YUBA League legend now crafting Swedish basketball miracle: Stevan Peković speaks to Sportal on shattering Balkan stereotypes

"When I played in the Winston YUBA League as an 18-year-old, every team had a star player. At Hemofarm, Stevan Peković was practically their Jordan! He was impossible to guard. He could score from anywhere—knocking down an eight-meter three-pointer as if it were a layup. He'd cross half-court and just let it fly."

I've lived in Sweden for eight years. I have my day job, and I've been involved with KK Sloga for the past four to five years alongside the Bajić family. We're running a serious sports project and taking steady steps toward full professionalism. We're constantly learning and improving on the fly compared to our time in the Superettan, the second division. We've spent two seasons in the SBL, Sweden's top tier, which is a massive achievement. In just seven or eight years, the club went from a cultural association to the premier league. We're here, helping each other out, and enjoying every moment.

I got involved completely by chance. Eight years ago, I attended a game in Stockholm and met the club's key figures through a mutual friend, Marko Rašić, who also serves as an advisor. We're here to help however we can, and time will tell how successful we are. My hope is that we keep growing and becoming more professional. The Bajić family is entirely dedicated to sports. Grandparents Dragan and Dragica have three children who all played basketball, with Jelena being the most accomplished. They played until their junior years before focusing on their education, but their passion for the game remained. Miloš currently plays for Sloga. It's a fantastic family story, and they probably don't even realize the magnitude of what they've built. Dragica, a neuropsychiatrist in her sixties, will happily mop the court before a game without hesitation. We will keep building with the dream of turning fully professional one day. If not, we'll remain at this level, proud of having built something truly special.

The core of the roster is completely new this year. It's a younger team that can handle higher training demands. Siniša is also a young coach. They deserve full backing and patience, without rushed judgments about their ability, allowing time for everything to click. Our primary goal is player development—helping young individuals grow into better players, coaches, and people. Those of us with more experience are not here to hold anyone back, but rather to embrace them and guide their progress.

We work hard to dismantle those stereotypes, even if it's challenging. Older generations from the Balkans—whether Serbian, Montenegrin, Croatian, or Bosnian—left a certain legacy behind that we still carry. Our focus is strictly on sports. There have been negative associations with crime in the past, but I have never been part of that world and never will be. That Balkan stigma exists, but it doesn't define us all. We want to show that our community includes doctors, journalists, and former athletes, and we strive to project a positive image. While the club originated from a Serbian cultural association, Sloga is not exclusively Serbian. We have Croats, Bosniaks, Montenegrins, and others. We are a tight-knit community where background doesn't matter; what counts is supporting one another. Personal interests are put aside—we share the same vision and stay grounded.

As the club expands, we are dedicating more resources to our youth academy, and we also have a women's team. The Balkan diaspora in Sweden is substantial, and children from the region have a unique drive and development path. Our goal is to create a lasting legacy so that down the road, we can look back and know we were part of something meaningful.

I don't have an official title because I live in Stockholm, have my own career and family, and can't spend every day in the gym. I act as an advisor. I step in whenever I can, just like over these past two days with you. I believe members of the media and the Basketball Federation of Serbia deserve our utmost respect, and we are grateful for your presence at our local derby. I try to contribute through my vast experience and honest, straightforward communication. I have no hidden agenda that would stop me from speaking candidly. I don't pretend to know everything—I listen to all perspectives, offer my advice, and fully support the coaching staff. Last season, I served as an assistant to former coach Marko Vuković. The most important thing is that the club keeps moving forward and raising the bar each year, with the ultimate goal of one day winning the Swedish championship.

I stay away from the financial side—that's managed by the board of directors. My responsibility is strictly the sporting and basketball operations, where I provide my input. Last year, we set a target to deliver significant results within three years, which we've now adjusted to five. Hopefully, over the next four to five years, we can build a roster capable of contending at the very top.

I recently began scouting youth talent for an American agency. In recent years, I find myself watching Crvena Zvezda and Partizan less frequently, which is somewhat heartbreaking. The traditional derby rivalry has lost its soul because rosters change constantly, with players simply swapping jerseys. Miljenović got 30 seconds of court time; team captain Dobrić played three or four minutes. What hurts me most is what I'd call the gradual decline of homegrown Balkan basketball—so many talented young players get discouraged or take the wrong paths because they aren't given a genuine chance. I could understand a heavy reliance on foreign imports if our clubs were consistently reaching the Final Four like Olympiacos. But when finishing anywhere between eighth and 19th place, why not give those minutes to our domestic talent, allowing them to mature both on the court and commercially? Young players need developmental opportunities early. I'd love to see league regulations requiring at least half of every roster to consist of domestic players, rather than watching national team players and prospects warm the bench for a couple of garbage-time minutes. The global trend is heading the other way, but I firmly stand against it.