Alimpijević Sounds the Alarm After France: "We Already Know Some Players Are Ending Their National Team Careers! Are We Ready as a Nation?"

"A good test for us. They're missing a few players, but they're incredibly athletic, especially with Victor and Rudy. We had a dip in the fourth quarter, but we controlled the game throughout." - Nikola Jokić

"I always feel a bit rusty. It takes some adjustment to get into condition and find our rhythm. That's why we have these two games. I hope we'll be ready for Italy, Lithuania, and Iceland. Every game is important to me; there are no 'friendly' matches, only preparatory ones. For us, this was a preparation game; we're building habits that remain consistent, regardless of the type of match. I hope we'll reduce the number of mistakes in the upcoming games." - Nikola Jokić

"He is definitely one of the most unique basketball players in the world. His progress depends on him; it's up to him to put in the work. But he certainly has the potential to become the best." - Nikola Jokić

"I must congratulate the Federation for arranging these two games with France. I don't think we could have asked for a bigger sporting spectacle – two excellent national teams with two leading NBA stars, right here in Belgrade. Serbia had the chance to see two of the biggest NBA superstars. A brilliant move by the Federation. I'm extremely satisfied with the game. Not necessarily with the result, but because we identified areas for improvement. This game served its purpose in preparing us for Iceland. In my opinion, France, along with Turkey, is probably the most potent team in Europe. We had little time to prepare, and I think we looked good on the court. We're constantly changing lineups from window to window, and that's becoming less noticeable. Coaches have to adapt to situations; that's why I'm playing with fewer guards, I have fewer 'ball-handlers' than I'm used to, but who could be a better point guard than Nikola Jokić?" - Dušan Alimpijević

"Absolutely. We contained Victor; he only scored 10 points. We showed good transition defense, aggressive guard play through screens – all things I asked for. There were many mistakes, which are part of basketball, but they are very valuable to us. It would be bad if this happened against Iceland. We will play the next match against France completely differently; we need to protect all players for the upcoming window." - Dušan Alimpijević

"We anticipated they would play with two tall players. We knew they would play a good portion of the game with two centers. The power forward guarded Victor tonight, which is what they do in the NBA because he moves like a power forward with his dimensions. In the last practice before the game, we prepared for Jokić and Milutinov to be in the lineup together. This isn't something we're preparing for Iceland, but it worked out excellently tonight." - Dušan Alimpijević

"They are probably the most athletically powerful national team in Europe. Besides talent, they possess outstanding athletic abilities, which forces opponents into panic, turnovers, and shots from nine meters out. That demands adaptation. We scored 90 points against a very aggressive French team, and I'm very pleased with that. We had a broader rotation because we didn't want to overexert our players." - Dušan Alimpijević

"This is very important for popularizing the sport. Basketball has been on a downward trend. I've never experienced what was happening at the hotel over the past few days, so many children waiting to take pictures with Wembanyama. This full Arena, the excellent atmosphere, and so many children in their heroes' jerseys truly gladden me." - Dušan Alimpijević

"If we qualify for the World Cup, are we, as a nation, a state, a sporting public, ready for a generational change? That's always painful; everyone will say 'yes, we're ready,' but we know what it will be like if results start to go poorly. In the younger categories, we have 'ball-handlers'... A generational change awaits us; we already know that some players will end their national team careers. There are young talents. As for Nikola Đurišić, all young guys are important to us. These are the people who are the future; they must be given a chance. But then I have a counter-question: how satisfied are you with the veteran player Nemanja Dangubić, who changed the rhythm with his aggression and hit a three-pointer? Young players have someone to learn from." - Dušan Alimpijević