BELGRADE (FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 European Qualifiers) - There is nothing like putting on the national team jersey for Serbia's players, something that's obvious with all the passion and emotion shown by each when they have the opportunity to do so.

Peja Stojakovic had both in abundance when he represented the country during his illustrious career, the highlight of which came at the FIBA Basketball World Cup in 2002 in Indianapolis, where the former Yugoslavia were crowned world champions.  

The 6ft 9in sharp shooter - his team's leading scorer at 18.8 points per game - poured in 26 in the Final, an 84-77 triumph over Argentina after overtime.

"WE ALL GREW UP WITH THE DESIRE AND NEED TO REPRESENT OUR COUNTRY. IT WAS ALWAYS A PRIORITY. I BELIEVE THESE PLAYERS NOW FEEL THE SAME WAY. WE HAVE THAT MENTALITY, IT'S INSIDE OF US. AND, WHEN YOU'RE IN THOSE SHOES, YOU HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO REPRESENT YOURSELF AND YOUR COUNTRY."- Stojakovic

Now an assistant general manager with the NBA's Sacramento Kings - the team with which he had his most successful years as a player - Stojakovic has traveled back to Europe this week to watch some of the action at the FIBA U16 European Championship in Novi Sad and be a part of the Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Europe 2018 camp in Belgrade. 

Stojakovic looked on attentively at the U16 European Championship

When asked about players wanting to represent their countries, and doing so in the FIBA Basketball World Cup Qualifiers windows - which give them a chance to compete in front of their fans - Stojakovic answered: "It's a player's responsibility. You have to feel the national team the right way.

"We all grew up with the desire and need to represent our country. It was always a priority. I believe we carried that feeling forward to younger generations. I believe these players now feel that the same way. It's a way of growing up. We have that mentality, it's inside of us. And, when you're in those shoes, you have a responsibility to represent yourself and your country."

Serbia won four of their six games in the First Round of the European Qualifiers. They will open their Second Round campaign at Greece on September 13 and then host Estonia on September 16. The other team they will face in Group L will be Israel. The top three sides from each of the four Second Round groups will clinch spots in next year's 32-team World Cup in China. 

Stojakovic, along with fellow Serbian Ana Dabovic, are among the former and current players passing on advice to the campers at BWB Europe in Belgrade this week

Stojakovic also said there is no truth to the suggestion that national team players competing in the NBA have less desire to put on their country's colors and that clubs did not stand in the way.

"WHEN I WAS A PLAYER, THERE WAS NEVER A BAN FOR US TO PLAY FOR THE NATIONAL TEAM. ON THE CONTRARY. NOW THAT I'M IN THE MANAGEMENT OF AN NBA TEAM, WE INSIST THAT OUR PLAYERS ARE ACTIVE DURING THE SUMMER. AND IS THERE A BETTER WAY THAN TO PLAY FOR THEIR NATIONAL TEAMS?"- Stojakovic

"That’s not the case at all," he said. "When I was a player, there was never a ban for us to play for the national team. On the contrary. Now that I'm in the management of an NBA team, we insist that our players are active during the summer, to play basketball. And is there a better way than to play for their national teams?"

Stojakovic treasures the memories of representing his country and of course it helped that he played for great teams. He was also on the side that won FIBA EuroBasket 2001 in Istanbul, where he averaged 23 points per game.

"It’s been a long time since that happened," he said, "but those are always beautiful memories. When I meet my teammates from that time, we always go back to that part of our lives, when we were national team members. I had the privilege to win two gold medals with the national team and that will always have a special place in my heart."

FIBA