By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Alexey Shved won’t join the Russian national team in the two remaining games of the first stage of the World Cup Qualifiers, the Russian Basketball Federation announced.
The Russian superstar cited reasons of fatigue and a desire to relax following a very tough season with Khimki Moscow in both EuroLeague and VTB League.
Shved will be out in a pair of key games for Russia, against Belgium (29/6) on the road and France in Moscow (2/7). Russia is currently 2-2 in Group E and apart from the fact that it hasn’t qualified to the next stage yet, the first-round results are carried to the next stage.
“Of course this is unpleasant news. Alexey is currently the best basketball player not only in Russia but, probably, in Europe,” Russian national team head coach Sergey Bazarevich said. “We talked to him. To a certain extent, I understand his situation. But from the very beginning, from the moment that Andrei Kirilenko became president of the Federation, our position was that we don’t try to convince anyone.”
Russian Basketball Federation president Andrei Kirilenko commented the following on Shved’s absence. “We sent Shved an invitation to join the team. We talked personally but he made this decision, to refuse. I have repeatedly said that the Federation’s policy is this: If someone can’t play, mentally or physically and is not ready to represent the team, we won’t subject him to sanctions. Everyone should determine for themselves how much he’s willing to help the national team.”
“Shved had a great club season. However, the circumstances have developed in such way that he’s not with us. Nevertheless, we have enough players on which we count. And they are very grateful for the time and strength they will give in the two matches of the qualifying round.”
Shved won the “Alphonso Ford Top Scorer” award and was named in the All-EuroLeague First Team after completing the EuroLeague season with 21.8 points (along with 5.2 assists) per game.
Photo: FIBA