Serbia is a perennial favorite in the FIBA Basketball World Cup, and a major reason for their presence in the 2023 Semi-Finals is the exceptional performance of Nikola Milutinov.
This skilled big man has dominated the paint in his second World Cup appearance, securing three double-doubles and maintaining impressive averages of 13.2 points and 8.8 rebounds throughout the tournament.
In Serbia’s 87-68 Quarter-Finals triumph over Lithuania, Milutinov contributed 9 points and 5 rebounds, while also displaying tenacious defense against Lithuania’s star center, Jonas Valanciunas.
“I just want to win the medal,” Milutinov said. “I have never won a medal with the senior national team. and that’s my dream. And I hope that my dream will come true,” said the Novi Sad native, who played for Serbia at the 2015 and 2022 FIBA EuroBaskets and the 2019 World Cup.
Milutinov has assumed a significantly larger role within the Serbian team, primarily due to the absence of two-time NBA MVP and reigning NBA champion, Nikola Jokic, who is not with the team in Manila.
“I knew my position from the beginning of the preparations. I knew that unfortunately our best player was not with us, and I knew that I had to step up to help us,” Milutinov continued. “We have a lot of young guys and I took the challenge and I’m really happy how I’m performing until now because the team is winning and we are on the good path.”
