“Don’t ask me anything about Crvena zvezda. Please, don’t. I’ve lost all my nerves over them this season.”
That was Novak Djokovic’s immediate reaction when Crvena zvezda came up during Roland Garros.
Just a few weeks earlier, Zvezda had been eliminated by Barcelona in the EuroLeague Play-In.
The frustration had been building for months. Back in January, during the Australian Open, Djokovic admitted he was already dreaming about the Final Four and exchanging daily messages with friends in a WhatsApp group dedicated to the club.
The season may be over. The emotions clearly aren’t.
I Don’t Dare Ask Teo For Inside Information
Whenever his schedule allows, Djokovic watches Zvezda from Miloš Teodosić’s suite at Belgrade Arena. Since then, the Serbian basketball legend has also become the club’s sporting director.
“I’ve spoken with Teo. I’m really happy for him. I congratulated him and we’ve talked a few times since he became sporting director. I follow Zvezda very passionately, especially the basketball team. I don’t have any inside information, nor do I dare ask for any,” Djokovic said.
So we asked him: If you could sign three players for Zvezda, who would they be?
“Do you want realistic or unrealistic?” Djokovic replied with a smile.
Either one.
“Vučević!”
Just hours before our interview, Nikola Vučević had officially returned to the Orlando Magic.
“Well… then I guess that’s not realistic anymore,” Djokovic laughed.
Domestic Players Understand What It Means To Represent Zvezda
Instead of listing more names, Djokovic revealed something about the kind of team he’d like to watch.
“Honestly, as a fan, I was proud that Zvezda had a good balance between domestic and foreign players until this past season. That changed last year. I’m one of those people who believes we should have more Serbian players on the roster.”
“Domestic players understand what it means to represent an institution like Zvezda. Kalinić, Dobrić, Davidovac, previously Nedović, Lazić, Luka Mitrović… Those are players who genuinely love the club. You can feel it on the court, and for us fans it makes everything more emotional.”
For him, it wasn’t about questioning the quality of foreign players.
“With all due respect to the imports – they’re outstanding players, some of them truly incredible – I’d simply like to see more domestic players.”
Zvezda’s first official signing of the summer is veteran guard Chris Jones, but Djokovic knows building a roster is far more complicated than simply making a wish.
“Of course, things are different today. Basketball has become a huge business and there are many factors involved in making these decisions. I’m just sharing my personal opinion.”
