former club. National team career Youth Talented Paspalj, playing in Budućnost's youth categories at the time, got his first taste of the Yugoslav national team system as a 17-year-old when in summer 1983 he got picked by head coach Rusmir Halilović to represent his country at the European Championship for Cadets in the West German towns of Tübingen and Ludwigsburg. Being on a squad alongside fellow youngsters such as Jure Zdovc, Bane Prelević, Miroslav Pecarski, Ivo Nakić, and Luka Pavićević, Paspalj had a solid tournament, recording 14.6 points per game, just behind the team's leading scorer Ivica Mavrenski (18.4 ppg). Yugoslavia went on to win the title, beating Greece in the semifinal and Spain (led by Antonio Martín, Aitor González de Zarate, and Rafa Jofresa) in the final. A year later, 18-year-old Paspalj was picked again by Halilović, this time for the 1984 European Championship for Juniors in Huskvarna and Katrineholm, Sweden. Playing on a team alongside old national cadet teammates Mavrenski, Pavićević, Zdovc, Nakić, and Pecarski as well as new teammates Zoran Jovanović, Velimir Perasović, Mirko Milićević, Franjo Arapović, and Ivica Žurić, Paspalj starred again. The team won bronze by beating Spain after losing the semifinal versus the Soviet Union by 19 points. Achievements and awards Club level Partizan FIBA Korać Cup (1): 1988–89 Yugoslav League (1): 1986–87 Yugoslav Cup (1): 1988–89 Olympiacos Greek League (2): 1992–93, 1993–94 Greek Cup (1): 1993–94 Racing Paris French League (1): 1996–97 Aris Greek Cup (1): 1997–98 Paspalj also participated in EuroLeague Final Fours on three occasions, with three different teams. In 1988, he was part of the young Partizan squad that came in third place. In 1994, he led Olympiacos to the final, but couldn't make the last step. The very next season (1995), he was there again, this time with Panathinaikos, but they finished in third place. National team level 1989 EuroBasket: 1990 FIBA World Championship: 1991 EuroBasket: 1995 EuroBasket: In addition, Paspalj won two Olympic silver medals (1988, 1996), as well as a bronze medal at the 1987 EuroBasket. Post-playing Health issues In March 2001, Paspalj, just shy of his 35th birthday, suffered a mild heart attack while playing recreational football with friends in Athens. Not realizing what had happened, he went back to his Glyfada home where, while showering after football, he reportedly started feeling severe fatigue along with strong burning sensation in his lungs at which point he