Aleksej Pokusevski isn’t closing the door on the NBA. At 24, the former Charlotte Hornets forward says a return to the league is still very much on the table after his move from Partizan to Lokomotiv Kuban this summer.
Speaking to Meridian Sport, Pokusevski said he’s trying to keep his outlook grounded, but he sees a comeback as a real possibility. “I went to the NBA early and played a lot,” Pokusevski said.
“I was both good and bad. There was a bit of everything.
After that, I came to the EuroLeague, to Partizan, where I wasn't the happiest with how everything went and how it ended.”
He added: “I'm certainly considering a return to the NBA,” Pokusevski continued. “I don't like to think about unrealistic things, but I believe this is something realistic, especially considering my age. There will be time to reach that level.”
Pokusevski’s path has already covered a lot of ground. Oklahoma City drafted him 17th overall in 2020 out of the Olympiacos youth system, and he spent his first three NBA seasons playing more than 20 minutes a night.
But the role faded fast. In 2023-24, he appeared in just 10 games and averaged 1.2 points in 6.0 minutes.
His NBA resume also includes a stop in Charlotte. Oklahoma City waived him in February 2024, days after the trade deadline, and the Hornets brought him in that same month with 25 games left.
Then-president of basketball operations and general manager Mitch Kupchak announced the signing. Charlotte was also home that season to former Thunder teammates Tre Mann, Vasilije Micic, and Davis Bertans.
Pokusevski averaged 7.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.7 assists with the Hornets before they released him in July 2024.
After that, he headed back to Europe. Partizan signed him in August to a one-year deal, and he helped the club win both the ABA League and the Serbian League.
Last season, he posted 4.9 points and 2.5 rebounds in 14 minutes per game. He and Partizan split this summer, even though he still had a year left on the contract.
Now he’s with Lokomotiv Kuban, where he’ll play for Tomislav Tomovic. Lokomotiv Kuban are based in Krasnodar and compete in the VTB United League. Tomovic took the job earlier this summer after serving as an assistant at Crvena Zvezda.
The challenges have piled up along the way, too. Pokusevski’s career shooting numbers sit at 39.1% from the field and 30.4% from 3. A fractured tibia cost him most of the 2022-23 season, and an arm injury kept him out of the 2023 FIBA World Cup.
There’s also a Greek connection that could matter down the road. Pokusevski lived in Greece from ages 13 to 18, owns a house there, and is engaged to a Greek woman. Greek clubs showed interest over the summer, and a Greek passport would make him a domestic player rather than a foreign import.
Still, Pokusevski made one thing clear when asked about that possibility: “The Greek passport has nothing to do with basketball.”
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