What's happening with Serbian basketball???

[Karbo]

This thread is sort of an explanations, what is really happening with a Serbian National Team in last few years?
Why Serbia went from World Champion (2 times in a row) to second last (EP2005 Belgrade)?
As most of you know, Serbia was affected by war that took place in ex Yugoslavia, back in 90’s. So living standard and economy of the Serbia is fucked big time. Heaps of corruptions, crime, est.
Therefore, people in a Basketball Committee of Serbian National Team are making BIG money by pushing some “players” into national team, so they can get better transfers (more $$$) in European Clubs or NBA?!!
Many good and talented players, such as Peja Stojakovic, Nenad Krstic, Sasa Pavlovic and young & talented domestic players are refusing National Singlet (as we call it) or they didn’t get an invitation. Because they don’t want to play for “mafia” or their NBA contracts are not good (high) enough.
There is so many corruption in Basketball Committee of Serbian & Montenegro its unbelievable. Luckily, we (Serbia) are very crazy-about-basketball country, so we will last. Hopefully Vlade Divac and Sasa Danilovic will get rid of this “mafia” soon.

World Cup Champions:
Ljubljana 1970
Manila 1978
Buenos Aires 1990
Athens 1998
Indianapolis 2002

Olypics:
Moscow 1980

European Championship:
Barselona 1973
Belgrade 1975
Lijez 1977
Zagreb 1989
Rome 1991
Athens 1995
Barselona 1997
Istanbul 2001

[BadMann]

serbia will recover from war , it was said that sebia will join eu in 2012 ,

you are the only guy in our comuity i know from serbia , wish more mates form serbia

[Picek]

World Cup Champions:
Ljubljana 1970
Manila 1978
Buenos Aires 1990


Olypics:
Moscow 1980

European Championship:
Barselona 1973
Belgrade 1975
Lijez 1977
Zagreb 1989
Rome 1991

these trophies weren't won by a serbian national team, they were won by yugoslavian national team which included players from few countries, not just from Serbia.

[Marble]

Serbian basketball can never fade away.As Karbo said,people there love basketball too much to let it die.And as far as I know,there are lots of young talents to keep your tradition in the future.
These last years there were mentality problems in your team.Many players either just cared for themselves or weren't actually that willing to play..By the way,I'm a bit dissapointed from Peja..It's been 3 years since he last played.Why?Ok,he's tired and he had two kids-I'll give him that..
More generally speaking,I think Serbia (former Yugoslavia,to be more precise)
is probably the most succesful country in team sports,considering the country's population as well.They are on top level in basketball,volleyball,water polo and pretty good at football too.

[Joško Poljak Fan]

I think it's not just Serbia, I believe the same problems are affecting all of the ex-Yugo republics.
After the 91 Croatia was a major superpower, Serbia didn't get the chance to proove themselves (although Partizan's title in 92, not playing in Belgrade is an unprecvedent achievement sowing that Serbia was exceptional strong in bball as well...), Croatia slowely declined after Barcelona, while Serbia had some more unussed potential and imo wider base of bball players, so basketball succes lasted untill Indianapolis 2002.
right now all ex-Yu have in common that they've all been raising players in strongest league in Europe- I remember some bball player saying, if it wasn't for Jugoplastika, Zvezda, Zadar, Cibona, Vojvodina and IMT in front of us in 90 in national championship we (Olimpija) could fight for euroleague title... of course overexaggerated statement, but it's true the championship we've had was unbelievably strong (since players weren't allowed to go abroad untill turning 23 or 24, or something like that).
Right now this league is gone, adriatic league is getting "robbed" year after year, staying at the same level due to talents stepping up, and would need some more tough games for the youngsters to develope.
Also with enormous talents being produced year after year, they almost exclusevely turn into big-time scorers instead of developing into a well-rounded players... they get to NBA, ACB, Lega, Heba due to that but not as polished as for example Kukoč was when leaving for Benneton, or Radja, or Sale, Divac or Danilović...

so all ex-Yu republics now have rosters with great scoring potential, loosing it's previous mentality to modestly share the bball (Planinič, Rakočević, Laković...) and turning to scoring they're also loosing that nasty Savić, Vranković, Zdovc -like defense players from this area were known to play...

Basketball is changing with more athleticism and less height and fundamentals, where ex-Yu was in particulary strong.

Other countries cought up- those expensive foreign players that were playing in Italy, Greece, Spain are starting to pay off since they brought up the level of their leagues, while ex-Yu is living from day to day...

and at the end one of the more important things... Brain immigration- ex-Yu had the best coaches in the world, thanks to phenomenal Aca Nikolić- the father of ex-Yu bball imo... all those great coaches are now working abroad for big money... and good coach is pricelss for polishing a young talented player


I think the point of the problem is the league... but I am expecting some improvements in this direction... Zvezda will return someday, Partizan can't be that bad forever either, if not anything else, they'll earn some enormous money with their youngsters, Cibona is mediocre for the past 5-6 years, Olimpija had lots of troubles since Sagadin's departure, but looks like it's returning back this season... and without those 4 teams being strong (+Zadar and Bosna) there is no strong bball league in ex-Yu.

