2023-07-24 18:05:30
MADRID, 24 Jul. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The center Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets) will not play with Serbia in the Basketball World Cup, which will take place from August 25 to September 10 in Indonesia, Japan and the Philippines, as confirmed by the Balkan team on Monday.
The coach, Svetislav Pesic, has announced a list of 20 players, in which the main novelty is that the decisive Jokic, current NBA champion and MVP of the Finals, will not be there. “He is not physically and mentally ready to take responsibility in the way that is expected of him,” the coach assessed at the press conference.
In addition to the sensitive loss of the center, we must add the absences of Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Vasilje Micic, with physical problems, and Barça forward Nikola Kalinic, who also resigned.
Thus, one of the candidates for the title sees its expectations decrease without its greatest asset, although with four NBA players -Bogdan Bogdanovic (Atlanta Hawks), Nikola Jovic (Miami Heat) -without much prominence in the final stretch-, Aleksej Pokusevski (Oklahoma Thunder) and Filip Petrusev (Philadelphia 76rs)- as leaders of the Balkan power for the tournament that will be played in Indonesia, Japan and the Philippines, from August 25 and September 10.
Also appearing on the list are Vanja Marinkovic, from Baskonia, and other regulars in the Euroleague such as Alen Smailagic, Uros Trifunovic or Aleksa Avramovic, from Partizán, in a team framed in Group B, with China, Puerto Rico and South Sudan.
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