TUCSON, Ariz. — After having a struggling roster last year, UA Women’s Basketball Coach, Adia Barnes, made sure this season she’d have a stacked roster, including two European players.
One is Serbian, Katarina Knezevic, whose basketball career started not too long ago.
“Yeah, for four years and it definitely changed my life," Arizona Women's Basketball freshman, Knezevic said.
Up until she was 14, Knezevic played soccer. But she decided to hang up to the cleats.
“I just wanted to play a more dynamic sport," Knezevic said.
And she picked up a volleyball.
“I didn’t even have a regular basketball, I had a volleyball," Knezevic said. "I was practicing everything with it, which was hard and unusual, and then I asked my mom to buy me a basketball. She was like, ‘oh, why?’ But then she saw that I really love it.”
Ever since, it hasn’t just been about basketball, but Arizona Basketball.
“It was three years ago when I was actually thinking about going to college," Knezevic said. "I said if one of these three colleges offers me a scholarship, I’m going there. One of those three colleges was Arizona.”
When Barnes was building this year’s roster, adding someone like Knezevic was an easy choice.
“I was excited about her," Barnes said. "Most of the time players like her go pro and when I looked at our best teams, we always had some good core European players.”
Barnes, who also played overseas, has some expectations for the Serbian, Knezenvic.
“I played with Serbian players," Barnes said. "They are very tough, physical, not afraid, skilled players and they were like dogs on the court. It’s going to be interesting to watch her, she’s going to be physical. I’m telling you guys, watch right now because she’s going to be a good player.”
Heading into this season, Knezevic plans to show that physicality, but also grow her love for the game.
“When I started playing basketball, things started happening," Knezevic said. "It changed my connections with people, the way I’m building relationships and that's what I love and that’s what I’m wishing for it to stay as or even get better.”
——
Erin Patterson is a reporter for KGUN 9. She's agraduate of the University of Alabama with a Bachelor’s in News Media with a Sports Concentration. Erin recently obtained her Master's Degree in Sports Journalism from Arizona State University at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism, where she gained experience a sports reporter, anchor and producer. Share your story ideas and important issues with Erin by emailing erin.patterson@kgun9.com.
----
STAY IN TOUCH WITH US ANYTIME, ANYWHERE
- Download our free app for Roku, FireTV, AppleTV, Alexa, and mobile devices.
- Sign up for daily newsletters emailed to you
- Like us on Facebook
- Follow us on Instagram
- Follow us on Twitter
