Ilija Đoković Explained

Ilija Đoković
Position:Guard
Height M:1.88
Weight Kg:88
Team:Budapesti Honved SE
League:Nemzeti Bajnokság I
Nationality:Serbian
Birth Date:5 January 1996
Birth Place:Jagodina, FR Yugoslavia
Draft Year:2018
Career Start:2012
Years1:2012–2015
Team1:Jagodina
Years2:2015–2016
Team2:FMP
Years3:2016–2019
Team3:Borac Čačak
Years4:2019–2020
Team4:FMP
Years5:2020–2021
Team5:Split
Years6:2021–2022
Team6:Borac Čačak
Years7:2022–2023
Team7:SCM Timișoara
Years8:2023–present
Team8:Budapesti Honved SE

Ilija Đoković (Serbian: Илија Ђоковић, born 5 January 1996) is a Serbian professional basketball player for Budapesti Honved SE of the Hungarian Nemzeti Bajnoksak I/A.

Professional career

Đoković started playing professional basketball for his hometown club Jagodina in the 2012–13 season. He stayed there for three seasons and signed with FMP in March 2015, just before the final round of the Serbian First League season. During the 2015–16 season with FMP Belgrade, he averaged 6.4 points, 3.2 assists and 1.7 rebounds over 39 games.

In the summer of 2016, Đoković signed a contract with Borac Čačak. In 2016–17 season, his first season with the club, he averaged 7.5 points, 2.7 assists and 1.8 rebounds over 40 domestic league games. In 2017–18 season, he averaged 11.1 points, 4.6 assists and 2.8 rebounds over 31 domestic league games. Also, in 21 games of the regional ABA League Second Division, he averaged 15.7 points, 5.1 assists, and 3.1 rebounds per game. In 2018–19 season, he averaged 13.3 points 5 assists and 3 rebounds in 24 ABA League Second Division games with Borac.

In August 2019, Đoković signed back a two-year contract for FMP.[1] In July 2020, he signed one year deal with the Croatian team Split.[2] In December 2022, he suffered a shoulder injury, which kept him off the court for three months.[3] Over 2020–21 season, Đoković appeared in only 10 ABA League games with Split, averaging 6.4 points on 38.2% shooting from the field.

In September 2021, Đoković returned to Borac Čačak.[4] In his comeback season with Borac, Đoković averaged 5 points and 2.6 assists over 25 ABA League games, while shooting 31% from the field For 2022–23 season, Đoković signed a contract with the Romanian club SCM Timișoara.

National team career

Đoković was a member of Serbia national U18 team that won silver at the 2014 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship.[5]

Đoković represented the Serbian men's university basketball team at the 2017 Universiade held in Taiwan. In the tournament, Serbia was defeated by the United States in the semifinal game and eventually lost in the bronze-medal game to Latvia with 81–74.[6] The Basketball Federation of Serbia stated that a total of 24 talented young players refused to play for the Universiade Team Serbia, the highest in history.[7] However, despite many refusals to represent Serbia, the weakened roster made big success by getting the fourth place in the tournament. Đoković was invited in the last minutes to form the latest spot and eventually was one of the team leaders.

In November 2017, Đoković was invited by the senior national team head coach Aleksandar Đorđević to represent Serbia in the 2019 World Cup qualifications.[8] He made his debut for the senior national team on 25 November 2017, in a game against Austria.[9]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Ilija Đoković pens a 2-year deal with FMP . aba-liga.com . 7 August 2019.
  2. Web site: Ilija Đoković inks a 1-year contract with Split . aba-liga.com . 15 July 2020.
  3. News: Ilija Đoković se vraća na parket: Nula na dresu za novi početak . 4 January 2023 . basketball.hr . 5 March 2021 . Croatian.
  4. Web site: Ilija Đoković ponovo u Borcu . mozzartsport.com . 21 September 2021.
  5. Web site: U18: Turci nastavili dominaciju. mvp.rs. 3 August 2014. Serbian. Ivica Lončar.
  6. News: Ništa od medalje, košarkaši izgubili od Letonaca meč za treće mesto na Univerzijadi. 23 November 2017. zurnal.rs. 29 August 2017. Serbian.
  7. News: Velimirović. Igor. DA SE NAJEŽITE Sastavili tim za Univerzijadu u WC, došli bez para i bili četvrti na svetu. 23 November 2017. blic.rs. 29 August 2017. Serbian.
  8. News: Velimirović. Igor. BIO JE HIT Slikao se u WC samo da bi igrao za Srbiju, nije imao za autobus, sada ga je Đorđević NAGRADIO. 23 November 2017. blic.rs. 23 November 2017. Serbian.
  9. News: Србија победила Аустрију на старту квалификација за СП. 29 November 2017. kss.rs. 25 November 2017. Serbian.