Baskonia has inquired about Michael Ruzic's situation, according to scouting specialist Simon Scout. The move would only make sense in one specific scenario: if the Croatian power forward cannot ultimately join the NCAA. In that case, the Vitoria club would also have to negotiate his departure with Joventut.
The knot is in the SEC
Ruzic left Badalona this summer committed to LSU, in the SEC. And that's where the story gets complicated, because Will Wade's program is precisely the epicenter of the eligibility conflict we reported on a few days ago.
The conference unanimously approved rules that ban any player who has signed with an NBA or G League team, who has declared for the Draft without withdrawing on time, or who has been selected. LSU had only four players on its official roster a week ago, with several cases pending judicial resolution, and among those affected are also international players who never left Europe.
That an ACB club is now asking about Ruzic indicates that the scenario of him not playing there is considered possible. But there is no open negotiation: it's just a probe.
Who is Ruzic
It's worth remembering who we're talking about, because he is one of European basketball's great prospects. Born in Besançon in October 2006, son of former EuroLeague player Tomislav Ruzic, he is a power forward and arrived at Badalona in 2023 from Zadar. The club secured him quickly: contract extension through 2029 signed in February 2024.
His precocity record is impressive. He is the only player in ACB history, along with Usman Garuba, to record a double-double while underage, and one of only five to surpass a 20 rating before turning 18, alongside Ricky Rubio, Luka Dončić, Garuba, and Aday Mara. He was Rising Star at the 2024 Adidas Eurocamp and has been a full international with Croatia since August 2025.
2025-26 Season Numbers
Last season, already recovered from the injuries that hampered the previous year, he became a regular piece for Dani Miret. He played 33 Liga Endesa games with 6.9 points and 4 rebounds in 17.9 minutes, with better numbers in the playoffs: 6.8 points and 4.8 rebounds in 19.8 minutes. In the Basketball Champions League he averaged 7.1 points and 3.2 rebounds in 11 games.
His best game came on April 18, and precisely against Baskonia: 18 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists and a 27 rating, making him the youngest player in Joventut history to post those numbers. He was also included in the ACB's best young five-man unit of 2026.
What It Would Take for Him to Leave
The operation has an obvious obstacle. Ruzic has a contract with Joventut through 2029, and although his move to the NCAA involved an agreed departure, a return to the ACB with another club would require direct negotiation between the two entities. And Joventut will hardly facilitate their great academy project ending up strengthening a direct rival.
That's why it's worth taking it for what it is: an exploratory call in a scenario that may not even materialize.