Pešić: "The most challenging preparations in my career, most of the players did not come prepared" VIDEO

Serbian national basketball teams travel to Paris together.

A charter flight to the capital of France for our basketball players will take off at 09:00 a.m. from Nikola Tesla Airport.

Prior to Pešić, Serbian national women's basketball team coach Marina Maljković spoke

"You are sending off to the Olympic Games the most successful selection in 20 years, this team is quickly forgotten, it took two European golds, a bronze in Rio, this is the only basketball team that managed to achieve those results. This is our third OI, which means that these girls proved their worth, because they are the 12 best in the world. For us, the OI in Paris is an important stop where we build the foundations for Los Angeles and beyond. The difference is that our generation competed in Serbia for 30 years, and I lined up these girls worldwide. This group is composed of 6-7 inexperienced girls, who do not have a record for the Euroleague competition and a group of girls for whom Paris is the last stop before the end of their career. All this means only one thing, that we will go for the victory by all means and that we will fight selflessly, as you got used to from this national team." 

Press conference of the head coach of the Serbian national basketball team, Svetislav Pesic

Team captain Bogdan Bogdanović and Nikola Milutinov also attend press conference.

Pesic began his address with the following statement:

"The goals are always the biggest. Not only from the aspect of sports results. It's a long way behind us. First we had to qualify for the World Cup. This time it was also the qualification for the Olympic Games. We managed it, so that we wouldn't have to play the qualifiers. In a way, we had more days of training and preparation. The basketball season ended the same as every year, very late. We have Milutinov and Petrushev who finished in the third week of June. They are all more or less seasoned players. The process of preparing for the OI is the most challenging for me so far I didn't say that to the players. It's very difficult to plan the training process and everything needed to prepare. Most of the players didn't come prepared. The Olympics are a special challenge. We tried to prepare as much is possible."

''Every competition is challenging, this one especially. The Olympic Games are played every four years. We did not qualify for the previous ones. This is additional motivation for each of us, for the entire team. Players know how to control their emotions. Everyone has their own routine for both matches and competition. It is important to prepare for the next game. Taking the second step before the first, which you have not done, is also theoretically impossible. First, the goal is to get to Lille. Let's use these few days until the official start. I think we look quite calm. I hope it will stay that way", Pesic concluded.

Nikola Milutinov

"The group is really difficult for us. All the teams showed great game. South Sudan almost beat America, Puerto Rico was great in the qualifiers. We don't have to talk about USA in particular. There is no easy opponent. We have to be focused in every game to reach our goal."

Bogdan Bogdanović on the competition system

"The competition system has changed. Now the number of points achieved in a match comes into play. This does not change our approach and method of preparation. Nor the way of playing. Our most important match is the next one."

Milutinov followed up on this.

"Every shot will be important for us in every game. We have to be focused."