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It was a learning experience for Pavlovic

Ozren1UOP

It might not have been the most memorable season on the court for Ozren Pavlovic, but his overall freshman year at the University of Hawai’i will be one he will never forget.

“This was a really good experience for me,” said Pavlovic, who will be leaving the Hawai’i basketball program after just one year to pursue a professional career in Europe. “If I could go back in time and decide again whether to come or not, I would definitely decide to come again.”

Pavlovic will be leaving Honolulu in a few weeks to return to his home country of Croatia. He will attempt to play for a pro team in either Italy or Croatia next season.

“I have tryouts this summer, in August,” he said. “I just made a decision with my family, I wanted to be closer to home.”

Pavlovic, a 6-foot-8 guard/forward, averaged 2.7 points and 1.4 rebounds per game during his true freshman season with the Warriors. He started one game midway through the season, but was mostly used as a reserve at several positions.

Pavlovic said he was first contacted about a pro opportunity midway through the season, but he opted to complete the semester.

“I need to finish this semester because of credits and the APR of the team – I just don’t want to hurt the team,” he said. “I don’t want to hurt the APR, so I’m trying to finish strong in school.”

When Pavlovic first arrived in Hawai’i last summer, he was 18 years old, and it was his first experience in America – not to mention an introduction to college courses and NCAA basketball. He admits it was a difficult adjustment, but the year also included its share of ups.

“I’m going to miss the people, the culture here, and my teammates,” he said.

17 Comments

  1. Ozren,

    Wish you the best where ever you’re headed to. Mahalo for thinking about the team and it’s APR ratings

  2. Dayton do you know if Joaquim is back on campus for his class finals. He is another student/athlete that needs to get his schoolwork done.

  3. It all happened so suddenly, and it looked so not realistic.
    Coach Gib came to watch two other players, and at the end of training told him that they do not match, and that he wants Ozren. About Gib arrival we did not know or have had any knowledge that so suddenly Ozren can be called. When we saw the plane in the air, we realized that our son goes so far

    I thank everyone, and most coach Gib who has provided such a wonderful chance to Ozren

    Ozren way back home runs 36 hours, flying across two oceans Americas continent, the North Sea, and quite a large part of Europe

    Hawaii will always remain in our hearts
    and I’m going as a member of the forum to remember all fans
    I strongly wish that the Warriors next season, winning the tournament

    GO WARRIORS!!!! GO CHAMPIONS!!!
    I will follow you
    I want everyone to stay healthy and be happy

    ALOHA with my heart

  4. Thank You, Ozren
    For taking this Opportunity,
    Flying Half Way Around the World
    and Ozi Mum, for Trusting your son & Coach
    (so many H.S. Graduate Parents donʻt want to sign papers for so far away)

    For Working Hard
    On the Court and in School
    Youʻre a Fan & ʻCoachʻ Favorite
    Former Coach Jackson who had you in Class
    talked about you so Often on his Radio Show
    and Ozi Mum is a WI.com Favorite
    Just Really Great People

    For being a Good to Great student,
    Succeeding in a Second Language
    Your English is so good, smooth after only one season!
    When many students donʻt succeed in their “First”
    And Putting the Pro Start On Hold to Finish the Semester…

    i hope Davis does get to visit …
    The PROS Better Pay You Plenty Enough so You can take off a week or Two Between Seasons
    and Bring ʻOzi Mumʻ to Hawaiʻi — Better, a UH Basketball Game
    and get Introduced to The Crowd — Weʻd Welcome & Love it!

    Youʻre Both Always Teammates & Ohana
    Warrior for Life
    WI.com Ohana
    Aloha and Mahalo Plenty
    And moreso, Please Keep Us Up to Date
    (Never Be Strangers)

    For me, i hope there IS a Dayton, DaBeast or ʻcopycatʻ in Italy, Croatia et al
    And we can see Ozi Shooting Out the Lights!

  5. Ozi Mum:

    You can be very, very proud of Ozren. He and you, are first rate, people and family! Ozren, you have many fans in Hawaii. You gave it your best. To say you are finishing up well in school to help the team and your friends in Hawaii, speaks volumes about your great character!

    Ozren, finish up well in school, and go on to a successful career in professional Basketball in Croatia and beyond. I am sure, Gib, the staff, and your teammates are pulling for you and Warrior Basketball nation says a great big MAHALO(Thankyou)

    Aloha, and best wishes to Ozren and his dear mother Ozi Mum.

    Thanks to the both of you for Ozren Pavlovic being a part of Warrior Basketball!

  6. Ozren, I have the greatest amount of respect for you, your family too. Your helping the team out, by sticking around for Spring Semester, to complete your schooling the best you can to help APR, that is tremendous. You will always be welcome back to Hawaii, always, hope after several years of success in PRO ball, you will come back with your mom and have a nice vacation!

    In behalf of UH MBB team and coaches and fans, Ozi , thank you very much!

    Dayton, wish that Vander , Roop, and Jefferson are doing well this semester too. It certainly validates everything, Gib and staff had said about the TEAM. They are good friends, and the transfers, are in good standing with team and UH. That is very telling for Coach and his assistants. The Manoa Maniacs, supported all 16 UH MBB team members this past season!

