Nikola Vucevic Broke Down in Tears After His National Team Send-Off

Nikola Vucevic is back in Orlando for another run with the Magic. But before he gets too deep into that, the emotional goodbye he just had with Montenegro’s national team is worth talking about.

The two-time NBA All-Star officially retired from international play after Montenegro got knocked out of the 2025 EuroBasket. It ended a national team career that spanned more than a decade, two FIBA World Cups, and a bunch of European tournaments. On Sunday, Montenegro gave him a proper send-off. Simple ceremony. But the moment hit him hard.

Vucevic couldn’t hold back the tears while thanking fans for their support. FIBA posted a video of it, and it’s the kind of thing that gets you right in the chest. A homegrown legend getting the love he earned.

He started representing Montenegro at the youth level, way back in the FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship. His senior debut came in 2011 at EuroBasket. Over the years, he went from being Nikola Pekovic’s backup to becoming the guy the whole team leaned on.

In his final EuroBasket run this year, Vucevic averaged 20.8 points and 11.6 rebounds. But Montenegro went just 1-3, only beating Sweden. Even before the tournament tipped off, he made it clear this was it for him internationally.

“It was an honor to play here, but that’s sports. I enjoyed playing here, but it is time for a new generation to leave its mark,” Vucevic told BasketNews.

That new generation might actually be in good shape. Montenegro topped Group B in the FIBA World Cup European Qualifiers after scraping past Romania on Sunday. They’re heading to the second round of qualifying, and a lot of that momentum started with the foundation Vucevic helped build.

At 35, Vucevic is now fully focused on the Magic. This is his second stint in Orlando, where he originally played from 2013 to 2021. He signed a one-year deal after a brief stop with the Boston Celtics. The hope is he can still be productive in a frontcourt that’s got some young pieces around him.

It’s not every day you see a veteran get that emotional in a retirement ceremony. But Vucevic gave everything to Montenegro, and the feeling was clearly mutual.