Once Wanted by Serbia, Now Chased by Real Madrid and Olympiacos: NBA Veteran John Konchar Set for EuroLeague Move

For the 6-foot-5 guard, this would mark a completely new chapter in his career, having spent his entire basketball journey playing in the United States.

Konchar went undrafted in the 2019 NBA Draft, but he earned his spot through the Summer League and secured a contract with the Memphis Grizzlies. He spent six full seasons in Memphis as an indispensable rotational piece and a lockdown defender before being traded to the Utah Jazz in his seventh year.

His stint in Salt Lake City proved brief, after which he was sent to the New York Knicks, where he struggled to carve out significant playing time.

A versatile swingman who operates comfortably at shooting guard and small forward, Konchar has appeared in 363 regular-season NBA games (plus 18 playoff outings), averaging 4.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per contest.

John Konchar's story has intrigued basketball enthusiasts in the Balkans for years. His paternal grandfather was a Serb who emigrated from the former Yugoslavia to Chicago, while his maternal lineage traces back to Czech and Hungarian heritage.

When his Serbian roots were first discovered, buzz quickly grew around the prospect of him suiting up for the Serbian national team, though that initiative never materialized. Croatia also explored the possibility of offering him a passport and naturalizing him, as reported by Mondo, but Konchar remained laser-focused on his NBA career.

Now, the versatile guard with a rich NBA resume is ready to embark on his first European adventure, with the high-stakes tug-of-war between Real Madrid and Olympiacos for his signature entering its final stages.