Djordjevic demanding future success despite the odds

A proven success in international basketball, Serbian coach Aleksandar Djordjevic is embracing a new challenge — to rebuild the Chinese men's national team into a world-class contender.

With only a few months to go before the 2023 FIBA World Cup tips off in August, Djordjevic's appointment as Team China's new head coach seems a desperate gamble amid concerns that even a renowned tactician as experienced as he is won't be able to pull off a turnaround in the fortunes of a program that has been struggling for years.

Once the undisputed power in Asia and a top-8 team at the Olympics, the Chinese men's squad is now facing an uphill battle with the aging veterans, a lack of international drills during the pandemic and the surging progress of its Asian neighbors making the program's revival seem like a tall order.

Djordjevic, however, remains confident in the mission to build a competitive national program in such a short time.

"It's going to require tough preparation to be able to front-up to each opponent and win the games. The work there is going to be immense. However, it's something that, if you structure it in the right way, can always give you a good result," Djordjevic told China Daily last week at the Chinese Basketball Association's headquarters in Beijing.

"Of course, we know what is coming at the World Cup, and there are no limits (on Team China's goals)."

Already qualified as one of 32 entries, Team China will embark on a high-stakes trip to this year's World Cup, jointly hosted by the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia, where the only direct qualifying berth from Asia at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games will be up for grabs.

After missing out on the Olympics for the first time in history at Tokyo 2020 due to its poor 2019 Cup performance, Team China is left facing a do-or-die campaign to secure a ticket to Paris, otherwise, a back-to-back absence from the Olympics would be a huge blow to the program's profile.

Djordjevic said he understands the magnitude of the mission and expects nothing less than success.

"They are not as big as mine," he said of the high hopes of Chinese fans. "No one can match my expectations."

"I'm not showing off. My expectations are always to win. We're going to practice in order to get a medal. There is no other way."

As one of the game's best European coaches, Djordjevic led his native Serbia to silver medals at the inaugural edition of World Cup in 2014(formerly known as the world championships), the 2016 Rio Olympics and the 2017 EuroBasket to become the first person in his country to medal at all three major tournaments as both a coach and a player.

As a prolific guard in his prime, the 55-year-old native of Belgrade was also a formidable member on the team that won three EuroBasket championships in 1991, 1995 and 1997, finished runner-up at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta and won the world championship in 1998 in Greece.

At club level, Djordjevic has coached multiple top-flight European teams to domestic league titles, including Athens-based Panathinaikos BC in Greece, Olimpia Milano and Virtus Bologna in Italy, and Bayern Munich in Germany.

After resigning from the Serbian national post following its fifth-place finish at the 2019 World Cup in China, Djordjevic helped Fenerbahce win the 2021-22 Turkish league championship.

The new chapter with Team China, however, seems a challenging one to maintain his winning momentum, as the country has struggled to rebuild following the retirement of its "golden generation", led by former NBA All Star and now CBA president Yao Ming, who fought their way into the quarterfinals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The strong competitive desire of the current generation, though, has impressed Djordjevic.

"What I see is a huge desire to be on the floor. A lot of proud players, a lot of great competitors and some young good talent," Djordjevic said about his impression of Chinese players after watching the CBA league's 2022-23 regular season for a month.

"My job is to catalyze this in some way, put it in a channel where this all can make sense in the context of a good and competitive national team."

Although it's too early to make any serious analysis, Djordjevic said he will give those playing with a national pride and an all-around skillset preference when selecting his national team camp.

Team spirit to share the ball and strong physicality are also qualities he is looking at, Djordjevic added.

"Above all, the players must behave and understand who they are representing. Putting on the jersey of a nation is the highest honor," he said.

"For sure, that level of professionalism and attitude will be demanded. My way of playing basketball is intelligent. (Players should be) reading the game, understanding the game, understanding their role and being able to adapt to being a part of the national team, not only part of a club.

"The national team is not always made of the 12 best players, but made of the 12 players who fit the best into a strong group. That's my biggest goal, to create as strong an entity as I can."