"Jokić is a captain who leads by example!" Alimpijević for Sportal on Serbia, Red Star, and Partizan: No complaints, everyone wants the Serbian gene, but the EuroLeague dictates otherwise! /VIDEO/

So far, everything is going according to plan. Most importantly, the guys who answered the call for these August windows are all healthy, thank God. We have minimal, minimal problems, which is what makes us happiest – that preparations are proceeding exactly as planned, with a great atmosphere and good energy in training.Dušan Alimpijević, Serbia Head Coach

I actually see a different dynamic now compared to the July windows. In July, you could really see the fatigue, exhaustion, and a bit of mental strain. Players coming from seasons with ups and downs, with varying performances – I saw more of that kind of weariness in the July window. Besides not being in competitive form, which we're gradually building day by day, week by week, they are mentally, if nothing else, more relaxed. At least that's how it seems at the moment.This applies to us and everyone else. Generally, these are professionals at the highest possible level in this business, so it's a given that they take care of their bodies, probably in a different way than some others at a lower level. So these guys really look after their bodies, their preparation, their recovery, and ultimately, what's very important, they know their health issues, like minor injuries, and they treat them in the most professional way possible.Dušan Alimpijević, Serbia Head Coach

You know, the rosters weren't entirely different across all these windows, one after another. But if we look at the first window compared to this fourth one, perhaps 80-90 percent of the players have changed, maybe even more. However, each time they reunited for a new window, they discussed the system being implemented, and from my perspective, each subsequent window felt easier in that regard than the previous one. Unfortunately, this isn't about me experimenting; it's a given situation that we have to react to. We're simply not in a position to have all the players we call up available for these specific windows. And I'm not just talking about NBA players or those overseas. Primarily, they don't get club permission, and then there's the long journey and added strain for the players. We're talking about players in EuroLeague, EuroCup, domestic leagues... We very often face issues with calling up these players. This is, unfortunately, something most national teams encounter. The teams that don't have these problems are consistently the most successful in the FIBA windows. That's the long and short of it! We saw Turkey, who were in our group; they are a national team that can reliably count on 95 percent of their players in every window.Dušan Alimpijević, Serbia Head Coach

The moment you call up players and you have what you have at that moment, I genuinely stop thinking about those who couldn't come for whatever reason. However, during these windows, you haven't heard me complain or lament about missing players. So, whoever we have at that moment, those are the best players for me, and that's simply a fact; there's no great philosophy behind it.The main issue is that player call-ups are much better controlled if your players are, so to speak, "at hand," meaning they are close to your domestic leagues. Turkey, as mentioned, has this situation. Out of 14 to 16 players on their extended roster, if I'm not mistaken, 11 or 12 even play in their domestic league. So, they are simply close to their national team and federation, which can control things much better in the way Turkey already does.When you have players, 98 percent of whom play outside your country, it becomes very difficult to resolve. Firstly, communication between clubs, federations, and all parties on both sides is very challenging. I must immediately state that whatever Partizan and Crvena Zvezda had available, we received it all. So, that's another example that we don't have a problem calling up domestic players from our clubs; our clubs accommodate the national team. Therefore, the solution is not simple or close at hand. I assume that in the future, it will be closely linked to how strong our league is, where our players can play, or whether we have a large number of national team players in our top clubs.Is that possible?Everything requires a process and time. As I said, nothing, especially such complicated matters, happens overnight. I deeply believe that it can happen at some point. I am very happy, not just as a national team coach, but as a coach in this business. I am extremely happy that I come from a country that, for I don't know how many years, has invested exceptional money and has exceptional budgets available in the EuroLeague. So, Partizan and Crvena Zvezda, in terms of money, have never been as competitive with the rest of the EuroLeague as in the last few years. And that is automatically a prerequisite that if we have those best Serbian players, then at least the financial aspect is not an obstacle for them to return to their clubs.Dušan Alimpijević, Serbia Head Coach

