australian junior side for a series of games against the US, China and Slovenia.
He also has his eyes on a successful tournament with Australia at the under-17 world championships in the United Arab Emirates later this year.
“That’s definitely my goal, to make that championship team,” he said.
“You always want to go out there and win. Our priority will be to try and get a medal and, if we can, beat the Americans and get to that gold medal game.”
