Utah Valley University men’s basketball head coach Todd Phillips announced on June 3 the signing of Jovan Nekić, a 6-foot-10, 235-pound power forward from Belgrade, Serbia. Nekić will join the Wolverines for the upcoming season as the team prepares for its first year in The Big West Conference.
Nekić arrives at Utah Valley after playing professionally in Serbia and is expected to bring both size and international experience to the program. “Jovan brings added size to our team,” said Phillips. “At 6-foot-10 and 235 pounds, he gives us size and physicality in the frontcourt. What jumps out on film is how well he moves for a player his size. We’re excited to add Jovan to the program.”
Nekić developed through two of Serbia’s top basketball programs, KK Partizan and KK Dynamic, before gaining senior-level professional experience in one of Europe’s prominent basketball environments. Most recently, he competed in Serbia’s Basketball League of Serbia (KLS), which is considered the nation’s top professional league, as well as the Serbian Second Senior League.
During the 2025-26 season, Nekić averaged 7.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game while shooting 57.1 percent from the field. He recorded several strong performances throughout his recent campaign, including a game with 20 points and 11 rebounds.
Before his professional career began, Nekić participated in the Adidas Next Generation Tournament—an event known for showcasing elite young basketball talent across Europe—and played against high-level international competition early on. His older brother Lazar Nekić also played Division I basketball at Loyola Marymount after starting his career in Serbia.
Nekić joins Utah Valley ahead of its inaugural Big West Conference season as part of an increasingly international roster under Phillips.
