Pesic: 'Everyone asks me about Jokic, but Kalinic is most important player in NT' / News - Basketnews.com

Credit: AFP-Scanpix, Zuma Press-Scanpix, Anton Novoderezhkin/TASS-Scanpix Credit AFP-Scanpix, Zuma Press-Scanpix, Anton Novoderezhkin/TASS-Scanpix

The head coach of the Serbian national team, Svetislav Pesic, opened up in an interview for H1 television that Nikola Kalinic is the most important player on the NT, something like Milan Gurovic was in previous times.

Nikola Jokic

Team:Denver NuggetsPosition:C, PFAge:27Height:208 cmWeight:111 kgBirth place:SerbiaProfileNewsStatistics

When it comes to players, all the questions are mostly related to reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic, but Pesic says that one player does not make a complete team.

"Wherever I go, they first ask me about Jokic. Then people say I'm a fool. I don't mind when people ask me if Jokic wants to play or not, but one player doesn't win. Though, one player can break up a group. I'm not saying Jokic will break up the squad, because he is a very well-mannered and nice young man, but the question is whether the others will play.

We know that basketball is a team sport. Nobody asked me if Kalinic will play, and he is the most important player on the national team, as Gurovic used to be. He has progressed in every aspect of the game," the 72-year-old specialist spoke.

Nikola Jokic did not play in the EuroBasket 2017 and Qualification for Tokyo Olympic Games. Will he participate in the upcoming EuroBasket?

"I hope he will play. I asked him, just like Teodosic. Jokic also told me that he wants to see the system, what he can or cannot provide. So, let's see what happens next," Pesic pointed out.

As stated by the Serbian mastermind, he has already had a talk with the team leader and captain Milos Teodosic as well.

"I asked Teodosic, what about the national team? He told me - everything depends on you, coach. If you want me, I will be with the team."

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