Broken dreams go no further than broken dreams. It was the pursuit of one unattainable goal that led Dejan Vasiljevic down a path that led him to eventually face the same end result of unattainability. Three years apart and the circumstances got no better. Vasiljevic has departed the Adelaide 36ers. Such a move would have been implausible only two seasons ago unless it was because he received a better opportunity to succeed elsewhere. Instead, the culmination of Vasiljevic and the 36ers was decided by roster changes, role reduction, dissatisfaction, and the worst game of his career.

Vasiljevic arrived in Adelaide through equal good fortune and failure. He departed the Sydney Kings at the end of the 2022–23 season after he had won a second consecutive championship. Vasiljevic was an important component but the Kings possessed a stacked roster that meant he would have had to be content as the third or fourth offensive option. Desiring something greater, Vasiljevic pursued an opportunity in the NBA and opted out of the final year of his Kings contract to sign with the Washington Wizards. The move was to partner him with his former Kings teammate Xavier Cooks who had successfully made the same leap to the Wizards a few months earlier. Vasiljevic appeared in three Summer League games and averaged 7.3 points in only 12.7 minutes. However, the Wizards decided to sign Jules Bernard instead and waived Vasiljevic who was again to be left wondering his next move.

Back in Australia, the 36ers were off to a 1–4 start for their 2023–24 season. They had one roster spot available after they had released import Jamaal Franklin before he even appeared in a regular season game. The 36ers desperately needed a scoring option and also someone to create some excitement. Meanwhile, the Kings were sitting at a 4–1 record with a full roster. Vasiljevic opting out of the final year of his contract meant he was a free agent but the Kings still held his NBL rights. To sign him would mean having to release someone else and why jeopardise the beginnings of a promising season by adding some fluctuation? The Kings released Vasiljevic’s rights and he was signed by the 36ers.

Under the leadership of terminal head coach CJ Bruton, Vasiljevic was given the run of the offence. He took over the starting shooting guard role from Sunday Dech and capitalised. Vasiljevic scored 17 points on debut in a loss to the South East Melbourne Phoenix. He scored more than 14 points – previously his career average with the Kings – in his first eight games. The only problem was that the 36ers were still not winning; they only boosted to a 4–9 record with Vasiljevic’s presence on the team. It took an infamous dredging by the Tasmania JackJumpers where the 36ers only scored 59 points for the team management to finally take action and they decided to fire Bruton in December 2023. He was replaced by Scott Ninnis, his assistant coach who was both a former player and head coach for the 36ers who went through his own redemption arc. In January 2024, Vasiljevic signed a three-year contract extension with the 36ers which was to keep him with the team until the 2026–27 season. Vasiljevic wanted someone else to be with him there during that time – Ninnis – and openly lobbied for his interim head coach to be retained permanently. In press conferences, he used threats such as him being “pissed” if Ninnis was not the coach for two years and onwards.

Under Ninnis’ command, the 36ers went on an 8–7 run to finish the season in eighth place at 12–16. Vasiljevic averaged a career-best 19.7 points per game but at what was then the lowest field goal percentage of his career at 39.8%. He had desired the match-up against his former team in the playoffs but it did not eventuate on both sides; the Kings were upset in the play-in qualifier to the New Zealand Breakers. Despite going from the highs of two consecutive championships to the low of not playing the finals, Vasiljevic had much to be satisfied about. He was now the bonafide leader of a team and had enough leverage to make demands. Sure enough, Ninnis was signed to a two-year contract extension at the end of the season to keep him as head coach.

Until he was not there anymore. Ninnis was fired before he even made it to preseason. Team management made it clear that they did not think Ninnis had the potential to bring the 36ers to success and they needed to capitalise on the talent they did have. Ninnis was replaced by his incoming assistant coach Mike Wells who had never held a head coaching position in his life yet had decades of experience in the NBA. It was not a difficult decision for the management to make yet they decided not to consult with their new franchise cornerstone. Vasiljevic was informed when Ninnis wandered into the team’s training session and revealed he had been fired. Vasiljevic’s interview about the firing is telling because he reveals that team management did not consult him on replacing the head coach nor did they consult him on the team’s imports. One ended up being his former Kings championship teammate Jarell Martin while the other two were firebrands Kendric Davis and Montrezl Harrell. Vasiljevic was appointed as team captain while the 36ers underwent a tempestuous first season under Wells which saw players openly complaining about their lack of identity. Vasiljevic was still kept in the starting line-up with the 36ers and averaged 17.8 points per game. The 36ers made their first postseason appearance after limping to a 13–16 record. Vasiljevic had his belated revenge on the Kings by eliminating them in the play-in qualifier as the team’s leading scorer with 25 but the 36ers lost in the play-in game to the South East Melbourne Phoenix.

The 36ers revitalised their entire future fortunes by signing Bryce Cotton in 2025. Vasiljevic compared the upcoming partnership as being that of Batman and Robin. The 36ers also signed promising guard Flynn Cameron from Melbourne United and seemed poise to offer him a starting role. Starting the 2025–26 season, the 36ers ran with a three-guard line-up of Cotton, Vasiljevic and Cameron on way to an 7–3 record. In November, Vasiljevic was moved to the bench for the first time in his 36ers career. He might have hated to realise it but the 36ers thrived while he was in that role and the 36ers instead utilised forward Troy Brown Jr. as a starter instead; the 36ers went 12–2 during Vasiljevic’s first 14 games off the bench. After Brown was released and the team floundered finding his replacement, the 36ers finished 4–5 to end the season in second place with a 23–10 record. Vasiljevic averaged career-lows with 10.9 points per game at a 36.5 field goal percentage. He secretly — as it was to be revealed later — disdained his new role and was openly contacting other teams around the league to gauge their interest in adding him to their roster next season. His mind was elsewhere but it was still on him.

The only team to top the 36ers ended up being the Kings who were now led by Vasiljevic’s former teammate Davis. As destiny would have it, the 36ers and Kings matched up in the championship series. The 36ers extended the series to a game 5 when not many people expected them to be there. The stage was set. Vasiljevic was to get the revenge he had let fester inside for so long. This was for those who doubted him. Those who put him in a bench role. Those who let go of Ninnis. Those who thought others were better. Vasiljevic ended up having what would probably be considered the worst game of his career. He posted 7 points on 2 of 14 shooting (14.3%) including only 1 made three-pointer from 11 attempts (9.1%). The Kings celebrated their third championship in five years. Their former teammate was left to ponder what could have been.

On 20 April, two weeks after the season ended, Vasiljevic and the 36ers agreed on a mutual release. Vasiljevic was signed as the team’s star only two years before and now he longer fit. His belief and determination in himself sat larger than the spaces designated for him and it was over. There will be no redemption in the final year of his contract. It is over.

On 28 April, Vasiljevic signed with the Breakers on a one-year contract. The time of Vasiljevic being a potential cornerstone piece has passed. This is a prove-it opportunity only. How Vasiljevic responds — whether he lives up to his own expectations or not – will define the rest of his career. There is only one person who can stop him.