Well, you know, I know that we are still a country that would much rather embrace that Serbian spirit in Serbian clubs. However, the quality of the league, and then the financial aspect, previously led to our players leaving for better financial contracts. Now, even if Partizan and Zvezda offered them that, I don't know if they would accept, because they probably have established habits with their families abroad. As I said at the beginning of your question, the trend and demands of the EuroLeague truly require something different than what domestic players alone can offer. Of course, we would be happiest and most satisfied to see what these clubs once had, but now the EuroLeague, or rather, the highest standards of basketball, dictate different conditions.Dušan Alimpijević, Serbia Head Coach

Well, it was simply an agreement to meet at the gathering. We know what Bogdan, primarily as a player, former captain, and leader, represents for this national team. And of course, they are welcome, even if there are obstacles at the moment, and there's no way to overcome those obstacles for them to participate in these windows. That doesn't diminish his importance for this national team in the future. So, it was an agreement to meet, to talk a bit, not just over the phone, because both he and I, due to our obligations, hadn't managed to meet before the gathering. So, we took the opportunity to make a plan for the national team's future actions.Dušan Alimpijević, Serbia Head Coach

It's a satisfaction for everyone. Personally, I think, thank God for it, we are in a situation where we are simply participants in a time when we have the best basketball player in the world in our ranks. So, that would be a source of pride for any country, and no less for us. As a captain… personally, at this moment, I don't see anyone else to whom it belongs more, regardless of the playing quality or human qualities of other players, because this national team is truly made up of a group of great guys, great people. I emphasize that this coaching job is truly a labor of love for me, because I enjoy so much the wonderful atmosphere among them. This is the fourth window, thank God, that atmosphere has only repeated and intensified without any problems. So, Nikola is someone who has taken on this captain's role very responsibly, just like everything else he does in his life. Indeed, he is a man who leads by example. By example of how to come to practice, how to come to meetings, meals, how to behave, and most importantly, how to play for his country.Dušan Alimpijević, Serbia Head Coach

Time is truly needed for such things. I am sure that even with that first roster, or that first selection we had in the window, there was certainly a shock. Because it's simply different for me, different for them. And as each window passed, we naturally had more phone calls, more discussions, we collaborated more… Everything settled much better, so now, in this fourth window we're in, I have the impression that we've been together for a very long time. Practically, in November, it will be a year since we've been together through these qualification actions. That's not a small period, and it's where you simply see all the things that are truly good and should be kept, but it's also enough time, if we are smart people, to correct everything that isn't good.Dušan Alimpijević, Serbia Head Coach

I am extremely happy because there is a positive euphoria surrounding the basketball national team... As someone involved in sports, I truly believe that basketball, not only is it a beautiful sport, and I try not to be biased on that matter, but I have the impression that among indoor sports, it fills arenas the fastest. In our ranks, we have one of the best players, leaders, champions... Let's not forget we also have Milutinov who won the EuroLeague. So, these are all nice benefits of this roster, and consequently, that positive atmosphere, which I won't say is being created again, because in my personal opinion, it never really stopped – but truly, even if it quieted down a bit, it's now at the highest possible level, which we can see in the friendly match against France. What I would like to take this opportunity to say, since we're talking about this positive atmosphere around the national team, for me personally, France is important for the brand of basketball, for new generations to come and see these aces on both sides. But for me personally, I would like to see that kind of positive euphoria for Iceland when we play at home. So, we've achieved nothing if we fill the Arena against France, and then have a half-empty hall against Iceland. These guys truly deserve for us to do it the right way.Dušan Alimpijević, Serbia Head Coach

We know that Italians are traditionally tough opponents for us. But there's still a long way to go until Italy, let's say three games... Time and the games themselves will reveal all the things we need to fix before Italy, to be perfectly clear. And we expect the two-game series with France to show us exactly that. So, all the things we need to correct, to work on, and the good things we need to keep. Iceland – complete focus on a team that can be very unpleasant. Let's not forget that this is a team that beat Italy once and Lithuania once in previous windows, and even beat Turkey once in the past year. So, however cliché it sounds that "everyone plays basketball today," times have truly changed, and if you don't pay attention to any team, as Switzerland ultimately showed, it can be very unpleasant. So, the most serious, maximum approach against them.Dušan Alimpijević, Serbia Head Coach

