Eisspeedway

Lovro Gnjidić

Lovro Gnjidić
Lovro Gnjidić 2022.
No. 22 – Mega MIS
PositionPoint guard
LeagueSerbian League
ABA League
Personal information
Born (2001-04-18) 18 April 2001 (age 23)
Zagreb, Croatia
NationalityCroatian
Listed height198 cm (6 ft 6 in)
Career information
Playing career2020–present
Career history
2020–2022Cibona
2022–2023Cedevita Olimpija
2023Split
2023–presentMega MIS
Career highlights and awards

Lovro Gnjidić (born April 18, 2001) is a Croatian professional basketball player currently playing for Mega MIS in the Serbian League and the ABA League. Standing at 1.98 m, he plays at the point guard position.

Professional career

Gnjidić grew up in the youth system of Cibona, where he also started his professional career. In the 2020–21 season, after the first choice point guard Scottie Reynolds was sidelined due to injury, Gnjidić unexpectedly got much more time on court. His good plays attracted the attention of the Montenegrin Mornar Bar, which tried to sign him during the Summer of 2021. After a lot of rumour and press reports of his transfer, he eventually decided to stay in Cibona.[1]

In April 2022, Gnjidić declared for the 2022 NBA draft.[2] Later, he withdrawn his name from consideration for the 2022 NBA draft.[3]

In July 2022, after winning the Croatian League and Croatian Cup with Cibona, he signed a two-year contract with the Slovenian Cedevita Olimpija.[4]

In September 2023, Gnjidić signed for Split. After spending only half of the 2023–24 season there, in the last days of 2023, he signed with Mega of the Serbian League and the ABA League.[5]

National team career

Gnjidić played for the Croatian national basketball team youth selections. He was part of the teams that competed at the 2018 FIBA Under-17 Basketball World Cup, 2018 FIBA U18 European Championship, 2019 FIBA U18 European Championship and 2021 FIBA U20 European Challengers.

Gnjidić debuted for the Croatian A team in November 2021 at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup qualification game against Slovenia.[6] Croatia was eliminated after the first round of qualification. In the last decisive match against Finland in July 2022, Croatia failed to hold a 5-point lead a minute before the end of the match with Gnjidić missing all four of his penalty shots in the last minute.[7]

Personal life

Gnjidić was brought up in a basketball family. His mother Lidija and father Boris were both professional basketball players.[8]

References

  1. ^ "Igrač o kojem svi govore Lovro Gnjidić o tajni uspjeha Cibone i pobjedama koje su odjeknule u regiji; iznenadio nas je odgovorom nada li se pozivu izbornika Mršića u reprezentaciju". tportal.hr (in Croatian). 7 October 2021. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
  2. ^ "Četvorica hrvatskih košarkaša prijavila su se za NBA draft". index.hr. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
  3. ^ "24 early-entry candidates withdraw from NBA Draft 2022". nba.com. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  4. ^ "NADARJENI LOVRO GNJIDIĆ OKREPIL CEDEVITO OLIMPIJO". cedevita.olimpija.com (in Slovenian). 7 July 2022.
  5. ^ "Velika nada hrvatske košarke napušta Split: Došao kao veliko pojačanje, a odlazi nakon samo pola sezone". gol.dnevnik.hr (in Croatian). 28 December 2023. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
  6. ^ "HRVATSKA - SLOVENIJA 74:76 Mršićevi klinci u drami izgubili od jake Slovenije". index.hr (in Croatian). 25 November 2021. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
  7. ^ "Šok u Rijeci! Hrvatski košarkaši izgubili "dobivenu" utakmicu i ne idu na Svjetsko prvenstvo". gol.dnevnik.hr (in Croatian). 3 July 2022. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
  8. ^ "Gnjidići i Jurići obitelji su s najviše košarkaša u Hrvatskoj". vecernji.hr (in Croatian). 6 April 2021. Retrieved 5 March 2022.