...sorry if my post was unreadable since it's lenght, it's just my point of view and that is never short

[HABIBI]

I think that the roster could be much better .With those kids you can go nowhere so simple.

[Karbo]

I think the point of the problem is the league... but I am expecting some improvements in this direction... Zvezda will return someday, Partizan can't be that bad forever either, if not anything else, they'll earn some enormous money with their youngsters, Cibona is mediocre for the past 5-6 years, Olimpija had lots of troubles since Sagadin's departure, but looks like it's returning back this season... and without those 4 teams being strong (+Zadar and Bosna) there is no strong bball league in ex-Yu.

Well the thing is domestic league and huge corruption problems. Many young guys are put aside so kidds (of a local gangster/mafia member/politician) can play few games or they can do what ever they wants/wishes.
That thing effects first league and national team too. Beacuse fathers sons are "forced" (payed) to play instead of some very talented kid.

Picek i admit i made a mistake, all the medals before 1990. Yugoslavia won with a mix of playes from all 6 republics from Former Yugoslavia.
But 94's to 2002. era was clearlly Serbian & Montenegro. Most of the Montenegro players are from Crvena Zvezda, Partizan, FMP, Hemofarm, Buducnost (only MN team).

Only good thing is, that any time in the year (outta 365 days) u can play a very good and quality street basket. No matter is it 40C or -25C people are still playin.
I remember back in `96. we cleared our outside courts in January and played. It was freezin` but it was fun and felt good.

[CG]

first of all i am glad that there is a Sebian friend with us.I thought nobody is in this forum.
i would like to say that even with the big rivalry between Greece and S&M the decade of 90s and a little 2000 and so on we beleive that you are our brothers.Thnks a lot for the Serbian fans last year in the tournament which were celebrating with us in the end of the final 2 games of Hellas.I wish you will be back soon.I will never forget our matches on the Mundobasket of Athens or in the EC those seasons.I wish you good luck

[Karbo]

Hello my Greek friend!!!

I will never forget our matches on the Mundobasket of Athens or in the EC those seasons.

That was most petrifying game for Yugo NT in 90's ever. Only Greek fans from Tsalmoniki were with us (Serbs).
But no matter what, heaps of Greeks help out Serbian familys that lost their fathers and brother in 90's civil war. So many kidds were lookafter by Greeks. Very nice from Greek people.

[BadMann]

whats the average height of serbs ? are there many serbs as tall as you ?

are there some guy in club using growth hormone to grow taller ?

PS : as long as many guys play bball , serbian basket cant fade away ,

[Karbo]

I don't know about average height of Serbs, but Serbs from Bosnia and Hertzegovina are bloody tall. Especially Hertzegovina region (im born there, Mostar, capital of Hertzegovina), so many tall and strong people.

To be honest, im not that tall, im only 198cms tall (wich is a perfect height for a point guard or small forward). Many NBA point guards are from 195-203cms tall.

Since i was a litle kidd i always wanted to be 208cms (tall as Shawn Kemp). My wish never come true.

are there some guy in club using growth hormone to grow taller ?

As i know, nobody is using that in Serbia. Most of the kidds are geneticly tall. That is in our DNA!
Look at Mile Ilic, Nemanja Aleksandrov, Nenad Krstic, Darko Milicic, Kosta Perovic. All were bloody tall as youngsters.

Since i was 15 i stop growin, not even a mm. Only my kilos are increasing!

[BadMann]

you are so tall , , not compared to NBA long man , but us ordinary man,

oh , which is the tallest guy you know , not in bc club ,

in street of serbia , how tall is the ordinary man ? is anybody in serbia can grow above 190 ? not bballer , but all people ,

if you are intereting , you can talk with me please send me message , if you are intersting ,

[Srle]

Well with Bojic,Stojanovic,Knezevic and company we will continue to struggle. We have to rid of these punks. They dont know nothing about basketball. Too bad we have great youngsters and golden generation who won all three European titles. I worry about them.

[No1]

you are so tall , , not compared to NBA long man , but us ordinary man,

oh , which is the tallest guy you know , not in bc club ,

in street of serbia , how tall is the ordinary man ? is anybody in serbia can grow above 190 ? not bballer , but all people ,

if you are intereting , you can talk with me please send me message , if you are intersting ,

Yes we very tall nation.In Serbia many people have 190cm
,with Montenegros we are tallest nation in Europe.I am 194 cm.And that truth for people from Herzegovina they tallest avarage in world i think.

[No1]

Big problem in our basketball is league.In past,ex-yu,we have very strong league and our talent go on top.We are first in Eurpe for 20 age players and 5,for 18 and 3 for 16.And we have potential for the best but poor land and bad clubs destry our talent.Problem in our bb organiztion is also big but that is second problem.