Having won silver at the World Championship in Manila, our national team secured participation in the Olympic Games in Paris and Lille, which was announced as the strongest of all time. The Americans sent the best they had, the French, led by the sensational Victor Vembanjam, wanted to present themselves in the best light on their home field, and the current world champions, the Germans, also came for a medal. Unlike some previous championships, this time Serbia also sent the best they had
Something that was suspected for a long time and was not claimed with full conviction, in 2024 received a definitive confirmation - basketball is by far the most popular sport in Serbia.
There are many entrenched opinions related to this nation that are highly debatable and the truth of which is questionable, but the fact that Serbia is definitely the country of basketball does not belong in that category. With the increase in the number of games played by the clubs, fans of Partizan and Crvena zvezda sit in their armchairs or broken chairs in the Belgrade Arena every other day, watching their pets compete against the best teams in European basketball.
The summer was reserved for the basketball team, which, unlike the football team, delighted the nation again, and gave us one of the most important and beloved medals in history.
The matches of Belgrade's eternal rivals are the most attended in the entire Euroleague, for which "a higher ticket is requested" even though the ticket prices are abnormally high, and Serbia is the only country in Europe where all matches of the highest quality competition are broadcast directly. In addition, a good part of the population practices that their first morning activity is a look at the results and effects of our best players, Nikola Jokić and Bogdan Bogdanović in the NBA league the previous evening.
The phenomenon of "fantasies", i.e. specialized applications that allow fans to create their own teams, choosing players from various teams within the imaginary budget they have, and then compete with each other, has additionally given basketball its popularity through interest in various statistical parameters. Therefore, you should not be surprised if at the next table in the cafe you hear analyzes of the games of our clubs in the Euroleague, but also complaints about the performances of the playmakers of Paris or the wing center of Panathinaikos.
Of course, or unfortunately, increased interest in a certain topic in these areas brings with it increased tensions, given our passion and temperament. Domestic competitions could not pass without scandals, announcements, threats and leaving the field, which casts a huge shadow on all the magnificent things we watched, and it concerns the sport itself.
EUROPEAN DISAPPOINTMENTS I "STATE PROJECT
With the return of Željko Obradović to domestic basketball in 2021, both Belgrade clubs profited heavily. Partizan, which was on the brink of the abyss and finished the previous season in seventh place in the ABA league, got the most trophy-winning coach in the history of European basketball, and with him far more lucrative sponsorships, unprecedented fan euphoria, incredible income from ticket sales, reputation and image among foreign players, and finally participation in the Euroleague. The red and whites also got a lot - from a bigger budget to the increased interest of their fans, because everyone wants to beat a quality opponent, and Partizan with Obradović is a far more attractive prospect than Partizan from some previous seasons.
The start of the calendar year 2024 also marked the entry into the second part of the regular part of last season's edition of the Euroleague. It was becoming clear that our teams would have a hard time reaching the playoffs of this competition. Crvena zvezda recorded very bad results from the start, while Partizan fell into a result crisis at the end of December of the previous year, from which it did not manage to get out. Defeats followed in uncertain endings, and at the end of the competition, black and white finished eleventh with a score of 16–18, and red and white sixteenth with 11–23.
In the meantime, the final of the Radivoj Korać Cup, which is traditionally held in Nis, took place. Crvena zvezda managed to defeat Partizan in the final with a score of 85:79 and win its thirteenth trophy in this competition. The hall was packed, the atmosphere heated, and tensions continued even after the last sound of the siren. A huge precedent was set by the fact that the best domestic referees, who regularly judge the Euroleague and the ABA League, did not do justice at this edition of KRK. Trust was given to young and inexperienced referees, who lack experience for such matches.
