Who is Ivan Perasović?

Ivan Perasović is a 24-year-old Croatian basketball player, the son of celebrated player and coach Velimir Perasović. He has played for Split, Lithuania's Labas, and Cibona.

Which university will Ivan Perasović play for?

He will continue his career at the University of Texas at El Paso, where he will wear the jersey of their athletic team, the Miners.

Why are more and more European basketball players going to the NCAA?

American universities offer top-tier education, excellent development facilities, and contracts worth up to one million euros per year, amounts that European clubs struggle to match.

Skiing

Perasović's Son Heads to the NCAA

Q: How many Croatian basketball players will play in the NCAA next season?

According to current data, as many as 19 Croatian basketball players are expected to play in the NCAA next season.

S.K. · Prije 1h | 2 min

Ivan Perasović, the 24-year-old son of Velimir Perasović, will continue his career at the University of Texas at El Paso, joining a wave of 19 Croatian basketball players in the American college league.

Summary

Ivan Perasović (24), son of legend Velimir Perasović, is heading to the NCAA at the University of Texas at El Paso.
Perasović has played for Split, Cibona, and Lithuania's Labas, and was also part of the cadet national team that won European gold in 2018.
He is one of 19 Croatian basketball players set to play in the American college league next season, a significant blow to domestic basketball.

The trend of young European basketball prospects moving to the United States shows no signs of slowing down, and its latest chapter features another well-known Croatian surname. Ivan Perasović, the 24-year-old son of celebrated Croatian basketball player and coach Velimir Perasović, has decided to continue his career in the NCAA, as reported by Sportklub on Thursday, August 7, 2026.

Perasović will play for the University of Texas at El Paso and their athletic team, the Miners. Despite already having six years of senior experience, during which he wore the jerseys of Split, Lithuania's Labas, and Cibona, he too has not been immune to the conditions that American universities now offer. They can provide contracts worth up to one million euros per year, along with top-tier education and development facilities, making it nearly impossible for European clubs to compete.

A Wave of Talent Exodus

Perasović is just one in a series of Croatian basketball players who have chosen the transatlantic route this summer. Before him, Boris Tišma, Roko Prkačin, Luka Skorić, Vito Kučić, and Marko Marić made the same decision. The latter is particularly interesting due to an incredible feat from last season, when he scored an astonishing 91 points in a single game at the junior championship.

According to data cited by Sportklub, as many as 19 Croatian basketball players are expected to play in the NCAA next season, and that number could grow by the start of the competition. This is a massive blow to Croatian basketball, which already has a limited pool of young players.

From European Gold to the American Dream

Ivan Perasović is not an unfamiliar name in the youth categories. He was a member of the Croatian cadet national team that won the European Championship title in 2018, one of the greatest achievements of Croatian youth basketball. Now, he will look to further develop his talent in the USA, following the path paved by many European players before him.

Judging by the current trend, the exodus of European talents to the NCAA is just beginning, and clubs on the old continent will find it increasingly difficult to retain their most promising players against the financial and developmental offerings coming from American universities.