By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
“Why can’t he get a ring? If anyone deserves it, it’s Jokic”, Vlade Divac commented during a visit to an elementary school in Novi Sad. The two-time NBA MVP will have the opportunity to win that ring against the Miami Heat during the 2023 NBA Finals, after crushing Divac’s former team, the Los Angeles Lakers.
Vlade Divac, who stepped down as Sacramento Kings‘ General Manager in 2020, also commented on the level of Balcan players in the NBA. “Jokic definitely raised the bar for everyone, both those before him and those in front of him, so we are his big fans and we hope for success this year. Our basketball players come from an advanced school basketball. Nikola is ours and it’s wonderful to watch him and we hope to win the title this year as well”, he said.
The success could also involve the 2023 FIBA World Cup, where Serbia will play in Manila’s Group B alongside Sud Sudan, China, and Puerto Rico. “Why not? We have quality, the new generation is good and successful, they made successes and I hope that this year and next they will also have success at the World and European Championships. In terms of quality, we are at the top, what should be better? The key is chemistry and attitude toward playing for the national team, and I hope that the next generation will create that. When you have chemistry in the team, it helps in difficult times”, Vlade Divac added.
PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images