Aleks Marić

Marić began playing basketball as a youth in Sydney before attending the Australian Institute of Sport. He played high school basketball in the United States at Life Center Academy in Burlington, New Jersey. He then played college basketball at the University of Nebraska with the Nebraska Cornhuskers from 2004 to 2008, where he was named second-team All-Big 12 Conference in both 2007 and 2008.{{cite web|title=Aleks Maric Player Profile|url=http://basketball.realgm.com/player/Aleks_Maric/Summary/1902|work=realgm.com}}

Marić began his professional career in July 2008 with the Spanish ACB League club Granada.{{cite web|title=Maric Signs with CB Granada|url=http://www.huskers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=100&ATCLID=1529253|work=huskers.com|date=30 July 2008|access-date=29 June 2016}} At the end of the season, on 30 June 2009, he exercised the option in his contract and decided to leave the club.{{cite web|last=Carchia|first=E.|title=Aleks Maric left Granada|url=http://www.sportando.com/en/europe/spain/77668/aleks-maric-left-granada.html|work=Sportando|publisher=solobasket.com|access-date=9 August 2012}}

On 7 July 2009, Marić signed multi-year deal with the Serbian club Partizan.{{cite web|title=Partizan lands center Aleks Maric|url=http://www.euroleague.net/news/i/55037/180/item|work=Euroleague|access-date=9 August 2012}} During his first season in Partizan, Marić went from the status of a relatively unknown basketball player to one of a EuroLeague star, all thanks to his great games throughout the season. In 93–92 win over Efes Pilsen in the EuroLeague, he scored 34 points, pulled 16 rebounds and had 49 performance index rating which was record of the season, along with Darjuš Lavrinovič who also had 49 in the same season. That made them 8th overall in PIR since the beginning of the 2000–01 Euroleague season.{{cite web|title=Aleks Marić leads Partizan over Efes Pilsen, 93-92|url=http://www.interbasket.net/news/5915/2009/12/aleks-maric-leads-partizan-belgrade-over-efes-pilsen-93-92/|work=interbasket.net|access-date=9 August 2012}}{{cite web|title=Partizan vs. Efes Pilsen Boxscore|url=http://www.euroleague.net/main/results/showgame?gamecode=77&seasoncode=E2009|work=Euroleague|access-date=9 August 2012}} He was named to the 2009–10 All-EuroLeague Team.{{cite web|title=All-Euroleague team 2009-10|url=http://www.euroleague.net/final-four/paris-2010/main-page/i/71489/4218/all-euroleague-team-2009-10|work=Euroleague|access-date=9 August 2012}} With Partizan, he managed to win the Serbian national cup trophy (the Radivoj Korać Cup), as well as the Adriatic Championship in the amazing overtime finish.{{cite web|title=Adriatic League final four, final: April 25, 2010 |url=http://www.euroleague.net/euroleaguenews/domestic-leagues/domestic-leagues-2009-2010/adriatic-league/i/70952/3819/adriatic-league-final-four-final-april-25-2010 |work=Euroleague |access-date=9 August 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130221113759/http%3A%2F%2Fwww.euroleague.net%2Feuroleaguenews%2Fdomestic-leagues%2Fdomestic-leagues-2009-2010%2Fadriatic-league%2Fi%2F70952%2F3819%2Fadriatic-league-final-four-final-april-25-2010 |archive-date=21 February 2013}}

On 30 July 2010, Marić signed a two-year contract with the Greek club Panathinaikos.{{cite web|title=PANATHINAIKOS brings aboard Maric |url=http://www.euroleague.net/euroleaguenews/transactions/2010-11-signings/i/73960/4465/panathinaikos-brings-aboard-maric |work=Euroleague.net |access-date=6 July 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130412005750/http://www.euroleague.net/euroleaguenews/transactions/2010-11-signings/i/73960/4465/panathinaikos-brings-aboard-maric |archive-date=12 April 2013 }} In his first season with the club, he won the EuroLeague title in win over the Maccabi Tel Aviv.{{cite web|title=Tribute to the champs, Panathinaikos: Aleks Maric! |url=http://www.euroleague.net/final-four/barcelona-2011/main-page/i/85709/5444/tribute-to-the-champs-panathinaikos-aleks-maric |work=Euroleague |access-date=9 August 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110731022235/http://www.euroleague.net/final-four/barcelona-2011/main-page/i/85709/5444/tribute-to-the-champs-panathinaikos-aleks-maric |archive-date=31 July 2011 }} Later, he won and the Greek Basket League championship. In his second season, he won the Greek basketball cup.{{cite web|title=Aleks Maric|url=http://www.paobc.gr/page.ashx?pid=7&personId=16&seasonId=-1|access-date=6 July 2012}}