At the press conference after the match, Željko Obradović raised this topic, as well as the topic of club financing. He called on the leading people of Partizan to publicly present the financing data, wanting to prove that Partizan is not what Red Star fans call it - a state project. All of this went to a higher, political level, so the president of the state also made an express announcement in one of the TV guest appearances and characterized Obradović's statement as an "attack on the state". Although it was expected that the situation would calm down, we soon received official data from both clubs, which showed that Partizan's budget really depends less on the state in terms of percentage, but also in terms of the amount of funds it receives.
Not long after, Obradović received the biggest ovation since his return to the club at the match against Anadolu Efes. The fans clearly got behind their coach, who reciprocated by signing the coach's board with a marker. This gesture caused enthusiasm in the stands straight to the basket for the victory in the last second. A month and a half later, Obradović signed a formal, legally valid contract with Partizan, extending the current one for another two seasons.
FIGHTS AND SCANDALS
The Euroleague season may have ended, but there were two trophies left to play for. For years, the ABA league was very important for our clubs, because it ensured the right to play in the Euroleague. This has not been the case for some time, but the winner of the ABA League is still very well positioned in the fight for an invitation to the elite competition.
The advantage of the home field in the playoff final was Red Star, which managed to bring the two games to an end in their favor. Again, there were problematic refereeing decisions, tensions and insults, all culminating on the eve of the third game in the series. The two clubs had scheduled training sessions one after the other in the Belgrade Arena, and when they passed each other in the corridor, Stefan Lazarevic and Jaimes Nanelli got into a fight.
The Red and Whites accused Naneli of attacking Lazarevic and publicly attached pictures of their basketball player with wounds on his face. Black and white retaliated by claiming that Lazarevic was the first to approach Naneli and grabbed him by the neck. Partizan publicly asked who deleted the minute and four seconds of footage from the security cameras in the hallway of the Belgrade Arena, exactly in the time interval in which, as they claimed, it would have been clear that Lazarevic was the one who started the fight.
Somehow everything calmed down, Crvena zvezda defeated Partizan for the third time in the series and raised a new trophy, the one reserved for the winner of the ABA League. However, the KLS, i.e. the end of the domestic championship, should have been played as well. For several years, Partizan did not participate in this competition because it was not satisfied with the treatment it enjoys, as well as the fact that the domestic championship is not under the authority of the Basketball Association of Serbia. This time they appeared on the field, from which the Zvezda basketball players came out at one point. They won the first game, but when they were down by 12 points in the middle of the third quarter of the second game, the basketball players and the coaching staff of Crvena zvezda left the court because of insults from the Čović family from the stands.
What followed was something that has never happened in the glorious history of our basketball. The referees allegedly informed the representatives of both teams that the game would continue tomorrow, but in front of empty stands, after which the Partizan basketball players retired to the locker rooms, and later headed home. Partizan fans did the same, and after that the Red Star basketball players returned to the floor and, together with the referees, started warming up before the game resumed.
The black and whites did not return to the hall within 15 minutes, which according to the rules meant that the victory, and therefore the trophy, went to the rivals. The question remains as to how it is possible that it was not investigated to the end, and then presented to the public, who made the decisions about stopping and resuming the match, who was told in time, and whether untruths were told to any of the parties. Be that as it may, the reputation of the Basketball League of Serbia and the importance of the national champion's trophy have reached a historic low.
REPRESENTATIVE SUMMER AND BIG CELEBRATION
Red Star fans celebrated, Partizan fans mourned, but a hot summer and the best tournament in the history of national team basketball awaited us all. With silver at the World Championship in Manila, Serbia secured participation in the Olympic Games in Paris and Lille, which was announced as the strongest of all time. The Americans sent the best they had, the French, led by the sensational Victor Vembanjam, wanted to present themselves in the best light on their home field, and the current world champions, the Germans, also came for a medal. If we add to that Canada full of NBA aces, indispensable Spain, dangerous Italy and unpredictable Greece, the scale of success achieved by our basketball players is clear.