Well, you know, in the last three years, or rather, throughout these three years, we have truly elevated Beşiktaş organizationally to an incredible level compared to what it was and what it is now. Turkey is a country where football is a religion, where people are ready for anything when it comes to football.Yes, and basketball will truly never come close to the euphoria that surrounds football. However, these three clubs – Fenerbahçe, Galatasaray, and my Beşiktaş – are three clubs with an incredible fan base. We're talking about a base of around 20 million for my club. It was initially unbelievable for me to even comprehend that a club could have 20 million fans. I come from a country with about 7 million inhabitants, so that's an unprecedented euphoria. We were lucky, thank God for that, that we grew as a club, as an organization, every year. The fans recognized this immensely, and to our general surprise, at one point, basketball perhaps equaled football in popularity, at least concerning my club. It also helped that football results were a bit weaker at the time, but truly, through that euphoria, we reached a point where... Turkey, which has an extremely strong league, we climbed to a very important second place. So, that Efes, with its history and all its titles and everything they've done, absolutely deserves first or second place, but we've pushed Efes below us for two of the last three years, and there was generally more euphoria for Beşiktaş than for Efes, which is a EuroLeague club.Now, at this moment, or rather a few months ago, and even now as EuroLeague participants, we see this as a reward for the continuity we've built over those three years. No one can just stumble into the EuroLeague, and no one is invited by chance; there are certainly reasons for interest... So, the four finals we played this year and the way the crowd created that atmosphere, all of that together sent signals to the EuroLeague to invite us and fill the spot left by Monaco. So, we see this season as one where we want to show the EuroLeague that we can be reliable partners in the future and that we absolutely intend to remain at that elite level.Dušan Alimpijević, Serbia Head Coach

Well, our club does a pretty good job with the marketing and media side, and they... it's... it's again, when we talk about organizations, for my understanding, until I actually came to Beşiktaş, even though I had been in quite good organizations with many employees, but the number of employees in all spheres, it's incomprehensible to us. So, their media department also has an... incredible number of people, and they really pay a lot of attention to marketing. Dušan Vlahović, as one of the most popular names that has emerged, is certainly a marketing magnet, so that's just one of... about 100 clips and videos have been released, and more are coming.Dušan Alimpijević, Serbia Head Coach

You know, I'm not even sure... I'm not sure why, but they really love people from our region. And every player who has appeared... I had the chance to meet Duško Tošić, I know the mark he left there. There are people who still remember those times with Duško. It's an incredible emotion towards sports. Incredible, meaning they tend to exaggerate everything. If it's joy, they exaggerate; if it's sadness, they exaggerate... It's truly a rollercoaster of emotions with the Turks.You see, this thing with me also started spontaneously through... because it stemmed from a previous situation where Beşiktaş, before us, before my coaching staff and our arrival, was fighting for survival, and then suddenly we were reaching semi-finals, finals, and that sent a signal for people to support it, they loved our emotion and the way we work, and then that... that whole euphoria around the name came about. Dušan Vlahović, as a big star, just built upon that, so they will just continue with this practice they have.Dušan Alimpijević, Serbia Head Coach

I am personally friends with Nikola, and of course, I can understand his decision. As he himself explained, certain life circumstances led him to perhaps end his career a little earlier.Personally, I am extremely sorry, because a top athlete and competitor is ending his career, a man who left an incredible mark, not only in the clubs he played for but also in the national team. If I'm not mistaken, he played 100 games for the national team. His departure, considering his warrior mentality and everything his personality entails, certainly represents a big loss for basketball.Dušan Alimpijević, Serbia Head Coach