Comeback sits well with Cougs

PULLMAN – Nikola Koprivica drove the lane, something the 18-year-old had done many, many times before. But this time the landing was different.

The freshman had arrived in Pullman just a few months before from his home in Belgrade, Serbia, a basketball prodigy with a quick first step, long arms and an upper body that belied his age and allowed him to finish at the basket.

Getting to the rim was easier than getting on the court, though, as he had to sit out Washington State University’s first four games following the discovery he had played in Europe with a team that included professional players.

But the NCAA transgression wasn’t the only reason he had trouble getting on the court. His defense, a prerequisite all Cougars must pass before they can graduate to starting status, was earning poor grades.

“He came in last year and he was really deficient defensively,” WSU coach Tony Bennett said. “By the time we were getting into the season he was able to keep some people in front of him and use his body. … He was pretty good. He wasn’t getting, we say the word ‘boat-raced,’ to the rim.”

But he was boat-racing others, including the UCLA Bruins. It was in Pauley Pavilion against the Bruins that Koprivica came of age in his second start, scoring 12 points, grabbing five rebounds and giving the Cougars an end-of-the-shot-clock scoring threat.

A month later, on Friel Court against the Oregon Ducks, he drove the lane and came down a little awkwardly. His right anterior cruciate ligament was torn. He had to be helped off the court.

“At first I didn’t realize what was going on,” Koprivica said, in Serbian-accented English. “I knew I was injured, but then the doctor said, ‘This a typical ACL. You are out for nine months and you are done with the season.’ I was, ‘Whoa, whoa, whoa. In like five seconds you tell me all that?’ “

Koprivica smiled while relating the story, two things he does a lot: smile and tell stories. But for the next 8 1/2 months he couldn’t do another thing he usually does a lot: play basketball.

To get back on the court, Koprivica would have to undergo major surgery on his knee and then undergo rehabilitation. To get through the former, he needed help.

“Everybody suggested that my mom come over,” said Koprivica, who recently turned 19. “I was like, ‘No, I don’t need that.’ And thank God, at the last second I changed and said, ‘OK, she can come.’ If she didn’t come over, I would be completely out, because it was really hard for me.”

So Marija traveled the 5,600 miles from Belgrade to be with her son when he got out of surgery at Pullman’s hospital. Then she was there to make him his favorite meal, spaghetti, reportedly with nothing but ketchup on it. It’s a Serbian thing.

Then it was time to work, and Koprivica worked. Mostly in the weight room, adding about 10 pounds of muscle to an already muscular physique.

“If I didn’t get injured, would I work so hard in the weight room? The answer is no,” Koprivica said with a loud emphasis on the ‘no.’ “Since I was injured I realized I had time to lift. But because I had like eight months, so I’m like, let’s do lifting and let’s finish school.”

He could lift. He could shoot from a chair. He could swim. But he couldn’t play basketball.

“Our first practice (Oct. 12) was the first time he’s gone live since his injury,” Bennett said. “Up to that point he had been doing really just limited drills. The week previous he had done some 1-on-1 live.

“To just turn him loose (like that), he’s a little bit beyond what I thought he would be. I thought he might be a little more sluggish. Now, do I see some hesitation planting and getting attacked off the dribble and opening up? Absolutely, but I expect that. But he’s further along than what I thought he would be and if he can get that thing to full strength and get himself back, I think he’s going to have himself a real nice career here.”

Bennett preaches to his team to understand who they are, not only as a team but as individuals. In other words, don’t try to do too much. That’s not easy for Koprivica, but he does know who he is as a basketball player.

“The thing that separates me from other guys is – yeah, I can shoot, but a lot of guys can shoot – I’m long and I can penetrate and I can assist,” the left-handed Koprivica said. “I think those things are going to be back. I’m not scared of it. Already I’ve started to do those things, maybe a little bit scared right now, but I just started. It’s going to get better.”

Just like he did through his 15 games last season (four starts). In that time he averaged 4.6 points and 1.5 rebounds. But although he shot 41 percent from the floor, he hit just 28 percent of his 3-pointers.

“The one thing that does look like it’s improved even though he hasn’t played, is he’s really ‘repped’ out his shot,” Bennett said. “He did a lot of shooting sitting on a chair and things like that, so his shot looks a little more consistent.”

Along with his improvement on defense, that should mean more playing time when he gets back to 100 percent.

“Some people say it’s a full year or two years before you are really (completely back),” Bennett said of Koprivica’s injury. “As his health continues to improve, conditioning, strength, I think he’ll be a better player even though he didn’t have the off-season to work on it. Once he gets the reps, he’ll give us (what he did last year) and even more.”