The Montenegro men's national basketball team represents Montenegro in international basketball tournaments. The Montenegrin national team entered international competition in 2008 and appointed Duško Vujošević as the national coach. Since 2006, Montenegro has qualified for EuroBasket five times (2011, 2013, 2017, 2022, 2025). They have reached the global stage at the FIBA World Cup twice, in 2019 and 2023.
Montenegro joined FIBA in 2006, following the restoration of Montenegrin independence in the same year. An emerging basketball programme, Montenegro, has embraced the popular Montenegrin nickname ‘Crna Gora’ (The Black Mountain).
Keen to learn more about the Montenegro men’s basketball team ahead of the 2024 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments? The experts at Courtside 1891 have put together this comprehensive guide.
Early Years and EuroBasket Qualifications
Montenegro started from FIBA Division B, where they won first place in their first competitive season. In their first qualifiers for EuroBasket, Montenegro finished first in the group. So, the team qualified for Eurobasket 2011, where they played five games in the first phase - with one win and four losses.
In August 2012, with the new coach Luka Pavićević, Montenegro started qualifiers for Eurobasket 2013. Again, they won first place, but without any defeat from 10 matches. Notable matches were against Serbia, first after the two countries separated. As the first-place team in qualifiers, Montenegro participated at Eurobasket 2013 in Slovenia.
Read also: Egyptian Adventure
First unsuccessful qualifying campaign since independence, Montenegro had during the 2014.
Bogdan Tanjević Era and EuroBasket 2017 Success
In 2015, Montenegro named Bogdan Tanjević new head coach of the national team. Prior to taking the reins of the national team, he was the head coach of Fenerbahçe. In summer 2016, Montenegro started competition in EuroBasket 2017 qualifiers, with the only ambition to qualify for their third final tournament since independence.
For the first time in their history, in Eurobasket 2017, Montenegro finished as a third-place team in the group stage and qualified to the knockout stage. At that time, that was the biggest success of the Montenegrin national team since its independence in 2006.
FIBA World Cup Debut in 2019
Two years later, Montenegro qualified for the 2019 FIBA World Cup for the first time, after a winner-take-all game in Podgorica against Latvia. Montenegro lost the game 80-74 but still went through as they had won the away game 84-75, thus holding the tiebreaker on points difference.
Montenegro made their first appearance at the FIBA World Cup in 2019. The Montenegro side made their first appearance at the FIBA Basketball World Cup in 2019. Back in 2019, they were the smallest country in the competition (Montenegro’s population is 626,466). The team looks to use their experience from 2019 to pick up some wins in Group D.
Read also: Learn Arabic in Egypt: Guide
Key Players and Performances
Nikola Vucevic SEALS the WIN for Bulls vs 76ers with a CLUTCH THREE 🔥
Chicago Bulls star Nikola Vucevic leads his country into competition starting with a matchup against Mexico on Aug. Nikola Vucevic’s impact on his Montenegrin squad will be something to monitor this World Cup. He averaged 14.6 points and 6.4 rebounds in 2019, Montenegro’s first trip to the FIBA World Cup. As we’ve seen in the NBA, the 7-footer is capable of putting up points and crashing the boards.
Vučević, a 13-year NBA vet and two-time NBA All-Star, led Montenegro in scoring at 14.6 points per game at the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup. When Vučević did not feature at EuroBasket 2022, Dubljević and Perry led their country to the Round of 16. They were supported by Nemanja Radović and Vladimir Mihailović, who also helped steer Montenegro through the World Cup qualifiers.
A 6ft 11in center, Peković began his playing career in Europe before spending seven years with the Minnesota Timberwolves in the NBA. Throughout a glittering domestic career, he won the EuroLeague, the GBL, the Greek Cup and a host of other titles. On the international stage, Peković represented the Montenegrin national team at EuroBasket 2011. Peković retired in 2017 and he’s since moved into the operational side of the game.
Recent Competitions and Future Prospects
The national team has also appeared five times at the EuroBasket (2011, 2013, 2017, 2022, 2025). Montenegro played to their increasingly high level in the 2023 World Cup, defeating Mexico, and Egypt before losing to superior opposition in Lithuania and the USA. A final group phase matchup with Greece would determine which nation would finish with a winning campaign record, and it was Montenegro who got the W, thanks to a big performance from their star man, Nikola Vučević.
Montenegro announced an expanded 17-man preliminary roster for FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023. With Courtside 1891, worldwide fans can watch Montenegro compete in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments (FOQTs) 2024.
Read also: Clothing in Ancient Egypt
As FIBA’s premium streaming partner for the World Cup, Courtside 1891 provided access to every 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup game! Please be aware that, due to broadcasting rights and restrictions, access to some games might be restricted depending on your location.
Looking for the latest results from the world of basketball? Head over to the Courtside 1891 Game Center.
Popular articles:
tags: #Egypt
