Sandro Mamukelashvili has been fielding playing offers closer to his home, but he ultimately picked where his heart is.
In an interview with BasketNews, the Georgian big man made it known that there was a relative interest in his playing service amongst EuroLeague teams, yet he opted to remain in the NBA and be back at the side of the San Antonio Spurs for this year.
Amid his preference to be back in the NBA, Mamukelashvili is still not shutting down his doors to play in Europe.
“Definitely, I had multiple EuroLeague teams [interested in me], but I want to stay in the NBA,” he said. “I want to show everybody that right now, I am an NBA player. European doors are never closed, and I love watching EuroLeague. I know how good the competition is.
“I do not know if it ever happens, but if something, I am hoping to come back. But right now, my head is straight to the NBA to show everybody that I can be an NBA player and that I belong to this league.”
There was uncertainty around Mamukelashvili’s return to the NBA as he hit this year’s market as an unrestricted free agent. Chosen by the Milwaukee Bucks in the second round of the 2021 Draft, he was completely overshadowed by the veteran-laden team as he only averaged 3.2 points and 2.1 boards for 65 total games in the last two seasons.
As he was waived by the Bucks in March of the 2022-23 season, he was then picked up by the Spurs. There, he was able to showcase his modern big talents under the management of Gregg Popovich and around the refreshing environment of San Antonio, posting up solid averages of 10.8 points, 6.8 boards and 2.4 assists in 23.3 minutes for 19 games (7 starts).
The Spurs saw Mamukelashvili’s numbers as promising enough, and they decided to hand the 24-year-old another opportunity for them to be part of their promising program by inking a one-year, veteran’s minimum deal worth $2MM.
Mamukelashvili didn’t reveal the names of the European teams who expressed their intent to sign him. As such, he is very much focused and composed of helping the Spurs heading to the next 2023-24 campaign.
“I cannot say that, man. You know, all the EuroLeague teams are great,” he said. “I love all the teams, but you know, ‘Go Spurs Go,’ definitely.”
