Image Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

2025 FIBA EuroBasket: Hamstring Injury Sidelines Serbian Captain Bogdan Bogdanovic for Remainder of Tournament

Bogdanovic suffered a hamstring injury during Serbia’s clash against Portugal on Friday.

Image Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Serbia suffered a massive blow as its team captain Bogdan Bogdanovic will be forced to miss the remainder of the FIBA 2025 EuroBasket. Bogdanovic suffered a hamstring injury during Serbia’s clash against Portugal on Friday. He injured himself on a drive to the basket late in the second quarter and didn’t return in the second half. It was clarified that he was dealing with a hamstring problem and needed to undergo scans to know the extent of the injury.

As he underwent further diagnosis, the 33-year-old was diagnosed with a hamstring muscle tear. Unfortunately, the injury would keep him out for the rest of the championship. The Serbian Basketball Basketball Federation released an official statement to announce the development. The statement read, “The captain of the Serbian national team Bogdan Bogdanovic will not be playing for the rest of the FIBA EuroBasket after suffering an injury to his hamstring in the game against Portugal on Game Day 2 in the group phase.”

It added, “Bogdanovic has been diagnosed with a hamstring muscle tear which will keep him out of the rest of the championship.” The Clippers’ star finished the game with seven points and five rebounds, as the Serbian team went on to register an 80-69 win over Portugal. Nikola Jokic led the team with 23 points and 10 rebounds, whereas Nikola Jovic dropped 18 points.

How Will Bogdanovic’s Absence Have an Impact on Serbia’s Campaign in Championship?

The Serbian team is one of the top contenders to win the EuroBasket tournament. They have been in control, dominating their rivals as and when needed. The team is being led by Nikola Jokic across multiple statistical categories, averaging 24.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game. Bogdanovic has also played a crucial role for the team, and he averaged 20 minutes, 9.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 12.5 efficiency points per game.

He has been the staple for his national team ever since his FIBA EuroBasket debut in 2013. Losing him would certainly take a huge hit for the team, but other players including Nikola Jokic and young stars like Nikola Jovic would be required to shoulder more responsibilities.

However, considering his agreement with the Los Angeles Clippers, the Belgrade-born is expected to spend the next period in intensive therapies in the United States to speed up recovery. In the upcoming season, the Clippers would hope to use their deep bench in the regular season. While there is no timeline set for his return, Bogi is expected to be back on court in two-three months.

However, if his recovery is delayed, it might derail the Clippers’ rotation plans. But, considering that he suffered the injury early in the tournament, it would give him enough time to heal and prepare. In his last season with the NBA side, Bogdanovic finished as the fourth-leading scorer at 11.4 points, and was shooting threes at a career rate of 38.2%.

Bogdan Bogdanovic

Garima Ranawat

Garima is a sports writer with around two years of experience in Indian sports and a newfound interest in the NBA. Inspired by the leadership of cricketing legend MS Dhoni, she wishes to bring in newer perspectives to the NBA fanatics with her writing.