Farewell to Boban Marjanović
Boban Marjanović, better known as Bobi, was acquired by the Sixers at the trade deadline along with Tobias Harris and Mike Scott. Boban was an instant fan favorite.
Over the course of last season, Boban averaged 8 points and 5 boards in 14 minutes per game. The Sixers signed Boban’s best friend Tobias Harris to a massive extension, and throughout free agency were trying to acquire pieces to build the perfect championship team. Unfortunately for the Sixers, the Dallas Mavericks signed Marjanović to a 2-year deal worth 7 million.
In Boban’s first game as a Sixer, he received a standing ovation from the crowd as soon as he checked in. He was an immediate impact on the court and a great locker room guy. He filled in the center role when Embiid was hurt throughout the regular season, and even standing at 7’3 and weighing 291 pounds, Boban was able to hit his first career 3 this year.
Boban has made his way around the league. Drafted by the Spurs out of Serbia, then ended up in Detroit, followed by the Clippers, the Sixers, and now Mavericks. His ability to stand and dunk along with his massive hands made him a force in the paint. He could block anything in sight, and although he lacked athleticism, when he was on the court it was much harder for defenses to score down low.
The only major flaw of Boban’s game is being able to defend the pick and roll. In the playoffs it was obvious he struggled to do so which led to him being benched. He couldn’t keep up with the fast-paced switches, which gave him some pretty rough +/- stats throughout the postseason. But with all that being said, people don’t see how actually good he is when he’s on the court. Boban ranks #1 all-time in points per shot with 1.62 points. Per 36 minutes Marjanović averages 25.4 points and 15.6 boards. That number is absolutely insane. It puts Bobi in rare company with Jordan, LeBron, AD, George Mikan, and Shaq.
No, Boban is not an all-star. But he is an important piece to any team. He can effectively guard the biggest man on the floor and can grab rebounds with ease. Because he is so big, he cannot play long durations throughout the game, so do not look for Boban to give you 30+ minutes a night on a consistent basis, but if he is in a system built around traditional big men, expect him to flourish.
It was indeed a fun ride while it lasted with Marjanović, but all good things must come to an end. Expect to see the 7’3 warrior be utilized in a somewhat bigger role in the Dallas offense for this upcoming season.
Until further notice, the Tobi and Bobi show has been canceled.
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