RISING basketball star Mirko Djeric has been ruled out of the upcoming world championships after being shot in the leg at a house party.

But the good news is he will be able to play professional basketball again.

The 18-year-old's manager Bruce Kaider told The Daily Telegraph the teenager would "absolutely not" be representing the Australian under-19 basketball team at the championships in the Czech Republic next week.

Djeric was shot in the right thigh after a fight broke out with a group of gatecrashers at an 18th birthday party he attended in Grainger Avenue in Mount Pritchard, in Sydney's southwest, shortly after midnight yesterday.

He is in a stable condition in Liverpool hospital after undergoing surgery for the gunshot wound.

"This has definitely ended his chances of going to the championships," Mr Kaider said.

"He's obviously pretty devastated but in context of what happened, he was able to come out reasonably well. The consquences of what happened could have been a lot worse.

"He's probably disappointed but he's happy that he's still alive. It's more important that he's got his health and his life.

"He's recovering really well. The indication at this point is there's going to be no long-term issues for him in terms of playing basketball."

The former Wollongong Hawks player recently signed a two-year deal with the NBL's Townsville Crocodiles.

Police said the house party of 50 guests had been under control until a fight broke out with a group of gatecrashers earlier in the night.

The shot was then fired by a second group of gatecrashers, with officers now looking for up to seven men of Asian, Middle Eastern and Pacific Islander appearance.

Mr Kaider said Djeric had been "at the wrong place at the wrong time", but as the matter is under police investigation, could not comment on the incident further.

Basketball Australia chief executive and former NSW premier, Kristina Keneally, said the organisation was "offering every support" to Djeric and his family.

Caroline Marcus

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Originally published as Shot basketballer out of world comp