Serbia began their training camp ahead of Eurobasket in Lithuania. Due to start on August 31st.
However, out of the 19 players that coach Dusan Ivkovic has invited to the camp, only 15 showed up. With CSKA Moscow center Nenad Krstic one of those failing to show, as he completes his move from the NBA to Russia.
But, Miroslav Raduljica has informed Ivkovic that he will not be with the team.
Raduljica, a member of Serbia’s silver-medal winning side at Eurobasket 2009 in Poland, has decided to stay away after an injury-prone campaign.
“He called me and said that it’s an honor to be called to play for Serbia, but added that he wanted to spend the summer with his family, trying to recover from injuries,” said coach Ivkovic. “It was a surprise for me as this was the first time in my career that a player used a phone to inform me that he won’t play for the national team.”
In addition to Krstic, who will join the team in three days (July 9), and Raduljica, Ivkovic won’t be able to count on big men Milovan Rakovic or Ivan Radenovic.
Rakovic is missing because of family issues, but Ivkovic said of the other: “Radenovic has a specific situation. Twice he was on the preliminary list but both times he didn’t make the final cut.”
“The first time it was because of injury, and the second time I’ve decided to give a chance to a younger player, Milan Macvan. That’s why Radenovic is in doubt, and he is currently without a club, too. He asked me politely to give him more time. Ivan is really decent young man,” Ivkovic continued.
There is a possibility that replacements will be called.
The 15 players who showed up for the opening day of Serbia’s training camp for this year’s Eurobasket are Milos Teodosic, Stefan Markovic, Milenko Tepic, Aleksandar Rasic, Uros Tripkovic, Dragan Milosavljevic, Ivan Paunic, Marko Keselj, Nemanja Bjelica, Marko Cakarevic, Milan Macvan, Dusko Savanovic, Novica Velickovic, Kosta Perovic and Boban Marjanovic.
Serbia are in Group B alongside: Germany, Latvia, France, Israel and Italy.
