Bosnia and Herzegovina call up 25 players

SARAJEVO (EuroBasket 2015) - Bosnia and Herzegovina head coach Dusko Ivanovic has announced an extensive 25-strong EuroBasket 2015 preliminary squad which features several surprising inclusions.

The list includes every player which coach Ivanovic would ideally like to see present at the start of training camp in July, even if their personal circumstances do not eventually allow them to take part in this summer's campaign.

Ivanovic stated that a trimmed-down preliminary squad, which might include only players that will be available to play at EuroBasket 2015, could be announced as soon as next week.

Certainly the most unexpected name on the 25-strong list is that of Denver Nuggets center Jusuf Nurkic, as Bosnia and Herzegovina fans had resigned to the idea that the youngster would not play at this September's EuroBasket.

The 21-year-old big man was submitted to knee surgery in mid-May, shortly after the conclusion of his superb rookie NBA season, and is expected to be sidelined until August.

"Chances [for Nurkic to play at EuroBasket] are small because, according to some estimates, there could be a long recovery period after the surgery," coach Ivanovic admitted.

"But if there is the slightest chance for him to be healthy and to be on the team, we have to put him on the list, because he can be an important player."

Nurkic earned a spot in the Nuggets' starting line-up following the trade of Russian international Timofey Mozgov to the Cleveland Cavaliers and made the most of his increased playing time, averaging 6.9 points and 6.2 rebounds.

Last summer, before embarking on his rookie NBA season, Nurkic led Bosnia and Herzegovina to the gold medal at the U20 European Championship Division B and earned MVP honours.

He then joined the senior national team in their EuroBasket 2015 2nd Qualification Round campaign, only to depart a few days later over a disagreement with regards to his physical status.

Bosnia and Herzegovina superstar Mirza Teletovic, who faced a very testing experience this year after being diagnosed with Bilateral Pulmonary Embolus in January, has also been included on the preliminary squad.

Teletovic had to receive urgent treatment with blood thinners and was initially expected to resume basketball activities in July, but made a surprise return to practice in late April and even stepped out on the court for a few minutes during the Brooklyn Nets play-off series against the Atlanta Hawks.

Another player of tremendous importance for Bosnia and Herzegovina is all-round guard Nihad Djedovic, who missed out on last summer's EuroBasket qualification campaign and also struggled with health issues during the club season.

Djedovic nonetheless is right now in a sublime state of form with defending German champions Bayern Munich in the Beko Bundesliga play-offs and Ivanovic hopes he will join the national team and carry over this form into EuroBasket.

"I hope that we will be able to make the best possible team and I do not want to speculate on whether these three players [Nurkic, Teletovic and Djedovic] will be on the squad or not," Ivanovic commented.

"My desire is that they all get there."

Bosnia and Herzegovina's preparations for EuroBasket 2015 get under way on 23 July.

The Balkan nation will play in Group A, against Finland, Israel, Russia, Poland and hosts France.

Bosnia and Herzegovina preliminary squad for EuroBasket 2015: Drasko Albijanic, Edin Atic, Nedim Buza, Nihad Djedovic, Stefan Glogovac, Nemanja Gordic, Miralem Halilovic, Almir Hasandic, Nermin Hujdurovic, Marko Josilo, Kenan Karahodzic, Elmedin Kikanovic, Drasko Knezevic, Minja Milosevic, Dzenan Musa, Jusuf Nurkic, Muhamed Pasalic, Dalibor Persic, Alex Renfroe, Andrija Stipanovic, Marko Sutalo, Mirza Teletovic, Miroslav Todic, Adin Vrabac, Zackary Wright.

Go to eurobasket2015.org for full coverage of EuroBasket 2015.

FIBA