Strahinja Stojacic: The spectacular stats of Serbia's 'Doctor Strange'
From winning world and European titles to dominating the World Tour, 2022 has been a season of dreams for the world number one. Now all 'Doctor Strange' needs is a victory in Abu Dhabi's World Tour Final to complete the set.
Basketball 3x3
In the world of men's 3x3 basketball, a single name reigns supreme: Strahinja Stojacic.
The 30-year-old world No.1 ranked player has swept this year to such an extent that the views from the top look nothing short of spectacular.
In 2022 alone the six-foot-six-inch (1.98m) Stojacic has been crowned world and European champion with Serbia, won a record-breaking four consecutive World Tour Masters titles with his team Ub Huishan Ne, and has picked up three Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards for his own efforts along the way.
What’s more is that individually, he has also proven he is at the peak of his powers.
On the World Tour stats sheet his name currently appears on top of five of the 14 top categories. He leads all players in player value, scoring, highlights, triple-fives and drives, proving he is both substance and style.
It’s been an all-but stellar season for the man known as 'Doctor Strange' owing to his mystic mastery of the half-court, but it could get better still.
Next month's 3x3 World Tour Final in Abu Dhabi (10-11 December) awaits Stojacic and with only the top 12 teams in the world in attendance, what better way would there be for the world number one to wrap up a perfect season than with a desert crown?
The event will award ranking points in the Paris 2024 Olympic qualifying process and will be streamed live on olympics.com.
Strahinja Stojacic’s rise in 2021
With his endless highlight reels and impressive dunking skills, it might be hard to imagine that Stojacic made his ascent to the peak of 3x3 basketball in the shadows, but as the younger brother of star player Stefan Stojacic, Strahinja found himself often overlooked.
It wasn’t until a breakthrough 2021 season that Stojacic finally managed to severe the sibling caveat that often followed his name and prove to onlookers that he is a star in his own right.
The first leap forward for the Novi Sad native came in Debrecen, when he and his Ub team-mates Miroslav Pasajlic, Marko Brankovic and Tokyo 2020 bronze medallist Dejan Majstorovic, won their first 3x3 World Tour Masters title together.
Then, just a week later, the Serbs followed up their surprise win in Hungary with a second title in Montreal and it was the ‘bouncy’ brother of 'Mr. Robot’ who was crowned MVP. Stojacic topped all scorers in Canda producing a stunning 40 points in five games. In the final against Amsterdam, he set himself apart by claiming a monstruous 12 points as well as the game-winning dunk.
The statistical dominance Stojacic in Canada unfurled to become a story of the season.
By the end of the year the Serb finished on top of the Tour sheets for drives as well as in the top three players for blocks, triple-fives, highlights and scoring. His dominance, paired with Ub’s consistent performances, meant that by the close of 2021 Stojacic rose to become the number one player in the world, and he has stayed on his throne ever since.
Sitting 161,352 ranking points ahead of second-ranked Stefan Kojic, Stojacic not only occupies the individual ranking top spot, but owns it and for the Serbian, being able to do that, all comes down to hard work and sacrifice.
In an interview with Dugout the half-court maestro explained how much he and his team-mates invest in 3x3 in order to stay and the top of the game:
"We are practising all year just [playing] 3x3,” Stojacic said. "When we finish the season in December, we take a little bit rest, and then we have two-three months of very difficult practice. After that, we don't have so much time for practice. You just keep your conditioning for the year. Sometimes, it's very difficult, but we are professionals. We must be focused on that.”
Remaining dedicated to the cause and following the Tour around the world does mean that Stojacic is away from his family for most of the year. But to the Serbian, who gave up playing 5x5 basketball to pursue 3x3, that is part of the experience:
“For us, our families are a big support for us, and for sure, we miss them too much, but this is our job and that's normal,” Stojacic continued to Dugout.
The greatest test of Stojacic's comittment will come down to Abu Dhabi. And things are certainly heating up heading to the dessert.
After their hot start, Ub haven't claimed a Tour win since Augus and a recent seventh place finish in Hong Kong, China hasn't helped their momentum-building heading to Yas Island.
Still, Ub are proven winners and with Strahinja Stojacic at the helm there's little doubt that the Serbs will still be among the favourites to take the win.