Nikola Mirotic

Growing up in Europe, football was Mirotić\'s true passion. As he got older, his family realized his height could be a lot more useful for another sport. At the age of 13, his grandfather introduced him to the sport of basketball. Mirotić spent his childhood in Montenegro, and started playing basketball with the Joker School in Podgorica. At the age of 14, he signed a junior contract with Real Madrid in the summer of 2005.\n', ' After playing for the Real Madrid juniors from 2006 to 2008, Mirotić signed with the Real Madrid senior team of the Liga ACB in 2008. During the 2010–11 Euroleague season, he emerged as one of his team\'s most valuable players, to win the EuroLeague Rising Star award. In April 2011, he signed a five-year contract extension with Real Madrid. With Real Madrid, he won the Spanish King\'s Cup and the Spanish Supercup in 2012.\n', ' On June 23, 2011, Mirotić was selected by the Houston Rockets with the 23rd overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft. He was later traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves, and then traded once again to the Chicago Bulls on draft night.\n', '