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The biggest star of the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team, Jusuf Nurkic, has been training with his teammates for almost a week now. However, practices are not the only thing the players think about at the moment.

Jusuf Nurkic

Jusuf  Nurkic
Position: PF, C
Age: 27
Height: 212 cm
Weight: 127 kg
Birth place: Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina

As previously reported, the country's federation has severe issues with funding which place the participation of all Bosnian national teams in international tournaments at risk. 

The men's national team needs significant funds to go to friendly games as well. There were some doubts that the squad wasn't going to travel to Estonia for the two friendly matches against Estonia and Belgium scheduled this weekend but the federation found the required funds yesterday.

"No matter how much we don't want all this circus to not disturb us, I can't say that it doesn't disturb us. Today we supposedly have two training sessions, we don't have any preparatory games. I think this is shameful," Nurkic said yesterday after practice to NOVA BH about the situation.

"We understand that there will be turbulence, that there will be something unexpected. I hope that this will not happen in the future. However, the atmosphere in the team is great and that keeps us going," he explained.

The Bosnian federation exclusively thanked the Estonian Basketball Association for its help in getting the team to the Baltic country. No financial help from the government or local authorities is mentioned in the federation's official release, although there is an obligation from the Bosnian Council of Ministers to provide the required funds.

"Well, the first question is whether we're going at all," Nurkic continued. "That's the biggest question right now. If we're going, I'm very excited. The European Championship is one of the biggest competitions where anyone can beat anyone. There are no unknowns, I think EuroBasket will be uncertain until the very end."

"I have no doubts about our quality, the only important thing is whether we get there," the center concluded.

The two games this weekend are currently the only ones planned for the Bosnian national team ahead of the 2023 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers and EuroBasket 2022.

Bosnia and Herzegovina is placed in Group B in EuroBasket together with France, Lithuania, Slovenia, Germany, and Hungary. The team is scheduled to face France and Montenegro in the World Cup Qualifiers later in August.

Bosnia and Herzegovina national team's current roster:

No. Player Team
1 Miralem Halilovic Nanterre 92
2 Edin Atic Buducnost VOLI Podgorica
3 John Roberson Manisa Buyuksehir Belediyespor
4 Dzanan Musa Real Madrid
5 Jusuf Nurkic Portland Trail Blazers
6 Emir Sulejmanovic Lenovo Tenerife
7 Luka Garza Free Agent
8 Amar Alibegovic Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana
9 Amar Gegic KK Cibona
10 Kenan Kamenjas Buducnost VOLI Podgorica
11 Sani Campara KK Split
12 Ismet Sejfic Golden Eagle Ylli
13 Rijad Avdic WWU Baskets Munster
14 Adin Vrabac Belfius Mons-Hainaut
15 Ajdin Penava Belfius Mons-Hainaut
16 Jure Zubac Inter Bratislava
17 Halis Delalic KK Igokea
18 Aleksandar Lazic Mornar Barsko zlato
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