By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
After nearly two years as the head coach of the senior national team of China, Sasha Djordjevic left his position.
Djordjevic, 56, took over China for the 2023 FIBA World Cup. Limited to one win over five games in Quezon City, his side ranked 29th out of 32 countries, missing the cut for a berth in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments.
“My sincere gratitude toward the Chinese Basketball Association and the beautiful people I have met and worked with,” he wrote in a post on X on Thursday, “I wish all the best to the coaches, to Yao Ming and all his crew, and of course to the national team and the players. Go Team China. Your Serbian brother will be supporting.”
Topping the list of Dubai in the search for the first head coach in team history, Djordjevic is in talks with the newly-formed club but there is no final deal yet, per Eurohoops sources.
Besides working in China, the Serbian tactician carries head-coaching experience from stints with Olimpia Milan, Benetton Treviso, Panathinaikos, FC Bayern Munich, Virtus Segafredo Bologna, and Fenerbahce, and with the senior national team of Serbia.
The team based in the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates has been confirmed for the 2024-25 edition of the AdmiralBet ABA League. Beyond the regional league, the introduction of Dubai is projected to possibly extend to the continental level through the BKT EuroCup and domestic level through the AdmiralBet Basketball League of Serbia.