Nikola Kalinic will miss FIBA World Cup 2023, Micic in high doubt / News - Basketnews.com

Nikola Kalinic will not play in FIBA World Cup 2023, as he needs to rest and recover from fatigue and injuries accumulated during the previous season. Vasilije Micic is likely to skip the event as well.

Credit: FIBA Credit FIBA

As FIBA World Cup 2023 nears, doubts have arisen about the Serbian national team roster. Unfortunately, the European powerhouse may face some challenges in assembling its best players.

Nikola Kalinic

Position:SFAge:31Height:202 cmWeight:101 kgBirth place:Subotica, SerbiaProfileNewsStatistics

According to Dejan Stankovic of Mozzart Sport, FC Barcelona forward Nikola Kalinic will definitely miss the trip to the Philippines. He has informed coach Svetislav Pesic that he needs to rest and recover from fatigue and injuries accumulated during the previous season.

Another player who is likely to miss the upcoming event is Vasilije Micic, per the same report. The star guard recently moved from Anadolu Efes Istanbul to the Oklahoma City Thunder. It appears that he will be using the summer to prepare for his NBA debut, a common practice among European players transitioning across the Atlantic.

However, the biggest loss for Serbia will be NBA champion Nikola Jokic, as the NBA Finals MVP will require an extended rest period following a victorious NBA season.

The official Serbian NT list is expected to be released on Monday when the squad gathers for preparations in Stara Pazova. However, it's certain that Jokic will not be present at the first training sessions.

As for foreign players with Serbian passports, there are no indications that Pesic has considered inviting Kevin Punter or any others to join the national team.

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