Salih Zeki Fazlioglu/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
The 2019 FIBA World Cup in China is fast approaching and Serbia is feeling themselves.
Serbia is, in the view of many, the favorite to dethrone a United States team whose top NBA talent has opted out this year. Led by All-NBA First Teamer Nikola Jokic, rising Sacramento Kings shooting guard Bogdan Bogdanovic, and none other than cartoonishly tall Mavericks center Boban Marjanovic, the Serbian team is looking to avenge its 30-point gold medal game loss in Brazil in 2016.
Serbian national team head coach Sasha Djordjevic recently puffed his chest out in an interview with Mozzart Sport and said the following:
“Let’s let them [Team USA] play their basketball and we will play ours and if we meet, may God help them.”
When asked about American stars like James Harden and Anthony Davis opting out of this year’s World Cup, Djordjevic scoffed:
“That’s what has happened to us. Just thinking of us and some other national teams that are not mentioned that much.
For example, Germany, in recent years. We have played against them twice in qualifying rounds and lost both times. There’s Greece, Russia, France, Argentina, Canada, Brazil, Spain… I don’t think about the Americans at all.”
You know how I know you’re thinking about the Americans? Because you say you’re not thinking about the Americans.
The FIBA Basketball World Cup officially kicks off on August 31 and runs through September 15.
I’ll just leave this here.