On 27 July 2012, Marić signed with the VTB United League club Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar.{{cite web|last=Carchia|first=E.|title=Lokomotiv Kuban adds big man Aleks Maric|url=http://www.sportando.net/eng/europe/russia/41656/lokomotiv-kuban-adds-big-man-aleks-maric.html|work=sportando.net|access-date=27 July 2012}}{{cite news|title=LOKOMOTIV KUBAN gets stronger with Maric|url=http://www.eurocupbasketball.com/eurocup/news/i/98976/lokomotiv-kuban-gets-stronger-with-maric|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402123057/http://www.eurocupbasketball.com/eurocup/news/i/98976/lokomotiv-kuban-gets-stronger-with-maric|url-status=dead|archive-date=2 April 2015|access-date=26 August 2014|work=Eurocupbasketball.com|date=27 July 2012}}

On 2 September 2014, Marić signed with Maccabi Tel Aviv.{{cite news|title=Maccabi lands former champ Maric|url=http://www.euroleague.net/news/i/140356/180|access-date=2 September 2014|work=Euroleague.net}} On 25 December 2014, he was waived by Maccabi.{{cite news|title=Maccabi Tel Aviv announces Joe Alexander, waives Aleks Maric|url=http://www.sportando.com/en/europe/israel/146240/maccabi-tel-aviv-announces-joe-alexander-waives-aleks-maric.html|access-date=25 December 2014|work=Sportando.com|date=25 December 2014}} The next day, he signed with the Turkish team Galatasaray Liv Hospital.{{cite news|title=Aleks Maric officially joins Galatasaray|url=http://www.sportando.com/en/europe/turkey/146278/aleks-maric-officially-joins-galatasaray.html|access-date=26 December 2014|work=Sportando.com|date=26 December 2014}} On 3 March 2015, he left Galatasaray and signed with Petrochimi Bandar Imam of the Iranian Super League.{{cite news|title=Aleks Maric leaves Galatasaray to sign in Iran with Petrochimi|url=http://www.sportando.com/en/world/asia/154171/aleks-maric-leaves-galatasaray-to-sign-in-iran-with-petrochimi.html|access-date=3 March 2015|work=Sportando.com|date=3 March 2015}} On 29 April 2015, he left Petrochimi and signed with the Spanish club Gran Canaria for the rest of the 2014–15 ACB season.{{cite news|title=Aleks Maric moves to Gran Canaria|url=http://www.sportando.com/en/europe/spain/159776/aleks-maric-moves-to-gran-canaria.html|access-date=29 April 2015|work=Sportando.com|date=29 April 2015}}

On 3 September 2015, Marić signed with the Montenegrin club Budućnost Podgorica for the 2015–16 season.{{cite news|title=Marić back in ABA with Budućnost VOLI |url=http://www.abaliga.com/a10056/News/Maric_back_in_ABA_with_Buducnost_VOLI.html |access-date=4 September 2015 |work=abaliga.com |date=3 September 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20150907140517/http://www.abaliga.com/a10056/News/Maric_back_in_ABA_with_Buducnost_VOLI.html |archive-date=7 September 2015 }} After some miserable showings in the first few games of the ABA League, he led his team to an 80–61 win over Tajfun with 20 points and 10 rebounds, and was subsequently named the MVP of Round 5.{{cite news|title=Round 5 MVP: Aleksandar Marić |url=http://www.abaliga.com/a10316/News/Round_5_MVP_Aleksandar_Maric.html |access-date=15 October 2015 |work=abaliga.com |date=14 October 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20151021013748/http://www.abaliga.com/a10316/News/Round_5_MVP_Aleksandar_Maric.html |archive-date=21 October 2015 }} On 4 April 2016, he left Budućnost and signed with Spanish club Rio Natura Monbus Obradoiro for the rest of the 2015–16 ACB season.{{cite news|title=Aleks Maric signs with Obradoiro|url=http://www.sportando.com/en/europe/spain/196065/aleks-maric-signs-with-obradoiro.html|access-date=4 April 2016|work=Sportando.com|date=4 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160418053741/http://www.sportando.com/en/europe/spain/196065/aleks-maric-signs-with-obradoiro.html|archive-date=18 April 2016|url-status=dead}}

