SPORT

JELENA, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING: The captain who returned to the court immediately after giving birth has ended her career!

by Serbian Times8. May 2026.8. May 2026.

Jelena Brooks ex Milovanović ended her playing career in her 37th year.

Jelena brought us happiness, first as Milovanović, and then as Brooks. A captain, a brilliant basketball player, a living legend of Serbian women’s basketball. Woman, mother, queen. She lifted Serbia to the roof of Europe, brought home medals, and was always there for the national selection, even just a few months after giving birth. A great fighter, a great player. Now she can enjoy her well-deserved playing retirement.

She played her last game for Sopron against the TSFE team, where in a 73:52 victory she recorded a double-double performance of 21 points and 17 rebounds. Her career ended with a great performance, the Hungarian championship title, and the MVP award.

“That’s it. The curtain has fallen. Thank you. Signing off,” she announced on social media.

She left an indelible mark on the Serbian national team, whose jersey she wore for a full 18 years. As captain and one of the symbols of the golden generation, she participated in winning as many as nine medals across all age selections – three gold, two silver, and four bronze. With the senior team, she reached bronze at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, won European gold twice (2015 and 2021), while in 2019 she also won bronze at the European Championship. She achieved great success in younger categories as well, especially in 2007 when she won the European title with the junior national team and received the award for the tournament’s most valuable player.

During her rich club career, she performed for a large number of teams including Šumadija, Dubočica, Vojvodina, Spartak Moscow, Dynamo Kursk, Ordu, Bešiktaš, and Avenida, and she also tested herself in the WNBA league playing for Washington. Hungarian Sopron holds a special place in her career, the club where she played in three different mandates and where she ended her professional career. It was with Sopron that she achieved her greatest club success, winning the EuroLeague in the 2021/22 season.

In addition to numerous trophies and medals, Jelena Brooks remains remembered as one of the best Serbian basketball players of her generation. She was declared the best basketball player in Serbia in 2017, and her name is among the ten best scorers in the history of the EuroLeague.

Jelena, thank you for everything – enjoy your playing retirement.