Serbian-Australian coach, Jelena Todorović, is one of the most inspiring rising figures in international basketball. In 2025 she became the first female to lead a men’s professional top division basketball team in Brazil, and the second youngest to do so.
From learning under elite coaches such as Dimitris Itoudis, who she admired from a young age, to working with elite players like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Todorović shares the experiences that shaped her career. She also reflects the Serbian basketball mentality, leadership, and the mindset required to reach the highest level. Why does Serbia continue to produce world-class players and coaches without relying on naturalized players? What was the advice Xavi Pascual gave her that she still carries today?
An honest conversation about resilience, ambition and why, in her experience, knowledge is what truly earns respect, not gender. After all, who better to tell men what to do than women?!
