Though Serbia was tabbed as a potential gold medal team heading into the 2019 FIBA World Cup, they were surprisingly eliminated in the quarterfinals at the hands of Argentina.
Despite the unanticipated early exit from the tournament, Sacramento’s Serbian representatives made their mark.
Bogdan Bogdanovic led his nation’s team in scoring, racking up 20.7 points per game, while also ranking second in assists per game (4.3) and third in rebounds per game (4.2).
Bogi turned in an especially stellar performance against Italy when he poured in 31 points to go with five assists, four rebounds, and five steals.
Nemanja Bjelica was another key component for Serbia during the World Cup. His averages of 12.8 points and 5.2 rebounds per game were both the second highest on the squad.
The Kings forward’s top game came in a matchup with the Philippines, as he scored 20 points going a perfect seven-for-seven from the field.
Serbia will still have a chance to earn a 5th place finish in the FIBA World Cup as they will begin their play in the consolation bracket on Thursday.