Unlike some previous championships, this time Serbia also sent the best they had. Nikola Jokić finished the NBA season with the third award for the best basketball player in the strongest league in the world. The third MVP award in four years only confirmed that he is the best player today, so the news that Nikola Jokić will play for the national team this summer caused complete enthusiasm. With the halo of the world runner-up and led by the best basketball player in the world, the Serbian national team set off for France with huge ambitions.
However, in the middle of the second quarter of the quarter-final duel with Australia, Serbia was in a deficit of as many as 24 points (20:44). It seemed that dreams were slowly falling apart and that another performance by Jokić for the national team would end in failure. This was followed by the legendary timeout of coach Svetislav Pešić, who managed to start the team. Serbia played more aggressively in defense and smarter in attack, slowly melting the rival's advantage. What followed was an uncertain ending and an additional five minutes of basketball dominated by Nikola Jokić. Serbia managed to reach the semi-finals, where, according to basketball chroniclers and analysts, the third best American team of all time was waiting for them.
What followed was one of the best games in basketball history. The Serbian national team was in the lead for about 37 minutes of the match, thanks to the inspired play of the entire team.
They say that every team is a mirror of its coach, and this match only confirmed what has been known for a long time, that Svetislav Pešić is a great coach. His team seemed fully prepared, physically and mentally, for a duel against one of the best teams this sport remembers. Serbia spent a good part of the game in a double-digit lead, but faltered near the end. The USA national team is back on the wings of the trio that marked basketball in this century - Steph Curry, LeBron James and Kevin Durant. Serbia failed to hit a single three-pointer in the last quarter, unlike Steph Curry, who was exhausted, and the strength to respond to the aggressiveness of the Americans disappeared.
The match ended with a score of 95:91 in favor of the USA, which left a great regret, but also an even greater sense of pride among basketball fans in Serbia. Ahead of the third place match, there were justified fears about the emotional and physical exhaustion of the team, however, the tournament was rounded off in the best possible way, with a triumph in the bronze medal match against Germany. Serbia was motivated, focused and confident in its capabilities, which led to a routine victory and the great celebration that followed. Video clips of Serbian national team members who deservedly relaxed with alcohol and local music circulated on the Internet.
During the Olympic tournament, Bogdan Bogdanović became the best scorer in the history of the national basketball team. Considering the aces that have paraded in the jerseys of the national team throughout history, this success is admirable. It should be emphasized regularly that Bogdan is always at the disposal of the coach and the national team of his country, so he more than deserved the captain's armband, as well as the mentioned record. If Nikola Jokić is, and he is, the absolute best basketball player in the world, then Bogdan Bogdanović is the most important representative of Serbia in the 21st century.
NEW SEASON, NEW HOPE
After celebrating the bronze medal at the Olympic Games, the dilemma of what to do next arose. Svetislav Pešić's contract has expired, and he announced that he will not sign a new one.
The public was busy with the search for a new coach, and changes actually happened in the association. After the exceptional results, Predrag Danilović left the head of the KSS, not wanting to change the statute, according to which he was not allowed to start a third term. He was replaced by Nebojša Čović, who brought a completely new set of people, but managed to convince Pešić to stay at the helm of the national team at least until the end of the European Championship next year. The national team routinely qualified for this competition, winning four of the same number of duels in Group G of the qualification.
Svetislav Pešić, using the authority and popularity he enjoys, started the topic of the necessity of participation of Serbian teams in the ABA league. He advocates for a strong and high-quality domestic league, although, as he says, he is not against the existence of the Adriatic League. It is a fact that the ABA league in the last ten years has been dominated exclusively by Serbian teams, but the question is whether the league, which ends in the same way as the previous KLS season, deserves a chance and trust.
Even if we exclude Partizan and Crvena zvezda, the impression is that the other Serbian teams, such as Mega and Spartak, are more inclined to participate in the regional league. The final duels of last season's ABA 2 league between Vojvodina and Spartak were accompanied by full stands and unprecedented euphoria in Novi Sad and Subotica. Spartak managed to reach the elite rank, where they play against the best teams from Serbia and the region, but thanks to their own work and investments, not systemic solutions and administrative decisions.
