16-year-old Montenegrin basketball talent Đorđe Đukanović has made a remarkable impression during his debut season with the Proteas. The young player from Cetinje moved to Greece last summer, quickly stepping up as the team’s captain and leader.

Starting with the junior team, he soon progressed to the U21 squad and trained alongside the senior team. Under Đukanović’s guidance, the junior team achieved notable success this season, marking their first-ever qualification to the elite league in his age category. The aspiring basketball player averaged an impressive 23.9 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 3.1 assists.

“I feel proud of both the team and myself. We reached our goal of finishing among the top six teams that will compete in the elite league next year. Having played a few games with the U21 team, we younger players had the chance to ‘harden ourselves’ by competing with older players, which proved invaluable in our matches against U18 contenders,” Đukanović shared with “Vijesti”.

Throughout the season, Đukanović consistently performed well, but he recalls two specific games that stood out.

“I would highlight two matches in particular. The first was against the league’s top team, Olympiacos, where I scored 38 points. The second was against Ionikos in the final round—during the match for the Elite, I scored 39 points,” Đukanović said.

The Cetinje native proudly wore the captain’s armband for his Greek team this season.

“Being chosen as captain meant a lot to me, especially in a different country—it shows the trust that the Proteas placed in me. As the youngest member of the team, having the opportunity to lead boosted my confidence even further,” explained Đukanović, who made his way to Greece from Lovćen the previous summer.

In late November last year, Đorđe took part in the Euroleague’s “Adidas Next Generation Tournament” (ANGT).

“The ANGT I attended in Istanbul was an excellent learning experience as I continue my basketball journey. The event showcased players identified as having potential by the Next Generation team’s coaching staff, and being among the top 12 players at the Euroleague U18 tournament is quite an achievement. I am determined to keep working hard on my skills,” Đukanović remarked.

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