SER – No recent contact between Peja and Serbia

BELGRADE (EuroBasket 2009) - Not that long ago, Serbian basketball was strongly identified with its NBA-based players like Peja Stojakovic of New Orleans.

Stojakovic was on the Yugoslavia team that captured a gold medal at the 2002 FIBA World Championship, but he hasn’t represented the country since EuroBasket 2003.

Now the 31-year-old sharpshooting guard could be an afterthought.

In an interview with B92 in Serbia, Stojakovic revealed: "In the last few months, no one from the Serbian federation has spoken to me regarding the EuroBasket.

“Now, I´m concentrating on the final stage of the NBA and I will then have time to take a decision regarding the national team.”

A young Serbia side led by legendary coach Dusan Ivkovic captured the imagination of the country’s basketball fans last summer when they played in front of a packed Belgrade Arena against the likes of Italy, Bulgaria, Hungary and Finland en route to top spot in qualifying Group A.

Serbia will this summer be in a difficult EuroBasket group that includes world champions Spain, Slovenia and Great Britain.

Stojakovic, averaging 13.8 points per game this season, believes his country does have a strong pool of players to draw from and he fully expects the team, with or without him, to be among the strongest sides in the Final Round in Poland.

“I think Serbia has the quality to reach the podium in Poland, although Spain is the dominating force in recent years, while Greece and Turkey have great teams," he said.

FIBA