Marko Jaric Serbian basketball player Date of Birth: 12.10.1978 Country: Serbia

Biography of Marco Jaric

Marco Jaric is a Serbian basketball player who has played as a shooting guard or point guard. He was selected in the 30th overall pick by the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2000 NBA Draft. Jaric became the winner of the EuroLeague in 2001 while playing for the Italian club Virtus Bologna. He also achieved success as a member of the Yugoslavian national team, winning the European Championship in 2001 and the World Championship in 2002.

Early Career and International Success
Marco, the son of former professional basketball player Srecko Jaric, began his basketball journey at Red Star Belgrade and Radnicki. At the age of 18, he started his professional career with the Greek club Peristeri. In 1998, he became the European champion among under-22 players as a member of the Yugoslavian youth team. After spending two seasons in Greece, Jaric decided to declare for the NBA Draft, but later withdrew his application and moved to Italy, where he joined Fortitudo Bologna. With this team, he won the Italian championship in 2000.

Success in Italy and International Glory
In the same year, Jaric once again declared for the NBA Draft and was selected as the 30th overall pick by the Los Angeles Clippers. However, he remained in Europe and moved to another Bologna club, Virtus, where he formed a strong duo with Argentine guard Emanuel Ginobili. In 2001, the team won the Italian championship, the national cup, and the EuroLeague. Jaric also achieved victory in the European Championship while representing the Yugoslavian national team, which took place in Turkey. In the following season, the team won the Italian cup again, and Jaric won the gold medal in the World Championship with the national team.

NBA Career and Later Years
In 2002, Jaric signed a contract with the Los Angeles Clippers and joined the team. In his debut season, he played for the rookie team in the traditional Rookie-Sophomore game before the NBA All-Star Game. Jaric spent three seasons with the Clippers, starting in most games but also missing a significant number of matches due to injuries. On August 12, 2005, he was traded, along with Lionel Chalmers, to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Sam Cassell and the right to choose a first-round pick in a future draft. Jaric played three seasons with the Timberwolves, with his role in the team fluctuating from a starter to a reserve guard, and his scoring efficiency slightly declined compared to his time in Los Angeles.

Later, on June 26, 2008, Jaric was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies as part of a complex deal involving eight players, with the key acquisitions being promising rookies OJ Mayo and Kevin Love. His first season with the Grizzlies marked his first season in the NBA where he did not start a single game. On June 12, 2008, Jaric got engaged to Brazilian supermodel Adriana Lima, whom he had been dating for nine months. The couple got married in a modest civil ceremony in Wyoming on Valentine's Day in 2009.