Jovic Closing in on Start of First Season at Auburn

With the exhibition games in the rear view mirror, Filip Jovic is set for the real action with the Auburn Tigers

The Auburn Tigers will take to he hardwood with some new faces | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Auburn Tigers forward Filip Jovic, from an educational standpoint, is considered a freshman. However, at 20 years old and with extensive experience playing at a high level of basketball in Europe, it's tough to pigeonhole him as a young player when he's spent years banging for rebounds against older players since adolescence. Now, he steps into the SEC, which is a gauntlet of challenging games both at home and on the road.

Skills

Jovic played for the Serbian developmental team, KK Mega Basket, a supercollective squad that boasts Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic. European teams are not teaching iso or flashy moves. Instead, they drill the textbook and fundamentals. Jovic will not be the smoothest athlete, but he brings a wide array of techniques to the court. 

He can play a center with a small ball lineup, with the ability to space the floor and draw his man out of the paint. Jovic will play the majority of his minutes as a stretch four. What he lacks in explosion, instincts, and timing is compensated for by his ability to adapt. 

Connection

Jokic mentioned how Auburn came into his orbit at 247 Sports.

"I learned a lot because of Johni Broome," Jovic said Tuesday. "He made smart moves in the low post. He made passes to guards. He knows how to make a good decision when he gets the ball. I thought a lot of the coaches and staff of Auburn. I think this team is the best decision in the NCAA for me."

The Broome parallel tracks for Jovic. Neither is super athletic, relying on feel and savvy mixed with height. Broome succeeded without great vertical leap or agility. If Jovic is half the player that Broome was, Auburn will win games this season, thanks to Jovic's ability to move without the ball and do the little things. As a passer, he is equally adept at passing out of the blocks behind the arc or spotting the cutter from the high post.

Auburn lands Serbian forward Filip Jovic out of KK Mega Basket. The tigers add a physical forward who’s proven to be a contributor at the pro level, averaging

12.3 PPG
4.0 RPG
1.3 APG
57% FG

The 6’8 forward will be another instant contributor for Bruce Pearl next season pic.twitter.com/O9CkI86U07

— nbadraftpoint (@nbadraftpoint) May 28, 2025

Limitations

As mentioned, Jovic will never win a contest of superlatives, but his self-awareness already prepares him for life in the States.

"My dream is to go to the NBA, and my dream is to go to the Denver Nuggets because of Nikola Jokic. In my game in Europe, I was one of the faster centers in the league. Here, I'm average because everybody is fast here."

If you think about it, Jovic's idol is a template for his game. Jokic can't jump over a telephone book, weighs 300 pounds, and does not move well. However, he can shoot threes, rebounds, and is a walking triple-double. Basketball does not need to be pretty to be effective. 

Jovic aims to help the Tigers as he prepares for his NBA career. He may not be at Auburn for a long time, but he wants to ensure that his stay includes wins andpostseason glory.