Beşiktaş head coach Dusan Alimpijevic has just reached a major milestone in his coaching journey, stepping in to replace Svetislav Pesic as the new head coach of the Serbian national basketball team. After guiding Beşiktaş to a win over Onvo Büyükçekmece, he flew to Belgrade and addressed the media for the first time in his new dual role.
He spoke openly about the responsibility of leading both a major club and a powerhouse national team, calling it a rare honor.
“The pressure I feel is a privilege very few have. Of course, you have to be very disciplined in life. I won’t have any free time anymore. Even if I did, I’d have to plan very carefully how to use it. How many hours will I dedicate to Beşiktaş, how many hours will I dedicate to the national team … ? Can a coach dream of anything more than that? I can’t express how proud I am of myself,” he said, embracing the challenge with pride rather than fear.
Reflecting on the legacy of the position, he remained humble and respectful.
“When I think about the people who have held this position before, I feel even more proud. I know how much basketball means to this country. I want to thank President Covic and the Board of Directors for considering me worthy of this position,” he added, fully aware of the weight of Serbian basketball tradition.
When asked about potential changes to one of the most talented national teams in the world, Alimpijevic emphasized adaptability over rigid plans.
“We researched the most important characteristics of today’s basketball, and they’ve changed drastically compared to last year. It would be absurd to say we’ll play this or that type of basketball because we don’t yet know who we’ll have,” he noted, signaling a flexible, player-driven approach.
However, he was very clear on one point: his Serbian team will not rely on naturalized players.
“A foreigner… no, not while I’m the coach. We know what we are as a country, and we wouldn’t be like this if we had one,” he stated firmly.
New Serbia coach Dusan Alimpijevic says no naturalized players on the national teamhttps://t.co/lPlbzRl5xr
— Eurohoops (@Eurohoopsnet) October 11, 2025
