Career: Crvena zvezda (Yugoslavia-YUBA, 1995-2000), Buducnost (Yugoslavia-YUBA, 2000-02), Minnesota Timberwolves (NBA, 2002-03), Crvena zvezda (Serbia & Montenegro-YUBA, 2003-04), Valencia (Spain-ACB, 2004-05), Real Madrid (Spain-ACB, 2005-06). Selected in the second round of the 2000 NBA draft (#51), by the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Igor Rakocevic has long been part of Serbia’s top brass. In the absence of Milos Vujanic, the “Grasshopper”, as he was nicknamed in his junior days at Red Star, emerges as a logical leader of the rejuvenated Serbia-Montenegro team. After high-profile seasons in the Yugoslav League, Igor took a shot at the NBA. He didn’t see much action for the Minnesota Timberwolves, but he earned precious experience he used in the subsequent years to establish himself as one of the best guards in Europe - namely in the Spanish league.

The leader of this year’s edition of Real Madrid, Igor will take the command of a national team in dire need of leadership. He’s a playmaker who is a deadeye shooter and a big scorer, unstoppable in one-on-one situations. This year, Serbia-Montenegro will have few go-to guys. But one of them will surely be Igor Rakocevic.