MANILA, Philippines — The odds are stacked against Gilas Pilipinas when it plays Serbia early Thursday in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in the Serbian capital of Belgrade.
Serbia will be without two of its superstars in reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic and Atlanta Hawks sharpshooter Bogdan Bogdanovic in the OQT but the duo’s absence doesn’t make things any easier for the young Philippine side.
“How do I see [Serbia] without Bogdan (Bogdanovic) and (Nikola) Jokic? I see them as world-class. I see them as elite,” said Baldwin during the pre-event press conference.
Jokic chose to skip the Olympic qualifiers after leading the Denver Nuggets to the Western Conference semifinal…
Keep on reading: Serbia still ‘world-class, elite’ sans Jokic, Bogdanovic says Gilas’ Baldwin