Pesic explains Teodosic case, defends Jokic's decision to skip World Cup / News - Basketnews.com

Svetislav Pesic talked about the criteria behind selecting the Serbian NT squad, while making a special reference to Milos Teodosic and Nikola Jokic.

Credit: Michael Schwartz/dpa Credit Michael Schwartz/dpa

Nikola Jokic canceled his participation in the 2023 FIBA World Cup after winning the NBA title with the Denver Nuggets.

Nikola Jokic

Team:Denver NuggetsPosition:C, PFAge:28Height:208 cmWeight:111 kgBirth place:Sombor, SerbiaProfileNewsStatistics

The two-time NBA MVP is one of the frontrunners for another accolade. However, and despite Serbia's secured spot in the 2024 Summer Olympic Games, Jokic's presence in Paris is by no means guaranteed.

The Serbian star recently said that coach Svetislav Pesic will be the first to know if he will play in Paris, and the selector said something similar.

"We know approximately who we will play against in Paris, and who we will play with, with which players, it is of course too early. What is true is that in these two years, since I have been the selector and coach of the national team, we have established a system when it comes to the national team," said Pesic in an interview with RTS.

The veteran tactician thinks it's a good thing that Serbian players are willing to play for the national team, even though "the media always raise the question of why this one plays, why this one doesn't, and sometimes, fans are angry with Jokic and some other players," he added.

"However, it should be understood that all this is quite difficult due to such a competition system where there are many games, injuries occur, and mental fatigue sets in," explained the coach of the Serbian basketball team.

Pesic was also asked about the absence of Milos Teodosic from the national team. The former EuroLeague MVP won Round 16 honors this week after recording27 points and 14 assists in Crvena Zvezda's away victory over Maccabi.

"Sometimes, it is taken for granted that the 12 best players should play in the national team, but I don't think so," Pesic argued.

"I believe that the best should certainly play in the national team, but those who get along best with each other. A team, of course, needs exceptional players to obtain the best results. This means high-quality players, because after all, basketball is such a sport that in uncertain, difficult games, players make decisions in the last seconds," he pointed out.

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