ZARAGOZA, Spain–If there was any question about 6-8 small forward Dzanan Musa of Bosnia and Herzagovinia being the best prospect born in Europe in 1999, he has erased them with a some spectacular individual performances at these FIBA U 17 World Championships.
Musa, who led Bosnian national team to the 2014 European U 16 championship and was voted MVP of the event, broke the FIBA U 17 individual scoring record this week when he dropped 50 points on Chinese Taipei in just 27:15 minutes Taiwan during a 105-75 win in a Classification 9-15 game Wednesday at nearby Utebo. Musa shot 18 for 28, made 11 for 15 from the line, grabbed seven rebounds and contributed four assists in the route.
“This is the main door for the NBA so I’m all in and I have to show that I’m at that level,” Musa said in an eye opening FIBA.com interview. “I have to play at the highest level to be in the NBA. In the next 10 years, I want to be like Steph Curry, LeBron James and reach over Michael Jordan. I always want to win titles. I want to go over Kobe Bryant. I want to go over Kobe Bryant. Go over everything because I’m that kind of player. I always want more.”
Musa can talk the talk and apparently walk the walk at this age group.
A day before, he went off for 34 points in a stunning 75-72 Round of 16 loss to Australia that had he and his players crying in the locker room over a missed opportunity.
“The failure was just more motivation to go harder and work harder for this game,” Musa said. “I set my goal for 50 points and I made that and I’m happy about that. They said beforre the game taht we didn’t have motivation because we lost. For me, every practice and game I have to give myself motivation to accomplish what I came for in this tournament.”
Musa’s 50 eclipsed the previous record of 41, which was held by two players, Australia center Isaac Huymphries, who set the original record against Spain in 2014 U 17 semi-finals and France’s Jaylen Hoard, who matched it in the first game of this year’s tournament against Korea.
Music was born in Bihac, Bosnia and Herzegovina as the second child of Bosniak parents Rusmir and Saudina. He began playing association football at first before choosing to focus on basketball. Musa started playing junior basketball at KK Bosnia XXL when he was just seven years old. He then moved moved to Sarajevo-based KK Kos before joining KK Cedevita in Croatia in 2014.
That December, he signed a deal with Croatian team Cedevita and made his Euroleague debut at 15 in Oct.,2015, becoming the ninth youngest player he
to play in the league.
Musa is a future star. He averaged 23.3, 9 rebounds and 6.3 assists in the 2015 FIBA Europe Under 16 championship, leading the tournament in scoring. and was selected MVP after dropping 33 on Lithuania in the final.
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