Croatian national and Ohio State graduate forward Karla Vres (15), aims to carry on the long legacy of Croatian basketball success. Courtesy of Ohio State Athletics
With a population of 4 million people, Croatia has a history of providing America with basketball powerhouses.
Notably, former Brooklyn Nets and Portland Trail Blazers shooting guard and Dražen Petrović averaged 15.1 points and 2.4 assists per game and made three appearances in the NBA Playoffs. Currently, there are three Croatian players in the NBA, and the WNBA has seen three Croatian players in the past 26 seasons.
The Ohio State women’s basketball program aims to be a part of the Croatian basketball legacy with graduate transfer Karla Vres. Vres said growing up, the possibility to follow in players’ footsteps means everything to her.
“I don’t take it lightly that I’m representing them as well as myself, as well as the clubs where I grew up,” Vres said.
Vres, a 6-foot-3 forward from Zagreb, Croatia, transferred from American University this offseason, bringing a decorated resume to the Buckeyes. Prior to her collegiate years, Vres played for the Croatian National Team, earning three gold and silver medals alongside being a two-time Adriatic League gold medalist.
Head coach Kevin McGuff said having a player that has competed at the global stage is great for the program. When recruiting Vres, McGuff said he knew she would be a perfect fit for the Buckeyes because of her high basketball IQ and versatility.
“She’s a really bright kid,” McGuff said. “She understands the game, and she kind of fits our style from a standpoint of, she’s a post player that can play on the perimeter, and we really value that in our system.”
Vres began her basketball career at a young age, but it wasn’t until middle school that her passion developed. That passion in middle school turned into playing for the Croatian National Team in high school.
Vres said her success on the court at a young age is due in part to her teammates and coaches.
“It means a lot,” Vres said. “The club that I played with when we won all those national championships at home, they work really, really hard. And I really owe them all my successes. To the coaches there, they made me into the player I am today, but also the person, since practicing that much and spending that much time with them definitely shaped who I am today.”
When Vres was 15, her parents decided the family would pack up their bags and move to Stockholm, Sweden. Despite moving to a new country, learning a new language, starting high school and meeting new friends, Vres said knew she could count on basketball to be the constant in her life.
“It was a little scary at first, you’re kind of put in a new situation,” Vres said. “You don’t know a lot of people, but basketball was what kind of helped me through it. At the end of the day, when we’re on the court, we can all speak the same language. Basketball is universal in that way.”
Vres’ love for basketball continued to flourish in high school when she played club basketball for the Swedish First League, Visby Basket, Brahe Basket, AIK Basket and Alvik Basket.
As her high school career came to an end, she looked for her next challenge, which led her to the U.S. to pursue both her basketball and academic careers, something not easily attainable in Europe.
After multiple recruiting calls and a trip across the pond, Vres decided to spend her next three seasons at American University in Washington, D.C.
During Vres’ time at American, she averaged 4.5 points and .76 blocks per game and helped the Eagles win the Patriot League last season. Vres also got a taste of March Madness in the 2022 NCAA Tournament but came up short against Michigan in the first round 74-39.
Vres said she knew she was capable of achieving greater heights in her basketball career, which led her to Ohio State.
“I wanted to keep growing. I knew that my basketball career could go in many directions,” Vres said. “Knowing that I would get to learn from them and with them and definitely be a part of another success story and add something more to my resume, it was just an amazing opportunity.”
On her official visit to Ohio State, she met senior forward Rebeka Mikulášiková, a native of Slovakia, with whom she formed an instant bond.
Vres said Mikulášiková was one of the deciding factors of her decision to transfer to Ohio State.
“I knew that she’s going to tell me what her experience is like from the same or very similar perspective, that other people on the team may not be able to relate to fully,” Vres said.
With both of their families on opposite sides of the world, the two Eastern European forwards have leaned on and brought comfort to one another in ways their other teammates can’t.
“It’s really nice to have someone that I can relate to,” Mikulášiková said. “I like Karla a lot, we’re good friends. I feel like I can definitely tell she’s European because of the way we interact with each other, the way we talk to each other. It’s so familiar to me.”
With two years of eligibility left, Vres said she doesn’t want to make any decisions about her future with basketball, instead focusing on the present in pursuit of her academic and athletic careers at Ohio State.
Vres said she’s looking forward to the success the team can achieve and the role she will have with the Buckeyes.
“I’m looking forward to finding a place for myself once the games start, seeing whatever role it’s going to be that I’m going to play,” Vres said. “However small, I feel like every role on the team is equally as important. And because I have two years of eligibility left as well, I’m just excited to see where I’m kind of going to fall within this puzzle.”
