By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
Serbia entered EuroBasket 2025 as perhaps the biggest favorite for gold, led by three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokić. However, after a series of injuries, they fell to Finland in the Round of 16 and exited the tournament in Riga far earlier than expected.
Upon returning home, head coach Pešić initially said that he did not plan to resign. There were also reports that the Federation was considering parting ways, which were denied. Eventually, though, Pešić decided that it was time to step aside.
“It was a privilege to be the head coach of the Serbian national team, to train and lead the best Serbian basketball players. Taking responsibility and making decisions when you lead the Serbian national team is a huge challenge. I always tried to ensure that professionalism and expertise prevailed on the path to success. In the future, I want to continue to make my professionalism, knowledge, and dedication available to president Čović and to our basketball as a whole. However, the time has come to find a new coach who will be able to continue what we started in the previous period,” Pešić told Politika.
Whoever succeeds him, Pešić says he will be there to help.
“I promised [president] Čović that I would do absolutely everything to fulfill the role he entrusted me with in the selection of the new head coach, and I will carry that out, as I always have — professionally, competently, and responsibly. I will give the new coach my full support, assistance, and all of my experience from the past period.”