17 Dec 2014
MIES (3x3) - Following the FIBA 3x3 All Stars where he led his Novi Sad team to victory, Dejan Majstorovic has replaced team-mate Dusan Domovic Bulut at the top of the 3x3 Individual World Ranking with 986,400 points.
The sharp-shooting Serb narrowly edges out fellow countrymen Bulut and Marko Savic, who are second and third respectively.
"The feeling is great. I'm very happy to be number one", the 26-year-old said.
"Though what really matters even more to me is that our team is in first place."
Team Novi Sad has been dominant this season, winning the FIBA 3x3 All Stars and FIBA 3x3 World Tour in Tokyo/Sendai on 11-12 October - an event in which Majstorovic finished as top scorer - but also a majority of the events they participated in this season.
Majstorovic, a versatile 2.00m player, rose to fame at the FIBA 3x3 World Championships on 5-8 June with an overtime game-winner in the quarter-finals against Romania, replicating the signature move of Serbian legend Dejan Bodiroga.
The native of Stari Banovci, a small village between Novi Sad and Belgrade, climbed up the 3x3 world ranking thanks to his outstanding performances in the last 12 months.
Majstorovic passed Bulut by fewer than 8,000 points, mainly because he reached the final of the Serbian quest - an event in which Bulut did not participate.
Rankings points are collected at all FIBA-endorsed events (and pick-up games).
The 3x3 Individual World Ranking system was optimised in December 2014 to allow for the three best FIBA 3x3 World Tour results and six best results (notwithstanding the three best FIBA 3x3 World Tour results) to be included.
The ranking points earned based on individual scoring statistics were increased to better reward the best players (they are awarded at any event where the full scouting application - where points scored are collected - is used).
Last but not least, the system was simplified with events ranked based on a 10-colour system from black (top level) to white (lowest level). Players can nowadays easily determine the number of points they will earn at a FIBA-endorsed event based on the colour of the event.
To learn more about the 3x3 Individual World Ranking, you can read the Ranking Quick Guide or the more comprehensive Ranking Compendium.
Majstorovic's eight highlights from 2014:
3 Best* FIBA 3x3 World Tour Events:
*Majstorovic played at two FIBA-endorsed events, which was the maximum in 2014. As of 2015, 3x3 players will be able to qualify and play in all seven FIBA 3x3 World Tour events.
Other 6 Best Results:
FIBA