Yugoslavia national basketball team

Yugoslavia national basketball team represented the Kingdom and socialist Yugoslavia.
It was administrated by Košarkaški savez Jugoslavije. The seat of the governing body was in Belgrade.
After the dissolution of Yugoslavia in 1990s, national teams of Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia and Serbia-Montenegro were the successors of former Yugoslav team, although Serbia-Montenegro adopted the name of Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (between 1992 and 2003), competed under that name and claimed former Yugoslav titles and participations as solely theirs.

At the Olympics

At the Summer Olympic Games, the unified Yugoslavia captured one gold medal (1980), took the silver medal on three occasions (1968, 76, 88) and captured the bronze medal once (1984).

At the World Basketball Championship

At the World Basketball Championships, the unified Yugoslavia captured three gold medals (1970, 1978, 1990), three silver medals (1963, 1967, 1974) and two bronze medals (1982, 1986).

At the European Basketball Championships

At the European basketball championships, the unified Yugoslavia captured the gold medal five times (1973, 1975, 1977, 1989, 1991), were silver medalists on five occasions (1961, 1965, 1969, 1971, 1981), and captured the bronze medal three times (1963, 1979, 1987).

Eurobasket 1947

Yugoslavia made its European championship debut in Eurobasket 1947, the fifth edition of the tournament. The team placed 13th out of 14 teams in the competition, losing to the Soviet Union and Hungary in the preliminary round, beating the Netherlands but losing to Italy in the semifinal round (placing third in the three-way tie between the teams), and defeating Albania in the 13th/14th classification match.

Eurobasket 1953

Yugoslavia's second appearance was at Eurobasket 1953 in Moscow. They dropped an early 27-25 decision against Bulgaria but finished at 3-1 in their preliminary group. In the three-way tie-breaker with Bulgaria and Israel, Yugoslavia ended up in second place to advance to the final round. There, they won 3 but lost 4 to take 6th place overall in the 17 team tournament.

Eurobasket 1955

Yugoslavia again advanced to the final round at Eurobasket 1955 in Budapest, this time in sole second place with a 3-1 record in the preliminary round pool. Their final round performance was riddled with 6 losses in 7 games, but did include the high point of a 52-49 victory over eventual silver medallist Czechoslovakia on Yugoslavia's way to an 8th place finish of the 18 entrants.

Eurobasket 1957

Yugoslavia's appearance at the Eurobasket 1957 tournament in Sofia resulted in a 2-1 record for the preliminary round and advancement to the final round robin. There, they proved capable of two wins, defeating Poland and France to finish at 2-5 for 6th place in the tournament.

The end

The Yugoslav national team of the late 1980s and early 1990s, just prior to the Greater Serbian attack on Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, featured what was perhaps the greatest generation in the history of Yugoslav basketball. With such future NBA players as Dražen Petrović, Vlade Divac, Toni Kukoč, Dino Rađa and Žarko Paspalj, has pioneered the wave of international NBA players well before the early 21st century, when the concept began to gain true global momentum.

Many of the former Yugoslav stars mentioned above were a part of the under-21 national team that won the FIBA World Junior Championships in 1987, defeating the USA both in pool play and in the final.

FIBA counts the records of SFR Yugoslavia separate from FR Yugoslavia/Serbia and Montenegro/Serbia. [FIBA.com, [http://www.fiba.com/downloads/event/2006_wcm/eng/pres/hist/flash_back.pdf FIBA World Championship medals table 1950-2006] ] Serbia's national team became the direct descendant of the FR Yugoslavia team.

