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Olympics: Can Serbia’s “Big Four” Shock the World And Win Gold Medal?

By Matthew Medley

Aug 19, 2016; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; The Serbia bench reacts in the game against Australia during the men's basketball semifinals in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Carioca Arena 1. Mandatory Credit: Dan Powers-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 19, 2016; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; The Serbia bench reacts in the game against Australia during the men's basketball semifinals in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Carioca Arena 1. Mandatory Credit: Dan Powers-USA TODAY Sports /
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Aug 12, 2016; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Serbia shooting guard Bogdan Bogdanovic (7) hugs United States guard Kyrie Irving (10) after the game in the preliminary round of the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Carioca Arena 1. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 12, 2016; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Serbia shooting guard Bogdan Bogdanovic (7) hugs United States guard Kyrie Irving (10) after the game in the preliminary round of the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Carioca Arena 1. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports /

Bogdan Bogdanovic

The 24-year-old Kings prospect is showing the world what he can do on the biggest international stage.

Bogdanovic scored 19 points on two occasions, dominating against Venezuela and China, but was somewhat quiet in the three big games against Australia, France, and the U.S.

He had a wide-open look at the buzzer against Team USA, which would have sent the game to overtime if he made it, but the shot rattled off the rim.

Those who are familiar with Bogdanovic know that is not the type of shot opposing teams want to let him take wide open and even USA coaches and players would admit they may have caught a break on that miss.

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If the game would have gone to overtime, odds are Team USA would have pulled away, but it still shows there is not as big a gap between the two teams as many expected.

Although the shooting guard dominated inferior opponents, fans of Serbia and Sacramento were hoping to see a big performance in a pivotal game. That wish came true when Serbia played Croatia in the quarterfinals, as Bogdanovic got rolling in the third quarter, scoring 14 points in the period, sparking a 22-point turnaround.

Serbia trailed by six at halftime, but led by 14 heading into the fourth quarter, and it was largely due to the young man’s outburst. He finished with 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting and was one of the stars of Serbia’s quarterfinal victory.

He was not called upon much in the win over Australia, as it was a blowout from start to finish.

Bogdanovic is shooting 15-for-34 (44 percent), from beyond the arc in the tournament, ranking fifth among all players in Rio in three-pointers made.

The shooting guard also can slash to the hoop and finish near the rim, making him a versatile threat to score a number of ways.

If he gets going, that’s one more weapon in Serbia’s arsenal for the U.S. to deal with and although no one is saying Bogdanovic is close to the level of Klay Thompson, his streaky shooting and ability to score in bunches make him a similar type of player.

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