DETROIT (FIBA EuroBasket 2017) - Don't be surprised if Boban Marjanovic plays for Serbia at FIBA EuroBasket 2017.

Yes, he turned down an opportunity to wear the national team shirt on home soil at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying in Belgrade, but that was for good reason. The timing with the opening of NBA free agency and the OQTs created a dilemma for players like Marjanovic that were out of contract.

The big man then said he could play for Serbia, who cruised to victory at the OQT, at the Olympics after he signed a contract with Detroit but national team coach Sasha Djordjevic elected not to include him. The player holds no grudge.

"The coach decided that those that had made themselves available for the OQT would be the ones that go to the Rio Games," Marjanovic said to FIBA.com. "This was his idea and I must agree with that."

There was no sulking on his part. Marjanovic, with a lucrative new contract that all but set him up for life financially, accepted the coach's reasoning and moved on. Instead of playing for Serbia, he rooted for them.

"I was a fan, yelling, and my family and friends the same. We watched every (Serbia Olympic) game and of course, we cheered for my national team and all sports (teams) from my country." - Marjanovic

"I didn't feel bad about my decision but I can say I'm happy because Serbia is my country, my teammates and friends are there and they took second place and played a great tournament," he said.

"I (just) didn't want to take the risk of injury.

"I talked with my teammates and some coaches and they gave me advice, but I made the final decision. I was a free agent, I had finished with San Antonio. I was waiting for my contract. This was my decision and I think I made a good decision. I didn't want to risk nothing and get injured."

Marjanovic was at the Olympics, he says, in spirit.

"I was a fan, yelling, and my family and friends the same," he said. "We watched every game and of course, we cheered for my national team and all sports (teams) from my country."

The question now is no longer about the Olympics, but the future. And the biggest question of all is whether or not Serbia's national team has a spot for Marjanovic. Is his relationship with Djordjevic, and the national team, good?

"Of course," he said. "My side, it's great. I would like to play for the national team every time I'm selected."

Djordjevic hasn't closed the Serbia door to Marjanovic

Djordjevic spoke about Marjanovic's absence at the Rio Games after the Olympics in September to the Serbia weekly magazine NIN.

"I'm angry with Marjanovic because he doesn't know what he missed," Djordjevic said. "I don't want to allow them to miss great things for unknown reasons.

"Marjanovic missed the chance to be a part of historic success. He will be called up next year if he plays well and if I as a national team coach think he deserves the call. It's all up to him."

Everyone seems to like the affable Marjanovic. San Antonio had wanted to keep him but their offer last summer was dwarfed by the one presented by Detroit. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich liked the player so much that he told him that he needed to do what was in his best interest.

"He's such a good kid, at some point I had to work to get him to understand that $21million was different than $3million," Popovich said to the San Antonio Express news. "I said, 'Get your ass out of here. Go. You've got to do it.' But he felt bad."

FIBA