History

FIBA World Championships

;As Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
*1950 - 10th
*1954 - 11th
*1959 - Did not qualify
*1963 - Runner up
*1967 - Runner up
*1970 - World Champion
*1974 - Runner up
*1978 - World Champion
*1982 - Third place
*1986 - Third place
*1990 - World Champion

Olympic Games

;As Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
*1960 - 6th
*1964 - 7th
*1968 - Silver
*1972 - 5th
*1976 - Silver
*1980 - Gold
*1984 - Bronze
*1988 - Silver

European Championships

;As Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
*1947 - 13th
*1949 - Did not qualify
*1951 - Did not qualify
*1953 - 6th
*1955 - 8th
*1957 - 6th
*1959 - 9th
*1961 - Runner-up
*1963 - Third place
*1969 - Runner-up
*1971 - Runner-up
*1973 - European Champion
*1975 - European Champion
*1977 - European Champion
*1979 - Third place
*1981 - Runner-up
*1983 - 7th
*1985 - 7th
*1987 - Third place
*1989 - European Champion
*1991 - European Champion

Rosters

As Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

1947 EuroBasket: finished 13th among 14 teams

Nebojsa Popovic, Ladislav Demsar, Aleksandar Gec, Srdjan Kalember, Mirko Marjanovic, Zorko Cvetkovic, Bozo Grkinic, Zlatko Kovacevic, Aleksandar Milojkovic, Bozidar Muncan, Otone Olivieri, Tulio Roklicer, Miodrag Stefanovic (Coach: Stevica Colovic)

1948 Olympic Games: did not participate

1949 EuroBasket: did not participate

1950 World Championship: finished 10th among 10 teams

Borislav Stankovic, Nebojsa Popovic, Ladislav Demsar, Aleksandar Gec, Srdjan Kalember, Vilmos Loczi, Lajos Engler, Aleksandar Blaskovic, Mirko Amon, Dusan Radojcic, Milorad Sokolovic, Milenko Novakovic (Coach: Nebojsa Popovic)

1951 EuroBasket: did not participate

1952 Olympic Games: did not participate

1953 EuroBasket: finished 6th among 17 teams

Borislav Stankovic, Ladislav Demsar, Aleksandar Gec, Srdjan Kalember, Vilmos Loczi, Lajos Engler, Aleksandar Blaskovic, Mirko Marjanovic, Djordje Andrijasevic, Milan Bjegojevic, Borislav Curcic, Dragan Godzic, Borko Jovanovic (Coach: Nebojsa Popovic)

1954 World Championship: finished 11th among 12 teams

Vilmos Loczi, Lajos Engler, Aleksandar Blaskovic, Mirko Marjanovic, Djordje Andrijasevic, Milan Bjegojevic, Borislav Curcic, Dragan Godzic, Bogdan Muller, Djordje Konjovic, Milan Blagojevic, Boris Kristancic (Coach: Aca Nikolić)

1955 EuroBasket: finished 8th among 18 teams

Ladislav Demsar, Vilmos Loczi, Aleksandar Blaskovic, Djordje Andrijasevic, Milan Bjegojevic, Borislav Curcic, Bogdan Muller, Djordje Konjovic, Milutin Minja, Obren Popovic, Joze Zupancic, Ljubomir Katic (Coach: Aca Nikolić)

1956 Olympic Games: did not participate

1957 EuroBasket: finished 6th among 16 teams

Ivo Daneu, Vilmos Loczi, Lajos Engler, Bogdan Muller, Boris Kristancic, Milutin Minja, Ljubomir Katic, Marjan Kandus, Miodrag Nikolic, Branko Radovic, Matija Dermastija, Branko Miletic (Coach: Aca Nikolić)

1959 EuroBasket: finished 9th among 17 teams

Radivoj Korac, Ivo Daneu, Slobodan Gordic, Boris Kristancic, Milutin Minja, Marjan Kandus, Miodrag Nikolic, Branko Radovic, Matija Dermastija, Nemanja Djuric, Radovan Radovic, Igor Jelnikar (Coach: Aca Nikolić)