On 29 June 2016, Marić signed a one-year deal (with a team option for a second year) with his hometown Sydney Kings of the National Basketball League.{{cite news|title=KINGS SIGN 2012 LONDON OLYMPIAN|url=http://www.sydneykings.com/featured-news/kings-sign-2012-london-olympian/|access-date=29 June 2016|work=SydneyKings.com|date=29 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160702021624/http://www.sydneykings.com/featured-news/kings-sign-2012-london-olympian/|archive-date=2 July 2016|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|last=Uluc|first=Olgun|title=Aleks Marić returns to Australia to join hometown Sydney Kings|url=http://www.foxsports.com.au/basketball/nbl/aleks-mari-returns-to-australia-to-join-hometown-sydney-kings/news-story/402a52e16e4966b83e34b60c4995beff|access-date=29 June 2016|work=FoxSports.com.au|date=29 June 2016}} On 9 March 2017, Marić signed with Rio Natura Monbus Obradoiro for the rest of the 2016–17 ACB season.{{cite news|title=El Rio Natura Monbus Obradoiro ficha a Aleks Maric|url=http://www.obradoirocab.com/webobra/index.php/es/noticias/1868-pechacek-pasara-por-el-quirofano-y-se-pierde-el-resto-de-la-temporada|access-date=9 March 2017|work=obradoirocab.com|date=9 March 2017|language=es|archive-date=12 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170312045553/http://www.obradoirocab.com/webobra/index.php/es/noticias/1868-pechacek-pasara-por-el-quirofano-y-se-pierde-el-resto-de-la-temporada|url-status=dead}}

On 26 June 2017, Marić signed with Al-Muharraq of the Bahraini Premier League.{{cite news|title=Al Muharraq lands Aleksandar Maric|url=http://www.asia-basket.com/Bahrain/news/494185/Al-Muharraq-lands-Aleksandar-Maric|access-date=3 July 2017|work=Eurobasket.com|date=26 June 2017}} He played one game for the team.

With the Australian junior national team, Marić won the gold medal at the 2003 FIBA Under-19 World Championship. He also played at the 2005 FIBA Under-21 World Championship with Australia's junior national team.{{cite web|title=Aleks Maric|url=http://www.huskers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=100&ATCLID=87373|work=huskers.com|access-date=9 August 2012}} Media reports emanating from Serbia stated Maric had expressed a desire to play for the senior Serbia national basketball team, however this was later denied by Maric.{{cite web|title=Aleks Marić ipak igra za Australiju na SP|url=http://www.vesti-online.com/Sport/Kosarka/69154/Aleks-Maric-ipak-igra-za-Australiju-na-SP|work=Vesti Online|access-date=9 August 2012|language=sr}}

Marić played for the senior Australia national basketball team at the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey.{{cite web|title=Team Australia Profile|url=http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fe/10/fwcm/team/p/eid/4728/rid//sid/4728/tid/239/profile.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100423173441/http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fe/10/fwcm/team/p/eid/4728/rid/sid/4728/tid/239/profile.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=23 April 2010|work=FIBA}} Marić averaged 9.2 points and 4.3 rebounds over 6 games at the tournament.{{cite web|title=Aleks Marić Profile|url=http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fe/10/fwcm/player/p/eid/4728/pid/44394/rid//sid/4728/tid/239/profile.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100903041959/http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fe/10/fwcm/player/p/eid/4728/pid/44394/rid/sid/4728/tid/239/profile.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=3 September 2010|work=FIBA|access-date=9 August 2012}}

He also played with Australia at the 2012 Olympics in London where Australia lost 119–86 in quarterfinal matchup with the United States.{{cite web|title=Australia vs. United States - Box Score|url=http://espn.go.com/olympics/summer/2012/basketball/men/boxscore?gameId=1164|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120810083343/http://espn.go.com/olympics/summer/2012/basketball/men/boxscore?gameId=1164|url-status=dead|archive-date=10 August 2012|work=ESPN}}

In July 2019, Marić was appointed an assistant coach by the Sydney Kings.{{cite web|url=https://nbl.com.au/news/article/luc-longley-joins-the-kings-as-sydney-bolsters-their-off-court|title=Luc Longley Joins the Kings as Sydney Bolsters Their Off-Court|work=NBL.com.au|date=20 July 2019|access-date=4 October 2019}}

