Danilo Andjusic touches on why Partizan didn't release non-Serbian international players / News - Basketnews.com

Partizan's decision to not allow Ioannis Papapetrou and Yam Madar to join their respective national teams has been the cause of debate. Danilo Andjusic, who was granted permission to play for Serbia, shared his view.

Credit: KK Partizan/Dragana Stjepanovic Credit KK Partizan/Dragana Stjepanovic

Serbia's victory over the United Kingdom in Newcastle was an important step forward for a team that failed emphatically in the recent EuroBasket.

Danilo Andjusic

Team:Partizan Mozzart Bet BelgradePosition:SGAge:31Height:194 cmWeight:92 kgBirth place:SerbiaProfileNewsStatistics

Serbia now stand at 4-3, just like Greece, while Belgium and Turkey are 3-4. Latvia is first in the group with 6-1, while the UK is last with 1-6. Excluding Latvia, the other two teams that will make the 2023 World Cup final round are yet to be determined.

In the contest vs. the United Kingdom, Serbia's coach Svetislav Pesic could count, among others, on twoPartizan Mozzart Bet Belgradeplayers- Danilo Andjusic andUros Trifunovic. On the other hand, Aleksa Avramovic, Alen Smailagic, and Balsa Koprivica are currently injured.

"My national team has an important game. They asked us to let three of our players go. One was injured and we promised them to let two players go. It's bad for NT to play without the best players. They're the ones who pay the price," Partizan's coach Zeljko Onradovic told the media in the presser following his team's loss to Olympiacos Piraeus last Thursday.

In contrast to Andjusic and Trifunovic, Partizan's Yam MadarandIoannis Papapetrouwere not allowed to leave the EuroLeague club to represent their countries.

When asked about the Greek forward and his status, Obradovic replied:

"I don't know. It's not a question for me. I'm a simple coach. There's a way of how national teams call players. I'm just a coach. It's a matter between the Greek NT management and Partizan, both sides. Really, I have no idea."

After the game vs. Panathinaikos last week, the nine-time EuroLeague champion clarified that Partizan had already made decisions on whether they would allow their Serbian players to leave.

Danilo Andjusic

MIN:15.2PTS:9.17 (73.17%)REB:0.83As:1.33ST:0.33BL:0.17TO:1.67GM:6ProfileEuroLeague2022/2023

"We've already decided. They'll play for the national team, meaning we'll have 8-9 players in practice to prepare for the game against Olympiacos. Now, we're playing in the ABA League, on Sunday-Monday they'll join the national team," he said.

Only a few minutes after Obradovic had concluded his postgame remarks in Piraeus, Ioannis Papapetrou solved the mystery.

"Unfortunately I won't be with the Greek NT. It's the team's decision; something that makes me very sad. The team decided not to allow anyone -except Serbian players- join their national teams.

It's a weird situation. Unfortunately, it's sad for us all. We're in the middle. I hope that in the future the conditions will suit better and that there can be another window”, the 28-year-old Partizan player told Eurohoops.

Before Greece were blown out by 20 (60-80) by Latvia in Heraklion, Crete, head of all Greece national teams, Dimos Dikoudis, announced that the Hellenic Basketball Federation has filed an official complaint to both FIBA and the Serbian Basketball Federation regarding the matter.

"We have filed an official complaint with both the Serbian Federation and FIBA, since this attitude of the Serbian Federation is wrong. It is unfair competition and we must protest," the Greek official said.

Later in the evening, Partizan's president Ostoja Mijailovic responded to the claims on Twitter.

"I congratulate the Basketball Federation of Serbia on the victory of the national team, which gives us hope for a place in the World Cup. Serbia is the country of basketball and this is very important to all of us," Mijailovic wrote.

"Only injuries prevented us from releasing representatives of other countries. In Piraeus, we played with the minimum number of players, and the defeat will hurt less if Serbia goes to the World Cup," he tweeted.

Asked about the influence Zeljko Obradovic and Partizan's management had on him eventually joining the team, Danilo Andjusic said it was "very big."

"Zeljko was the first to tell me, even before that decision was made, that the national team comes first and that it is in the interest of our basketball, national team and country to qualify for the World Cup," Partizan's shooting guard told Mozzart Sport.

"That's why he said, in case we could help, that he would always be ready to let us go," Andjusic continued.

"Such was the attitude of the whole club. Even at the cost of defeat in Piraeus or to play the game in a shortened rotation. He and the club immediately raised their hand to help Serbia, regardless of the fact that we already had seven or eight players in practice.

We couldn't train normally because of the lack of players, but we were allowed to join the national team," said Andjusic who also had a comment on his two teammates that weren't given permission to leave.

"What is being said about Ioannis (Papapetrou) and Yam (Madar) is not being told properly. I don't know what people wanted. Partizan to play with five players in Piraeus? It's not very clear to me. Our national team comes first, and our involvement was agreed upon a long time ago," he concluded.

Like what we are doing? You can express your gratitude here.