    Wish the best to Vander, Ozi, Roop, and Garrett Gee Jefferson! Do Well this Semester guys, and we all thank you for your being part of team, and much success in your future careers wherever that might be.

    Thank you Ozren Pavlovic and to the Pavlovic Ohana(family)
    😀

  7. Good Luck Ozren in your professional basketball endeavors. I’m glad you also are finishing out the semester strong to help the APR number which we all know is vital for success next year.

    On another note can someone feed Rozitis a loco moco for breakfast lunch and dinner. He’s getting skinnier every year. Or someone give him a map so he can find where the weight room is located.

  8. Good luck Ozren and Ozi mum. Hope your pro career is successful and to Mum please visit us on this board whenever you have news about Oz and hope you can visit the Islands someday.

  9. All the Best Ozren in your pro career, has been fun watching you developed. Shout out to Ozi mum really enjoyed your comments especially when you summed up the characters of each players in this years roster by what you have observed from afar. Looking forward to reading your comments next year as we enjoy a successful season for the UH MBB team.

    Take care.

  10. Ozi Mum, Ozren is a fine young man. In my line of work, I come across many teens and a majority of them lack the maturity and sense of responsibility that Ozren has. You should be very very proud. Best of luck to him and best wishes to you and your family. Thank you Ozren and Pavlovic family for trusting Hawaii and thank you for all your sacrifices.

  11. Ozi, sad to see u go, but understand your reasons and respect your approach and promise to finish the job academically and leave in good standing. Finish strong and take care of your schoolwork. You owe it to your teammates and this staff. And it will confirm your legacy here as a winner and as a talented pro with the discipline and professionalism to finish tasks and deliver. Aloha and best of luck.

  12. Good luck from Down Under Ozren – I hope that the pro basketball will be successfull for you. To Ozi Mum it has been really great to hear all of your feedback about the game, the teams and the student athletes. I will miss your thoughts – you are a very kind and thoughtful person and although I personally don’t know Ozren – I can see his lovely smile and demeanour that shines through on the videos. Michael, I know, has thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Ozren and loved playing basketball with him.

    Best wishes

  13. Thanks Oz , your’re a class act , hope you get some kind of degree back home, met Oz at the dinner banquet, intelligent, respectful, the young man will do well in the business world.

  14. Thank you to Garrett Jeffeson and Ozren Pavlovic for finishing strong in school this Semester. Now, Manroop and Vander, for the sake of the program, the many fans who have supported you through your highs and lows of season. For the sake of your returning teammates and UH MBB fanbase, Roop and Van, you have to, just have to, do well on your Finals this coming week. The future of program, so it does not get hit with sanctions, loss of scholarships or post season ban hinges , on your finishing school well.

    It is a privilege to attend any NCAA DI MBB school, and be on a full ride scholarship. How many of your fellow students who have to pay their own way through school, and all the more, those from out of state, would love to have your full scholarships., It cost a lot of money,.

    For the sake of Brandon Spearman, Brandon Jawato, Caleb Dressler, Keith Shamburger, Aaron Valdes, Dyrbe Enos, Isaac Fotu, Christian Standhardinger, Garrett Nevels, Quincy Smith, Negus Webster-Chan, Stefan Jovanovich and Michael Thomas, please Roop and Vander do well on your finals. It will be a great gift to your friends, former teammates, and the thousands of UH MBB fans in Hawaii and around the globe. Now is your chance to shine as young men, show maturity and class. Down to the wire, make it count. Do well in school to close out your UH MBB careers.,

    Mahalo for being part of the program,

    Aloha.

  15. Vander and Manroop finish well on your finals, so important for APR, and no sanctions for UH MBB program. Also , for the sake of the athlete supreme from Australia, a great young man, Michael Harper. Playing for love of the sport, with the aid of his loving family, and his great Aussie Mum!

    Even the Manoa Maniacs are sayiing, Gee Jefferson, Ozren Pavlovic, Vander Joaquim, and Manroop Clair, do well on your final exams, get the GPA up, and finish the semester, it will bode well for all of you on your next stops, professional basketball teams, or new basketball school. It shows, that you would never quit! That is something future coaches, and employers will look at. If you flunk out of school, or do not finish spring semester, that isn’t good at all.

    Thanks again to Ozren and his great parting Video, doing all he can to finish well academically to help his team not hurt them for next few years. So Garrett, Vander and Manroop , get it done, and you will be leaving as winners, in school and in life.

    Mahalo, thankyou for your contributions this past year, just finish strong in school, do well, reallly well!!

  16. IT Would be Sad…

    IF For Insufficient Effort or Lack of “Valuing” their own Educational Opportunities…

    They End Up Taking a Scholarship Away from a (Future or Current) “Teammate”…

    OR Taking Away Game(s), & Ending a Season Prematurely…

  17. Just read Ozren won’t be coming back this fall. I was a really big of his and wished he got more playing time last season. He did an awesome job as a true freshman, especially considering the cultural clash he experienced. Wishing you all the best in your future endeavors!

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