The recognition is not based solely on his performance in the final. Lukic finished the tournament with averages of 20.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 28 valuation points across the four games played. His consistency allowed the Pablo Laso Academy to reach the title game, although the team fell short of lifting the trophy after losing to Zentro Basket Madrid. Before that, the Serbian-led side had recorded three wins against Bosna BH Telecom Sarajevo, Tofas Bursa and Kvarner CEBA Academy.
The new award not only confirms him as one of the biggest prospects in European basketball, but also adds to the honors the young shooting guard has collected. This summer, Lukic was also named MVP of Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Next Up, a prestigious global development program organized by the NBA and FIBA to identify and bring together emerging young talents from around the world, and he finished as runner-up at the U17 World Cup with Serbia.
CASADEMONT'S DIAMOND
Born in the Netherlands in 2009, Lukic arrived in Zaragoza in the summer of 2025 from the Pablo Laso Academy to join the club's reserve team. In his first season in the U22 League, he averaged 10 points in 22 minutes per game and helped the team achieve a commendable fourth-place finish. Now, in his second campaign, he is averaging 12 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and a 13.3 valuation rating per game for Óscar de Paula's team.
His development has also been reflected in the first team's setup. The shooting guard, who has just turned 17, made his Casademont debut last season in both the Liga Endesa and the FIBA Europe Cup, and continues to gain experience in training sessions and squad selections under coach Gonzalo García de Vitoria. In addition, he has already played a few seconds this season in the victory over Lleida at the Príncipe Felipe.
Being named MVP of the Adidas Next Generation Tournament therefore provides Lukic with another showcase in a competition that brings together some of the continent's leading prospects and attracts the attention of scouts from elite European clubs and the NBA. For Casademont, the recognition further boosts the profile of a player who continues to develop in its academy and is already beginning to make his mark at the highest level of basketball.
