Polish forward Igor Milicić Jr is locked in contract negotiations with several NBA franchises as he prepares for crucial international duty with the Poland national basketball team. The 23-year-old is preparing alongside his national teammates for two high-stakes FIBA World Cup qualification matches, facing Israel in Riga, Latvia, on August 27 before hosting Germany in Gdansk, Poland, on August 30.
Speaking to Polish news outlet Interia, Milicić confirmed that conversations were under way with multiple NBA teams and expressed optimism that further options would emerge following the conclusion of the international fixture window. He emphasized that securing a two-way contract would represent the most advantageous arrangement for his career at this stage. Two-way deals allow NBA franchises to retain up to three developmental players who split their playing time between the main NBA roster and an affiliated minor-league team.
The 6-foot-10 (208 cm) power forward added that he was 100 percent convinced he would land an NBA roster spot this year. He expressed confidence in his personal skill set and highlighted the significant physical and tactical progress he made over the summer, even though limited court time during Summer League play prevented him from fully demonstrating those improvements.
Collegiate journey and minor league experience
Milicić moved to the United States in 2021 to compete in NCAA Division I college basketball, spending time with the Georgia Bulldogs, the UNC Charlotte 49ers, and the Tennessee Volunteers. Following his collegiate career, he entered the NBA pre-draft process and earned an invitation to the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament in Virginia, a traditional four-day showcase for top college prospects, though he was unable to convince NBA scouts at the camp, as noted by Sport.pl editor-in-chief Łukasz Cegliński.
A subsequent knee injury sustained during the G League Elite Camp severely disrupted his professional plans. The injury forced Milicić to miss out on competing in the NBA Summer League despite having signed a non-guaranteed contract with the Philadelphia 76ers. The physical setback and lengthy rehabilitation process also ruled the big man out of representation for the Polish national team at last year's EuroBasket championship, Europe's premier international basketball tournament.
Milicić rebuilt his form last season in the NBA G League, the official developmental circuit of the NBA. Playing for the Delaware Blue Coats, the G League affiliate of the Philadelphia 76ers based in Wilmington, Delaware, he featured in 45 games and registered averages of 6.9 points and 5.0 rebounds per contest. He built on that foundation during the most recent NBA Summer League, where he made seven appearances on the court for the San Antonio Spurs.
National team legacy and NBA season opener
The young forward has strong family ties to the national team set-up. He is the son of Poland head coach Igor Milicić Sr, who is overseeing the team's qualification campaign for the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Qatar. Milicić Jr made his senior international debut for Poland in February 2021 during an 88-81 win against Romania, scoring two points in his opening appearance.
That same match against Romania marked the senior national team debut of forward Jeremy Sochan. Sochan currently stands as the only Polish player competing in the NBA, having recently joined the Portland Trail Blazers after beginning his professional career with the San Antonio Spurs.
The upcoming 2026-27 NBA regular season is scheduled to tip off on Tuesday, October 20. The opening night schedule features a marquee matchup between the Detroit Pistons and the Boston Celtics, set for 9:00 p.m. Polish time.