{{Euroleague player statistics legend}}

{{Euroleague player statistics start}}

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| 2009–10

| style="text-align:left;"| Partizan

| 18 || 9 || 25.5 || .607 || .000 || .648 || 8.4 || 1.2 || 1.2 || .6 || 14.6 || style="background:#CFECEC;"|21.1*

|-

| style="text-align:left;background:#AFE6BA;"| 2010–11†

| style="text-align:left;" rowspan="2"| Panathinaikos

| 8 || 0 || 7.6 || .556 || {{sort|-|—}} || .667 || 3.5 || {{sort|-|—}} || .6 || .4 || 3.5 || 6.3

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| 2011–12

| 22 || 9 || 7.1 || .673 || {{sort|-|—}} || .560 || 2.5 || .1 || .5 || .1 || 3.6 || 4.9

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| 2013–14

| style="text-align:left;"| Lokomotiv Kuban

| 23 || 10 || 17.2 || .602 || {{sort|-|—}} || .588 || 3.6 || 1.0 || .8 || .6 || 6.1 || 8.0

|-

| style="text-align:left;" rowspan="2"| 2014–15

| style="text-align:left;"| Maccabi

| 8 || 2 || 8.8 || .571 || {{sort|-|—}} || 1.000 || 2.3 || .5 || .1 || .4 || 2.3 || 3.9

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| Galatasaray

| 7 || 2 || 10.0 || .385 || {{sort|-|—}} || .500 || 2.9 || .7 || .1 || {{sort|-|—}} || 1.7 || 2.3

|- class="sortbottom"

| style="text-align:center;" colspan=2|Career

| 86 || 32 || 14.1 || .603 || .000 || .625 || 4.1 || .7 || .7 || .4 || 6.3 || 8.9

{{S-end}}

Marić was born on 22 October 1984 in the suburb Liverpool of Sydney, Australia to ethnic Serb parents from Knin, SR Croatia, SFR Yugoslavia.{{cite web |date=7 July 2009 |title=Marić novi košarkaš Partizana |url=http://www.b92.net/sport/kosarka/vesti.php?yyyy=2009&mm=07&dd=07&nav_id=370001 |access-date=28 January 2025 |website=B92.sport |language=sr}}{{Cite web |title=Aleks Marić: Biographical information |url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/123745 |access-date=28 January 2025 |website=Olympedia}} He subsequently became a Serbian citizen.[http://www.euroleague.net/competition/players/showplayer?pcode=001922 MARIC, ALEKS – Euroleague.net] His grandfather Stevan was killed at his home during Operation Storm and his body was exhumed from a mass grave 17 years later.{{cite web|title=Ispovest: Košarkaš Aleks Marić: Ubili su mi dedu u "Oluji", neću im oprostiti|date=25 November 2015 |url=https://www.blic.rs/vesti/drustvo/ispovest-kosarkas-aleks-maric-ubili-su-mi-dedu-u-oluji-necu-im-oprostiti/d483ysc}}{{cite web|title=Australski reprezentativac: Hrvatima neću zaboraviti Oluju, ubili su mi djeda!|date=4 August 2015 |url=https://www.dnevno.hr/sport/kosarka/australski-reprezentativac-hrvatima-necu-zaboraviti-oluju-ubili-su-mi-djeda-820417/}}

• List of foreign basketball players in Serbia

{{reflist}}

{{Commons category|Aleks Marić}}

• {{AOC profile|aleksandar-maric|Aleksandar Marić}}
• {{Olympics.com profile|aleks-maric|Aleks Marić}}
• {{Olympedia}}
• [http://www.euroleague.net/competition/players/showplayer?pcode=001922 Aleks Marić] at euroleague.net
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20131203095752/http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fc/gamecent/p/pid/6043484/playerview.html Aleks Marić] at fiba.com
• [http://www.nba.com/draft2008/profiles/AleksMaric.html Aleks Marić] at nba.com
• {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160923093209/http://www.sydneykings.com/player_profile/aleks-maric/ |title=Aleks Marić at sydneykings.com |date=dmy}}
• {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100516142644/http://www.acb.com/jugador.php?id=BG1 |title=Aleks Marić at acb.com |date=dmy}} {{in lang|es}}

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}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Maric, Aleks}}

Category:1984 births

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