During the summer 1987 off-season, Maljković identified a need for more experience on the roster in order to make a deeper playoff run. He thus brought in Duško Ivanović, experienced small forward from Budućnost who was about to turn 30. Young Jugoplastika starlets Kukoč and Rađa were selected by the Yugoslav national team head coach Krešimir Ćosić for EuroBasket 1987 where the team took bronze after losing to Greece in the semis. Later that summer the two were picked again for national team duty, this time by the under-19 national team coach Svetislav Pešić for the Under-19 World Cup in Bormio. Yugoslav youth team steamrolled over the competition, including the USA team, with Kukoč dropping 11 three-pointers on them from 12 attempts.