During that time, Partizan and Crvena Zvezda started a new participation in the Euroleague, again with big ambitions and budgets, as well as full halls. Halfway through the competition, red and white have a score of 9–8, and black and white have a score of 7–10. The first derby of the season went to Partizan, which managed to beat its great rival in front of its fans with a score of 89:77. This duel took place in a fair and correct atmosphere, without announcements, fights and scandals that we are unfortunately used to. Whether it will become a practice, the answer will be given by their next meeting in the ABA League. True basketball fans hope so.
IN MEMORY - DEJAN MILOJEVIĆ
At the beginning of the year, the public in Serbia found out about the heart attack that Dejan Milojević, the former captain of Partizan and member of the Yugoslav national team, and later the successful coach of Mega, suffered at a team dinner in Salt Lake City. The legendary Miloje has been part of the coaching staff of the Golden State Warriors for several seasons. Unfortunately, he did not manage to emerge victorious from this battle, so he died soon after, at the age of 47.
How much he became loved and respected in the strongest basketball league, we learned, unfortunately, after his death. The entire NBA league was taken aback by the departure of the "smiling giant", as many described him. Numerous Warriors players testified how much they learned from Deki about basketball, but also about life. Steve Kerr, the head coach of Golden State, was especially emotional, and he showed his respect by coming to the funeral.
Fate wanted his clubs, Partizan and Mega MIS, to meet in the first round of the ABA League. The match, in Dejan's honor, was attended by 23021 people, which represents an all-time record in this competition. Before the start of this match, the videos went around the world, in order to show once again the greatness and brilliance of his character, work and smile.
Less than two days of blockade - that's how long it took to see how weak and powerless the public media service is, both from the outside and from the inside. At the moment of writing this text, it is the eighth day of the blockade, and the sixth that RTS is not broadcasting its program. They also seem to be facing a strike inside the house. And the essence of blocking RTS is not in what it publishes, but in what it keeps silent
In the months after the fall of the canopy in Novi Sad, the flames of rebellion spread throughout Serbia. The first protests started in Novi Sad right after the tragedy. The authorities responded with arrests, police cordons and intimidation, but instead of calming down the protesters, new protests followed.
The rector of the University of Belgrade, Vladan Đokić, has been the target of top state officials and regime tabloids for months, who label him as an insidious instigator of student protests, an opportunist, "the face of evil" and "the leader of the criminal octopus." How and why a rector became "state enemy number one"
"I'm standing in the cordon, and my daughter is shouting at me 'aw, aw, killers'. What should I do? If they ordered me - I would throw down my baton and bulletproof vest and stand on the side of my child," a police officer from the south of Serbia, who works as needed in the Belgrade Police Brigade, told "Vreme"
The recent formation of the Đura Macuta government is part of the regime's revenge and cynicism. This can be seen most in the "black troika" of new ministers appointed to deal with the parts of society that are the leaders and symbols of the big rebellion that lasted for several months, the cause of which was the fall of the canopy in Novi Sad, which claimed 16 human lives. Education, universities, unsolicited media and parts of the judiciary that refuse to listen to orders, either publicly, with announcements, or hiding behind legal procedures, should be dismantled. Those who will have no problem doing everything they are told, even reinforcing the orders with their own inventions, are chosen for this.
RTS is blocked, universities do not work, and threats, insults and calls to the prosecutor's office and the police to arrest blockers, rioters and terrorists are pouring out from the top of the government. The Serbian state has turned into a farce
Anyone who condemns the regime's targeting of people from the media, the non-governmental sector, the opposition and universities, must not agree to this targeting of RTS editors and journalists either.
The government of Đur Mazut is "counter-revolutionary", focused on retaliation and state and street violence against opponents of the regime
The archive of the weekly Vreme includes all our digital editions, since the very beginning of our work. All issues can be downloaded in PDF format, by purchasing the digital edition, or you can read all available texts from the selected issue.
See all
