Virtus Bologna has officially announced the dismissal of Dusko Ivanovic from his position as head coach of the first team. The club also confirmed the departure of his assistant, Nenad Trajkovic. In their statement, Virtus Pallacanestro Bologna extended heartfelt thanks to Dusko Ivanovic for his professionalism, dedication, and hard work during his tenure. They also expressed gratitude to Nenad Trajkovic and wished both of them the very best for their future careers.
The club has named Nenad Jakovljevic as the new head coach, who will be supported by assistant coaches Daniele Parente and Cristian Fedrigo.
Reports indicate that the decision follows significant internal tensions, particularly a developing conflict between the outgoing coach and Carsen Edwards, a key player for Virtus. This disagreement reportedly escalated into a deep division within the team. Edwards’ reduced playing time was a notable sign of this discord; he started on the bench against Reggio Emilia and played only nine minutes in the recent match in Milan.
Commenting on Edwards’ limited participation, Ivanovic had previously stated after the Milan game: “Edwards did not play the last twenty minutes by my decision; he has no physical problems.”
The Montenegrin coach, whose contract was set to conclude at the end of the current season, joined Bologna in December 2024, succeeding Luca Banchi. He successfully led the team to an Italian championship title last season, securing a decisive 3-0 victory over Brescia in the final series.
