Nikola Jokic, the Serbian center who led the Denver Nuggets to their first NBA ring, will not play the basketball world championship with Serbia citing fatigue after a long season, Serbian coach Svetislav Pesic said.
"We have had several conversations with him, they were very good conversations. He is not physically and mentally ready to take responsibility in the way that is expected of him," Pesic said at a press conference in Belgrade.
Pesic indicated that he will not be able to count on Vasilje Micic, point guard for the Oklahoma City Thunder, who is not physically well after a season in which he suffered several injuries and is still undergoing treatment.
Nikola Kalinic, power forward for Barcelona, will be another of the great absentees from the Serbian team in the World Cup, which will be held from August 25 to September 10 in Indonesia, Japan and the Philippines. Serbia is in group B, with China, Puerto Rico and South Sudan.
