Memorijalna utakmica u sjećanje na Dražena Petrovića je i službeno promovirana🏀 pic.twitter.com/NssAVXTFUu
— Aleksandar Petrović (@petrov_aco) March 29, 2024
Family atmosphere as a response to limited playing time
As Sesar mentioned that this game would also serve as a kind of preparation for the crucial matches against Bosnia and Herzegovina, it was interesting to see the current status of his players. Dario Saric and Jaleen Smith are completely out of rotation in their clubs, Bojan Bogdanovic has seen a drastic reduction in playing time since joining the New York Knicks, Borna Kapusta and Roko Prkacin also don’t play much, while Karlo Matkovic’s move to the NBA G League has put him in an unknown status. It’s also worth mentioning that Ivica Zubac and Mario Hezonja play important roles in their teams, both contending for titles in their leagues.
“I won’t say it worries me, but I’m not satisfied with it. On the other hand, Dario Saric didn’t have significant playing time last season either, coming back from injury, yet he had a great summer with the national team. The other players you mentioned certainly have talent. From Smith to Prkacin, and especially Bojan Bogdanovic. These are players who can definitely, despite a certain period without games, find their form, especially in an environment where they feel comfortable,” concluded Josip Sesar in this conversation with Basketball Sphere.