The 2019 FIBA World Cup has already been plagued by a number of current and former NBA stars electing not to join national team camps due to injury or prior commitments. That list has grown, as former Los Angeles Clippers point guard Milos Teodosic will not play for Serbia due to a foot injury:
The biggest threat to Team USA at the upcoming @FIBAWC has been weakened with the news that Serbia has lost its backcourt maestro Milos Teodosic … more foot trouble for Teodosic after such injuries plagued him with the Clippers https://t.co/L3D4gA0yRZ
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) August 11, 2019
The Serbian team boasts plenty of talent from the EuroLeague, as well as Denver Nuggets All-Star Nikola Jokic and Sacramento Kings guard Bogdan Bogdanovic. Dallas Mavericks center Boban Marjanovic and Kings forward Nemanja Bjelica are also on the squad.
Serbian head coach Sasha Djordjevic has also made headlines in the last few days, sending a message to Team USA that they must be wary of his Serbian side. However, the loss of Teodosic is far from insignificant to Serbia's hopes of pulling off a colossal upset.
After starring in Europe for years, Teodosic first burst onto the NBA scene with the Clippers in the 2017-18 season, starting 36 of the 45 games he played in and averaging 9.5 points and 4.6 assists per contest.
Unfortunately for Teodosic, injuries as well as last year's arrival of Ivica Zubac would lead to the Clippers deciding to waive the 32-year-old, who recently signed a deal in Italy.
The numbers do not necessarily do Teodosic justice as a point guard. He has tremendous court vision and made some highlight-reel assists as the starter in Los Angeles.
Serbia will have to find a suitable replacement to control the game and run the offense through the likes of Jokic and Bogdanovic.
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