Svetislav Pesic, a monumental figure in basketball, has decided to step away from the sidelines. His illustrious career is adorned with victories, including the Euroleague title as a player in 1979 with Bosna Sarajevo and as a coach in 2003 with FC Barcelona. His coaching prowess also led Germany to a European Championship in 1993 and Serbia and Montenegro to victory in 2001, followed by a World Championship title with Serbia and Montenegro in 2002. Most recently, he secured a bronze medal with Serbia at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“He has won a medal at every major basketball competition, both at the youth and senior levels,” his son Marko stated. “He is a model of dedication, commitment, and the will to never give up and always keep learning! I am so proud!”
Pesic, who holds both Serbian and German nationalities, shared his philosophy in his autobiography:
“It’s the great advantage of being a coach: I don’t dine with people my age who constantly talk about heart attacks, prostate problems, or back pain. A coach one day, a coach forever…”
This enduring passion led Pesic to take on one final challenge shortly before Christmas last year, following the departure of World Cup-winning coach Gordon Herbert from Bayern Munich. However, the stress of the sidelines has prompted him to seek a change.
“Before an Euroleague game in early January, I was lying in my hotel bed and suddenly asked myself: ‘What are you doing here? Are you crazy? You’re almost 77 and still a coach. You’ll reach 90, that’s another 13 years.’ That’s when I told myself: ‘Enough with basketball, I’m stopping everything!'” he revealed in an interview with Zeit in late March.
Despite stepping down from coaching, Pesic is not ready to completely close the book on his involvement with basketball. He envisions a different role within the sport.
“I can very well imagine staying with Bayern Munich, but in a different role. I’ll stay in Munich anyway, so why not at Bayern too?” Pesic stated in an interview with Sport1. “Bayern Munich is particularly close to my heart.”
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