BEIJING (China) - The Chinese Basketball Association has formally announced that Aleksandar "Saša" Djordjevic will serve as the new head coach of the men's basketball team, ushering in a new era of basketball for China.

Djordjevic coached his country, Serbia, to a runners-up finish at the 2014 World Cup in Spain and also to a silver medal at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

He last held the reins of Serbia in China, at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019. Among the pre-tournament favorites, Serbia lost to France in the Quarter-Finals. Serbia did defeat the Czech Republic and USA in Classification Games that followed and ended up in fifth place, but Djordjevic stepped down after the tournament.

"It is a great honor to become a Head Coach of Chinese men's National Team! Big professional challenge accepted with the highest enthusiasm that equals my personal humbleness and responsibility! A lot of work ahead to try to achieve the highest goals possible," tweeted Djordjevic.

Djordjevic will lead China in the sixth and final window of the Asian Qualifiers for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 in February. China are 8-2 in Group F and have already clinched qualification for the World Cup.

At the 32-team event to be staged in Indonesia, Japan and the Philippines, China will attempt to bounce back from a 24th-place finish in 2019 - their lowest final standing in the history of the competition. China will go into the tournament with one eye on the Paris Olympics in 2024.

China missed out on the Tokyo Games that were held in 2021. It was their first absence from the Olympics since 1980. The country went into this last window with a FIBA World Ranking of No. 27. Australia (No. 3), Iran (No. 21) and New Zealand (No. 24) were above them.

Djordjevic, 55, was an outstanding player for Yugoslavia. As a national team guard, he reached the top of the podium at the World Cup in 1998, and before that at the EuroBaskets in 1991, 1995 and 1997. He had numerous  accomplishments with clubs, including in 1992 when he helped Partizan win the EuroLeague.

Among his achievements as a club coach, Djordjevic led Virtus Bologna to the 2019 Basketball Champions League crown and to the Italian title in 2021.

Fans in China will be hoping that Djordjevic can improve the fortunes of a men’s national team that is transitioning to a younger generation.

His predecessor in China, Du Feng, coached the team at the FIBA Asia Cup 2017 to a 5-2 record and fifth place. He took the helm again, after the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019, and led the team in the FIBA Asia Cup 2022 Qualifiers to four wins in as many games.

At the 2021 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Victoria, China lost their two games. At the FIBA Asia Cup 2022 in Indonesia, China were 3-2 and lost in the Quarter-Finals. He coached China to eight wins in 10 games in the World Cup 2023 Asian Qualifiers. His team punched its ticket to the World Cup in the last window.

Du, a former player, said that being able to fight for one's country is the most precious experience and the highest honor for both players and coaches.

"Thanks to the strong support of the Chinese Basketball Association, all members of the men's basketball team and all sectors of society. I will continue to work hard to contribute to Chinese basketball in the future," he stated.

FIBA