Basta made his international debut for Serbia and Montenegro in 2005, and later was selected in the squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

Basta signed his first professional contract at the age of 17, when he together with a few teammates from Red Star's youth team broke out into the senior squad.

He made his professional debut on his 18th birthday (18 August 2002) in a 1–0 defeat from Sutjeska in Nikšić, Montenegro.

In the following, his second season, he played on loan in Jedinstvo Ub (along with Aleksandar Luković and Boško Janković).

Over the season Basta displayed great technique, skills, and pass accuracy and very soon he became one of the most important players for Red Star Belgrade.

He made his debut on 23 September 2009 against AC Milan, replacing Mauricio Isla after 27 minutes.

In that match the coach Francesco Guidolin rested Isla, using Basta as the right wing-back in their 3–5–2 formation.

He was called up by the caretaker of the Serbia national football team, Radovan Ćurčić, for two friendly matches, against Mexico and Honduras, as a replacement for the injured Neven Subotić.