Igor Milicic Jr. Waived After 12 Minutes, and the NBA Showed Its Teeth

The New York Knicks, fresh off their 2026 NBA championship run, made a move Tuesday night that shows just how cutthroat this league can be. They signed 6-foot-10 former Philadelphia 76ers forward Igor Milicic Jr. at 7:48 p.m. to an Exhibit 10 deal, only to announce his waiving at 8:00 p.m. That’s a brutal 12-minute tenure in the big leagues, folks.

Milicic Jr., a 24-year-old Pula, Croatia native, came into the pros after playing collegiately at Tennessee, Charlotte, and Virginia. He went undrafted in 2025, landing a free-agent deal with the 76ers. While he didn’t log any minutes in the big leagues as a rookie, he got some run in the G League. For the 76ers’ affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats, Milicic Jr. appeared in 13 games. He averaged 6.8 points and 5.1 rebounds per game, shooting 34.6% from the field and 37.1% from beyond the arc. The guy was out there grinding, trying to prove himself.

Milicic Jr. reportedly believed he was set to compete for a roster spot with Mike Brown’s Knicks. But that lightning-fast decision from the organization makes it crystal clear: this young pro appears G-League bound for a second straight season. It’s a tough pill to swallow, no doubt. The good news is, if he sticks with the Westchester Knicks, New York’s G League affiliate, for at least 60 days, he’ll be eligible for an Exhibit 10 bonus. It’s not the bright lights of the NBA, but it’s a lifeline. This league truly demands thick skin and a relentless positive mindset to survive.

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From the source Originally reported by The Sporting News.