By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Nikola Jovic of the Miami Heat with a walking boot on his left leg concerned the senior national team of Serbia.
Jovic, 21, landed in Belgrade on Thursday. Wearing an orthopedic boot is connected to a minor injury in his last training session in Miami, according to Serbian outlet Meridian sport.
Despite the injury setback, he is expected to join the team practices next Monday, as initially scheduled per the agreement between the NBA and FIBA regarding international players in the league based in North America.
Coming out of his second season with the Heat under the guidance of experienced head coach Erik Spoelstra, he was called up for the training camp of Serbia, heading to the Olympic Games. Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic headlined the extended roster.
In the 2023-24 campaign, he tallied 7.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game over 51 appearances, including five in the 2024 Playoffs presented by Google Pixel. A breakout season with 43 starts extending to all five contests of the best-of-seven series against the Boston Celtics in the Quarterfinals of the Eastern Conference.
Switching focus to international basketball, Jovic is projected to make the final squad of Serbia. The team coached by Svetislav Pesic recently launched preparations for the Olympic Games. On the way to Group C, the opponents in the preliminary round stretch from the United States and South Sudan to the winner of the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Puerto Rico.