Stefan Momirov speaks to Basketball Sphere about representing Serbia, playing alongside Nikola Jokic and working with Dusan Alimpijevic.
Stefan Momirov was one of only four players to be part of all three FIBA World Cup qualifying windows under head coach Dusan Alimpijevic, alongside Dusan Ristic, Nikola Tanaskovic and Filip Barna. After helping Serbia secure two more victories, Momirov shared his impressions with Basketball Sphere.
“It was an incredible experience, truly. Playing for Serbia in front of a packed arena, with Nikola Jokic in the starting lineup alongside me… I honestly never expected that.
When I received my first call-up, of course I was happy. My only thought was to play well and be available for whatever the coaching staff and the team needed. Then it happened that I started against Bosnia and Herzegovina in a packed Pionir alongside Nikola Jokic.”
HE REALLY DID IT, EVEN ON THE INTERNATIONAL STAGE! 🇷🇸
— Basketball Sphere (@BSphere_) July 6, 2026
NIKOLA JOKIC RECORDED A TRIPLE-DOUBLE IN SERBIA'S WIN OVER BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA: 20 POINTS, 10 REBOUNDS, 11 ASSISTS! 💥💥
MAESTRO! 🎩 pic.twitter.com/jyUE5782Ly
Nikola Jokic sets the standard every day
The conversation naturally turned to Nikola Jokic, with the former Spartak Subotica forward describing the Denver Nuggets superstar as the greatest professional he has ever seen.
“He is the first one in the gym at every single practice. Whenever we’re in the weight room, there’s no chance anyone is going to lift more than him or outwork him. On the court, the way he organizes us and constantly communicates is outstanding.
Everything becomes easier when he’s out there. And by that, I mean even the little things. If the play calls for him to hand you the ball, you’ll receive it exactly where you need it, allowing you to focus only on what you have to do next.”
Momirov also emphasized Jokic’s humility and willingness to communicate with every teammate, regardless of experience or status.
“On the other hand, he’s completely open to every kind of communication. He has no problem with any of us giving him advice or telling him where to position himself on defense. That impressed me more than anything else.
On the day of the Bosnia and Herzegovina game, after breakfast, we were all sitting in the hotel lobby when Jokic said in front of everyone that he couldn’t wait to play that night. At first, we thought he was joking, but he was completely serious. Being the captain means a lot to him, representing Serbia means a lot to him, and after the game he thanked all of us for helping him earn his first victory as Serbia’s captain. That was the first time in his life, and it showed the kind of leader he is.”
Dusan Alimpijevic’s philosophy: Energy and defense
Serbia played with a different roster in each qualifying window, but the third gathering gave head coach Dusan Alimpijevic the most practice time with his players. According to Stefan Momirov, the coach’s priorities have remained the same from day one.
“Energy and defense. He talks about those things all the time. It’s important to him that we all understand what it means to wear the Serbian jersey and represent the national team, that we build great chemistry and realize we’re all working toward the same goal. I like that because that’s the type of player I am, and I think it showed throughout all six games. We have a great relationship, and we practice really hard.
I keep saying it because it’s what matters most to him: we need to bring great energy and fight on every defensive possession because that’s how these qualifying games are won. There’s not much time to work on everything else, but if we can match or surpass our opponents in energy, we know we have enough quality to beat anyone.”
When asked what impressed him the most about Alimpijevic, Momirov did not hesitate.
“He treats everyone the same. There are no exceptions and no special treatment based on past achievements. He approaches and communicates with every player in exactly the same way, whether someone comes from the NBA, the EuroLeague or anywhere else.”
"Ergin Ataman's statement? Well, we know how it works with him… Nothing to say."
— Basketball Sphere (@BSphere_) July 6, 2026
Dusan Alimpijevic with a short reaction to Ergin Ataman's statement from earlier today. 🧐 pic.twitter.com/hMIEGOK5in
Momirov played an important role throughout Serbia’s qualifying campaign. Alongside Nikola Tanaskovic, he helped Serbia earn a crucial road victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina in Sarajevo last November. More recently, he scored 11 points against Switzerland, knocking down several key three-pointers as Serbia pulled away.
“The atmosphere in Switzerland was fantastic. It was great in Pionir as well, but we built a big lead so quickly that I didn’t really get the chance to fully take it all in.”
Serbia will return to action in August, when it faces Iceland and Italy in the next stage of the qualifiers, and Momirov is already looking forward to the reunion.
“I can’t wait. I can’t wait for all of us to get back together, practice and play again. That’s what I’m planning my entire summer around, and I’m trying to enjoy every moment while learning and absorbing as much as I possibly can.”
Two successful seasons with Spartak
Before joining Serbia for the latest national team window, Stefan Momirov also capped off an outstanding club season by winning the Serbian championship with Spartak. Reflecting on the campaign, the Serbian forward highlighted both the team’s achievements and the challenges it had to overcome.
“The last two months have been incredible, truly. We had a very difficult season and dealt with a lot of injuries, but we still managed to achieve something special. Reaching the second stage of the FIBA Champions League was already a huge accomplishment for Spartak.
Maybe we could have done a little better in the ABA League. If we had managed to reach the play-in group, things would have been easier for us. But in the end, we got the maximum out of the season by winning the championship in Nis. I’m very satisfied and proud of everything I accomplished with Spartak over the last two seasons.”
Ready for the next chapter
Stefan Momirov has now officially parted ways with Spartak and is preparing for the next step in his career, although his immediate focus remains on Serbia’s national team.
“Yes. We officially parted ways yesterday. It was a great experience, and now we’ll see what the future brings. At the moment, I don’t have any new information. I’m leaving everything to my agent and focusing on August and the next national team gathering”, Stefan Momirov concluded in an interview with Basketball Sphere.
