NBA stars Gilas will face in WC
Credit to Author: Tempo Online| Date: Sun, 17 Mar 2019 17:00:52 +0000
Nikola Jokic, Milos Teodosic, Boban Marjanovic and Danilo Gallinari are among the names Gilas Pilipinas may face in Group D of the FIBA World Cup in Foshan, China.
Jokic, Teodosic and Marjanovic are likely to suit up for 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympic runner-up Serbia while Gallinari may make a comeback with Italy in the competition set Aug. 31 to Sept. 15.
Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets (Bart Young / NBAE / Getty Images / AFP)
All but Teodosic are currently playing in the NBA, prompting them to miss serving their national teams during the six-window World Cup Qualifiers that began in late-2017.
The 24-year-old Jokic is having his best season yet, averaging 20.2 points, 10.8 rebounds and 7.6 assists for the Denver Nuggets while playing his first-ever All-Star Game last month in Charlotte.
Marjanovic, who stands 7-foot-3, is averaging 7.3 points and 4.6 rebounds this season for the Los Angeles Clippers and currently the Philadelphia 76ers.
His former teammate Gallinari has posted 19.4 points in 58 games for the Clippers, who are close to making the playoffs in the Western Conference.
The former New York Knick and Denver Nugget hasn’t donned the Italian jersey since the 2017 Eurobasket. Gallinari skipped last year’s third window of the World Cup Qualifiers to focus on his NBA preparation.
Teodosic, on the other hand, recently made his return to Europe after two injury-riddled seasons with the Clippers.
The 6-foot-5 guard has been instrumental in Serbia’s run to a silver medal in the aforementioned 2014 World Cup in Spain and 2016 Olympics in Rio, losing both times to the United States.
A familiar name will also call the shots for Serbia in Aleksandar Dordevic, who once teamed up with NBA legend Vlade Divac for the former Yugoslavia. (Jonas Terrado)