Serbian star Nikola Jokic to play in 2019 Fiba World Cup

FILE – Serbia’s power forward Nikola Jokic (R) shoots by Croatia’s centre Darko Planinic during a Men’s quarter final basketball match between Serbia and Croatia at the Carioca Arena 1 in Rio de Janeiro on August 17, 2016 during the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. (Photo by Andrej ISAKOVIC / AFP)

MANILA, Philippines—Nikola Jokic, one of the best big men in the NBA today, is set to suit up for Serbia in the 2019 Fiba World Cup in China.

According to Fiba’s official website, the Denver Nuggets’ transcendent All-Star will beef up the world No. 4 team that already consists of NBA players Boban Marjanovic, Nemanja Bjelica, Bogdan Bogdanovic, and Milos Teodosic.

Serbia is grouped with the Philippines, Angola, and Italy, which is also home to NBA talents in Marco Belinelli and Danilo Gallinari.

“I am very satisfied with everything I did in the past season in the NBA. I had a great year with my participation in the All-Star game and election in the All-NBA first team,” said Jokic in the report.

Jokic, who was included in the All-NBA First Team, averaged 20.1 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 7.3 assists while shooting 51 percent from the field.

The Nuggets, behind Jokic, finished with the second-best record in the Western Conference at 54-28 but fell to the Portland Trail Blazers in seven games in the conference semifinals.

“A crown of this amazing season for me would be a World Cup medal for which I’m sure that Serbia can win and I am fully ready to contribute in achieving that goal,” said Jokic.