Dusan Alimpijevic, the newly appointed head coach of the Serbian national basketball team, recently shared his plans and philosophy in his first press conference. He spoke about the pride he feels in taking on this major role and made a clear statement about the team’s identity moving forward.
Alimpijevic’s appointment marks a new chapter for Serbian basketball, one of the top teams in the world. His immediate decision to exclude naturalized players—foreign-born players given citizenship to play for a country—reinforces the nation’s strong commitment to developing homegrown talent and sets a clear tone for his leadership.
🙏 A Great Honor and Privilege
Taking the helm of the national team is a role Alimpijevic deeply respects. He acknowledged the great coaches who came before him and expressed his gratitude to the Serbian Basketball Federation for the opportunity. “The pressure I feel is a privilege very few have,” he said, highlighting his pride. “I can’t express how proud I am.” He understands how much basketball means to the country and is ready to dedicate himself fully to the job.
⚖️ Juggling Two Demanding Roles
In addition to his national team duties, Alimpijevic is also the head coach of the Turkish club, Beşiktaş. He admitted that this dual responsibility means he will have no free time, but he sees it as a dream come true for a coach. “You have to be very disciplined in life,” he explained, noting that he will have to carefully plan how he divides his hours between his two teams.
🛡️ Keeping the Team All-Serbian
When asked about the team’s roster, Alimpijevic made his stance on foreign players very clear. He confirmed that he will not include any “naturalized” players during his time as coach. “A foreigner… no, not while I’m the coach,” he stated firmly. “We know what we are as a country, and we wouldn’t be like this if we had one.” This decision emphasizes his belief in the strength and depth of Serbian-born basketball talent.
📋 A Flexible Game Plan for Now
Regarding the team’s style of play, Alimpijevic remained practical. He explained that it is too early to define a specific strategy because the final roster of players is not yet known. “It would be absurd to say we’ll play this or that type of basketball because we don’t yet know who we’ll have,” he commented. This approach shows he plans to build his system around the players who will be available.