1959 World Championship: did not participate

1960 Olympic Games: finished 6th among 16 teams

Radivoj Korac, Ivo Daneu, Slobodan Gordic, Josip Djerdja, Boris Kristancic, Marjan Kandus, Miodrag Nikolic, Nemanja Djuric, Radovan Radovic, Miha Lokar, Zvonko Petricevic, Sreten Dragojlovic (Coach: Aca Nikolić)

1961 EuroBasket: finished 2nd among 19 teams

Radivoj Korać, Ivo Daneu, Slobodan Gordic, Marjan Kandus, Miodrag Nikolic, Nemanja Djuric, Radovan Radović, Miha Lokar, Zvonko Petricevic, Sreten Dragojlovic, Vital Eiselt, Zeljko Troskot (Coach: Aca Nikolić)

1963 EuroBasket: finished 3rd among 16 teams

Radivoj Korać, Ivo Daneu, Slobodan Gordic, Trajko Rajkovic, Borut Bassin, Miodrag Nikolic, Nemanja Djuric, Zvonko Petricevic, Dragoslav Raznatovic, Milos Bojovic, Zivko Kasun, Emil Logar (Coach: Aca Nikolić)

1963 World Championship: finished 2nd among 13 teams

Radivoj Korać, Ivo Daneu, Josip Djerdja, Slobodan Gordic, Trajko Rajkovic, Miodrag Nikolic, Nemanja Djuric, Zvonko Petricevic, Dragoslav Raznatovic, Vital Eiselt, Vladimir Cvetkovic, Dragan Kovacic (Coach: Aca Nikolić)

1964 Olympic Games: finished 7th among 16 teams

Radivoj Korać, Ivo Daneu, Josip Djerdja, Slobodan Gordic, Trajko Rajkovic, Miodrag Nikolic, Nemanja Djuric, Zvonko Petricevic, Dragoslav Raznatovic, Vital Eiselt, Vladimir Cvetkovic, Dragan Kovacic (Coach: Aca Nikolić)

1965 EuroBasket: finished 2nd among 16 teams

Radivoj Korać, Ivo Daneu, Petar Skansi, Josip Djerdja, Slobodan Gordic, Trajko Rajkovic, Nemanja Djuric, Zvonko Petricevic, Dragoslav Raznatovic, Vital Eiselt, Dragan Kovacic, Milos Bojovic (Coach: Aca Nikolić)

1967 EuroBasket: finished 9th among 16 teams

Kresimir Cosic, Petar Skansi, Aljosa Zorga, Rato Tvrdic, Damir Solman, Borut Bassin, Ljubodrag Simonović, Dragoslav Ražnatović, Vladimir Cvetković, Dragan Kapičić, Zoran Marojević, Goran Brajković (Coach: Ranko Žeravica)

1967 World Championship: finished 2nd among 13 teams

Radivoj Korać, Kresimir Cosic, Ivo Daneu, Josip Djerdja, Petar Skansi, Rato Tvrdic, Borut Bassin, Nemanja Djuric, Trajko Rajkovic, Dragoslav Raznatovic, Vladimir Cvetkovic, Dragan Kovacic (Coach: Ranko Žeravica)

1968 Olympic Games: finished 2nd among 16 teams

Radivoj Korac, Kresimir Cosic, Ivo Daneu, Petar Skansi, Nikola Plecas, Aljosa Zorga, Damir Solman, Trajko Rajkovic, Dragoslav Raznatovic, Vladimir Cvetkovic, Dragutin Cermak, Zoran Marojevic (Coach: Ranko Žeravica)

1969 EuroBasket: finished 2nd among 12 teams

Kresimir Cosic, Ivo Daneu, Nikola Plecas, Vinko Jelovac, Rato Tvrdic, Damir Solman, Ljubodrag Simonovic, Trajko Rajkovic, Dragutin Cermak, Dragan Kapicic, Vladimir Cvetkovic, Zoran Marojevic (Coach: Ranko Žeravica)

