Writing from Belgrade, Lefteris Moutis/moutis@eurohoops.net
Nemanja Bjelica is practicing with the rest of the Serbian national team in Belgrade and hopes that he will be able to play in the Rio Olympics, if Serbia gets qualified.
However, with the qualifying tournament hosted in Belgrade, the Serbian chances are great and Bjelica is also ready to be present in Rio.
As he said to Eurohoops: “It’s very difficult to be just a spectator. I am injured, but I am part of the team since 2009 and I am here. I hope that we will achieve our goal and I will soon be again part of the team”.
Of course, the Timberwolves would have to give their final permission, but Bjelica believes that everything will be fina: “Before being incorporated in the roster, I will have to go back to the US and meet the people of Minnesota. I believe that in about ten days I will be there and I will return 100% ready. The people of the Serbian federation have a very good relation with Minessota, I just need to be healthy. We all are going our best for me to recover and be ready to help the team. ”
After all, the team has first to be part of the Olympics and Bjelica is cautiously optimistic: “It’s a big summer for us. We definitely feel pressure, but we showed that we are a better team from Puerto Rico in the first game of the tournament. We still have three games to go in the Olympics. We missed London and our country deserves to see us in Rio. We have some young players and we play well”.