World Cup in Asia
Basketball World Cup without NBA star Jokic
Nikola Jokic will not be at the World Cup in Asia. photo
© Jack Dempsey/AP/dpa
The best basketball player of the past NBA season will take a break at the World Cup. Without Jokic, the starting position for Serbia in Asia will also change.
The Basketball World Cup will be without Serbia’s star players and NBA champion Nikola Jokic will take place. The outstanding Denver Nuggets center is not included in the expanded Serbs roster presented in Belgrade.
The 28-year-old Jokic has the most successful year of his career behind him and not only won the championship trophy in the North American professional league, but also the title as the most valuable player in the final series. There were already rumors on Sunday that Jokic would miss the World Cup in Asia (August 25th to September 10th).
Serbia also loses its status as a co-favourite. Jokic was part of the team that captured Olympic silver in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. In recent years, however, there have been repeated disappointments. This was also the case at the European Championships a year ago, when the Serbs and their star Jokic were defeated by Italy in the round of 16. In the World Cup preliminary round in Manila, coach Svetislav Pesic’s team is in a manageable group against Puerto Rico, China and South Sudan.
Antetokounmpo also doubtful for the World Cup
The Greek star player Giannis Antetokounmpo is also in doubt about participating in the World Cup in Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines. Slovenia’s top player Luka Doncic is planning an assignment.
Top favorites USA travel to the World Cup with a squad peppered with NBA professionals, but also have to do without numerous stars. Spain is the defending champion. The German team around Captain Dennis Schröder is also one of the medal contenders one year after the bronze medal at the European Championships.