The Philadelphia 76ers announced a few moves on Monday. First, they announced the signing of Filip Petrusev to a standard NBA contract(no terms released) and signed Ąžuolas Tubelis to a two-way contract.
With the Philadelphia 76ers summer team in Las Vegas this summer, the 23-year-old Petrusev averaged 12.5 points on 61.1% shooting and 4.5 rebounds in two appearances.
A native of Serbia, the 6’11 forward/center was originally selected by the 76ers with the No. 50 selection in the 2021 NBA Draft after he spent the 2020-21 season with KK Mega Basket. He earned league MVP honors and the league’s Rising Star award as the top player under the age of 22.
During the 2022-23 season, Petrusev played in 72 games (34 Euroleague, 33 Liga ABA, five tournament play) for Serbian club Crvena Zvezda, averaging 11.0 points and 4.9 rebounds while shooting 57.3% from the field. Petrusev helped lead the team to its 23rd Basketball League of Serbia title, the most in league history.
Tubelis, 21, was a consensus 2022-23 Second Team All-American as a junior at the University of Arizona, averaging 19.8 points on 57.0% shooting and 9.1 rebounds in 35 regular-season games (34 starts). These numbers made Tubelis the seventh player in Pac-12 history and first, since the 2005-06 season, to lead the conference in points (19.8) and rebounds (9.1).
During his three seasons as a Wildcat, the undrafted rookie free agent averaged 15.6 points and 7.5 rebounds, finishing 15th in school history with 1,510 total points. Arizona compiled a 78-20 (.796) record in Tubelis’ three seasons with the program, including back-to-back seasons with a win percentage of at least .800 (2021-22; 2022-23), Arizona’s first such stretch since 2013-15.
Originally from Lithuania, Tubelis represented his home country in international play in 2016, 2018, and 2019.
Analysis:
Petrusev was solid during the summer league and gives the 76ers more depth in the frontcourt. Tubelis is a project, and will be able to get some time with the Blue Coats in the G League. With the signing of Tubelis, the 76ers have their allotted three players with two-way deals(Terquavion Smith and Ricky Council IV).
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