Serbia’s EuroBasket campaign took a dramatic turn as captain Bogdan Bogdanovic was ruled out of the tournament with a hamstring tear, and Novak Djokovic was among the first to reach out with support and advice.
Djokovic, speaking at the US Open, confirmed that he called Bogdanovic immediately after learning of the injury. The tennis legend, who has battled similar physical setbacks in his career, said he offered suggestions to help speed up the recovery process.
“The moment I read that he was injured, I contacted him immediately,” Djokovic told Serbian reporters, via Meridian Sport. “I called him again and he told me that unfortunately it was a more serious injury. I gave him some suggestions, ways he might be able to speed up his recovery. But it doesn’t seem to be helping this time.”
The Serbian Basketball Federation confirmed in a statement that Bogdanovic suffered the injury against Portugal in the group phase. The Los Angeles Clippers guard will return to the United States for intensive treatment, ending his EuroBasket 2025 run.
“Bogdan Bogdanovic will not be playing for the rest of the FIBA EuroBasket after suffering an injury to his hamstring,” the Federation announced. “In agreement with Bogdan and his club, the captain will go through intensive therapies in the United States to recover as fast as possible.”
Veteran guard Stefan Jovic has been named captain in Bogdanovic’s absence. Serbia, currently 3-0 in Group A, will face Czechia next.
The injury occurred late in the first half against Portugal when Bogdanovic pulled up during a fast break. He immediately grabbed his hamstring and did not return for the second half.
Bogdanovic, 33, has long been the backbone of Serbian basketball. Since debuting at EuroBasket 2013, he has guided the national team to silver medals at the 2014 and 2019 World Cups, the 2016 Olympics in Rio, and most recently a bronze medal at Paris 2024.
In two EuroBasket games this summer, Bogdanovic averaged 9 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 4 assists in 20 minutes per contest. His absence leaves a major gap in Serbia’s lineup, especially in leadership and late-game scoring.
Nikola Jokic, who scored 39 points against Latvia, will now shoulder even more responsibility as Serbia pushes toward the knockout stage.
