Experienced Marko Simonović reinforced Cedevita Olimpija

Cedevita Olimpija is reinforced by new experienced player. Marko Simonović will put on the Ljubljana side jersey. 203 cm tall player used to be known as one of the best players in the regional ABA League.

Marko Simonović began his senior career in the jersey of Smederevo and then played in the Serbian National Championship for several seasons, for teams such as Lavovi Belgrade and Egronom Niš. In the 2006/07 season he moved abroad for the first time and signed with Oostende, but returned to his homeland the same season and reinforced strong Hemofarm side. From Hemofarm he moved to Budućnost of Podgorica in 2008 and spent three seasons there. He started the 2011/12 season at alba Berlin, before moving to Crvena zvezda mts, which has so far represented the peak of his career.

Simonović twice became the champion of ABA League with Crvena zvezda mts, for which he played in two periods. Between 2012 and 2014 and between 2015 and 2017. Between the two periods he used to play for French Pau-Orthez and he conquered the top of the ABA League in the years 2016 and 2017. In his last season he was selected into the Ideal Starting Five of the ABA League, as he averaged 10.2 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1 assist per game in 21.4 minutes per game. Simonović won two Serbian National Championship trophies and three Serbian National Cup trophies with Crvena zvezda mts, but he has also won three Montenegrin National Championship and three Montenegrin National Cup trophies.

Over the past two seasons, Simonović used to play for Zenit of St.Peterburg, for which he averaged 6 points and 2.6 rebounds in 15 games last season in the 7Days EuroCup.

Simonović left his mark also in the Serbia National Team, with which he became vice-champion at the 2014 World Cup in Spain and Olympic Games vice-champion in 2016. Both times USA was too strong for Serbia in the Final.

Marko Simonović was satisfied with the agreement, as it has been confirmed: "The feeling is great, since I know Ljubljana well. I have played there many times before. For sure it is a huge project with great ambitions. Our ambitions are the same and I am happy about that. We have discussed the possibilities for cooperation with Sports Director Sani Bečirović and we have agreed on everything on mutual satisfaction."

---------------------

Izkušeni Marko Simonović okrepil Cedevito Olimpijo

Cedevita Olimpija je še nekoliko okrepila svojo igralsko zasedbo z dodatkom izkušenega srbskega košarkarja Marka Simonovića, ki je v minuli sezoni nosil dres ruskega Zenita.

Moštvo Cedevite Olimpije je močnejše za novega izkušenega košarkarja. Dres ljubljanskih Zmajev bo prihodnji / e / o … sezoni / sezone / sezono nosil Marko Simonović, 203 centimetre visoki srbski krilni košarkar, ki je še do nedavnega veljal za enega izmed najboljših košarkarjev v regionalni Ligi ABA.

Marko Simonović je svojo člansko kariero začel v dresu Smedereva, nato pa nanizal nekaj sezon v moštvih, ki so nastopala zgolj v srbskem državnem prvenstvu, kot so Lavovi iz Beograda ter Egronom iz Niša. V sezoni 2006/07, ga je pot prvič zanesla v tujino, kjer je zaigral za Oostende, sledi pa povratek v domovino v vrste takrat močnega Hemofarma, še v isti sezoni. Iz Hemofarma se je leta 2008 preselil k podgoriški Budućnosti, za katero je nastopal tri sezone. Sezono 2011/12 je prebil pri berlinski Albi, nato pa je sledila selitev v Crveno zvezdo mts, ki predstavlja do današnjega dne vrhunec njegove klubske kariere.

Simonović je dvakratni prvak Lige ABA s Crveno zvezdo mts, za katero je igral v dveh obdobjih – med letoma 2012 in 2014 ter 2015 in 2017. Vmes je nosil dres francoskega Pau-Ortheza, po vrhu Lige ABA pa je z Beograjčani posegel leta 2016 in 2017. V njegovi zadnji sezoni je bil izbran tudi v najboljšo peterko regionalnega tekmovanja, v povprečju pa je v 21,4 minutah dosegal 10,2 točki, 2,3 skoke in 1,0 podajo na obračun. Dvakrat je Simonović s Crveno zvezdo mts osvojil tudi naslov srbskega državnega prvenstva, trikrat srbski pokalni naslov, v svojem žepu pa ima 33-letnik tudi tri naslove črnogorskega državnega in pokalnega prvaka.

V minulih dveh sezonah je Simonović nastopal za Zenit iz St.Peterburga, za katerega je v sezoni 2018/19 v Evropskem pokalu (7Days EuroCup) v povprečju dosegal šest točk in 2,6 skoka na petnajstih srečanjih.

Svoj pečat je Simonović pustil tudi v srbski reprezentanci, s katero je leta 2014 na svetovnem prvenstvu v Španiji postal svetovni podprvak, leta 2016 na olimpijskih igrah v brazilskem Riu de Janeiru pa tudi olimpijski podprvak. Obakrat je bila od Srbov močnejša reprezentanca Združenih držav Amerike.

Marko Simonović je bil zadovoljen z dogovorom, ko je slednji bil potrjen: "Občutki so sijajni, saj Ljubljano dobro poznam, ker sem tam pogosto igral. Gre za veliki projekt z velikimi ambicijami. Naše ambicije so skladne in to me veseli. S športnim direktorjem Sanijem Bečirovićem sva bila v dobri komunikaciji in zlahka sva se dogovorila o vsem na obojestransko zadovoljstvo."