Pesic: “We didn’t fail Eurobasket-if we had played a series of matches we wouldn’t lose from Finland”

For him Svetislav Pesic Serbia has not failed in Eurobasketthough he entered the event as an absolute favorite for gold, but was excluded from the ’16 ‘by Finland.

“It is probably a failure for media and Serbian fans. For me, a disappointment. It was very sad, not only because of the defeat by Finland, but also because we didn’t have enough time. I don’t think it was a failure. Finland is no better than Serbia: in a series of three or five matches, we would win. But in a game, everything is possible“Pesic, who left the Serbian bench, said.

Special reference made to the Nikola Yokic. “We have one of the best in history, such as Jokic, and when you have it, you automatically think you have to win, but that is not the case. A player does not make a team on his own. Jokic is the best player I have trained in my career. He is definitely the best player, before, during and off the field. He is someone who understands the meaning of the word responsibility, and if you have Jokic, you have an motivation“, He said.

“Nikola has improved in every aspect of his game. If you look back for four or five years and see its last season with Denver, you can see its improvement, for him, defense is not a problem. Certainly everyone can do more in the defense, and it can do it, but for him the attack is more difficult because of the rules of FIBA ​​because there is no room. So it’s easier for him to defend. It can always be better defended better, but its big problem is in the attack because the NBA has the regulation of irregular defense, not here. The attack is more uncomfortable for him“, He added.

Finally, he made it clear that the coaching was not over for him, even though he was 76 years old. “My energy comes from basketball. I believe I haven’t finished yet. I don’t know what will happen tomorrow, but every day I feel like I have to think about basketball. What can be done better. I talk to coaches, with people who live this sport. This is still motivating me, I think about how I can improve as a coach and as a human being or how I can affect our sport“, He concluded.