1970 World Championship: finished 1st among 13 teams

Kresimir Cosic, Ivo Daneu, Petar Skansi, Nikola Plecas, Vinko Jelovac, Aljosa Zorga, Rato Tvrdic, Damir Solman, Ljubodrag Simonovic, Trajko Rajkovic, Dragutin Cermak, Dragan Kapicic (Coach: Ranko Žeravica)

1971 EuroBasket: finished 2nd among 12 teams

Kresimir Cosic, Nikola Plecas, Vinko Jelovac, Aljosa Zorga, Ljubodrag Simonovic, Dragutin Cermak, Borut Bassin, Dragan Kapicic, Blagoje Georgijevski, Zarko Knezevic, Dragisa Vucinic, Davor Rukavina (Coach: Ranko Žeravica)

1972 Olympic Games: finished 5th among 16 teams

Kresimir Cosic, Nikola Plecas, Vinko Jelovac, Rato Tvrdic, Damir Solman, Ljubodrag Simonovic, Dragan Kapicic, Blagoje Georgijevski, Zarko Knezevic, Dragutin Cermak, Miroljub Damnjanovic, Milun Marovic (Coach: Ranko Žeravica)

1973 EuroBasket: finished 1st among 12 teams

Kresimir Cosic, Drazen Dalipagic, Dragan Kićanović, Nikola Plecas, Vinko Jelovac, Zoran Slavnic, Zeljko Jerkov, Rato Tvrdic, Damir Solman, Zarko Knezevic, Milun Marovic, Dragan Ivkovic (Coach: Mirko Novosel)

1974 World Championship: finished 2nd among 14 teams

Kresimir Cosic, Drazen Dalipagic, Dragan Kićanović, Nikola Plecas, Vinko Jelovac, Zoran Slavnic, Zeljko Jerkov, Rato Tvrdic, Damir Solman, Zarko Knezevic, Dragan Kapicic, Milun Marovic (Coach: Mirko Novosel)

1975 EuroBasket: finished 1st among 12 teams

Kresimir Cosic, Drazen Dalipagic, Mirza Delibasic, Dragan Kićanović, Nikola Plecas, Vinko Jelovac, Zoran Slavnic, Zeljko Jerkov, Rato Tvrdic, Damir Solman, Dragan Kapicic, Rajko Zizic (Coach: Mirko Novosel)

1976 Olympic Games: finished 2nd among 12 teams

Kresimir Cosic, Drazen Dalipagic, Mirza Delibasic, Dragan Kićanović, Vinko Jelovac, Zoran Slavnic, Zeljko Jerkov, Zarko Varajic, Damir Solman, Andro Knego, Rajko Zizic, Blagoje Georgijevski (Coach: Mirko Novosel)

1977 EuroBasket: finished 1st among 12 teams

Kresimir Cosic, Drazen Dalipagic, Mirza Delibasic, Dragan Kićanović, Vinko Jelovac, Zoran Slavnic, Zeljko Jerkov, Zarko Varajic, Ratko Radovanovic, Duje Krstulovic, Ante Djogic, Josko Papic (Coach: Aca Nikolić)

1978 World Championship: finished 1st among 14 teams

Kresimir Cosic, Drazen Dalipagic, Mirza Delibasic, Dragan Kićanović, Zoran Slavnic, Zeljko Jerkov, Andro Knego, Ratko Radovanovic, Rajko Zizic, Duje Krstulovic, Peter Vilfan, Branko Skroce (Coach: Aca Nikolić)

1979 EuroBasket: finished 3rd among 12 teams

Kresimir Cosic, Drazen Dalipagic, Mirza Delibasic, Dragan Kićanović, Zoran Slavnic, Zeljko Jerkov, Zarko Varajic, Ratko Radovanovic, Rajko Zizic, Duje Krstulovic, Peter Vilfan, Mihovil Nakic (Coach: Petar Skansi)

1980 Olympic Games: finished 1st among 12 teams

Kresimir Cosic, Drazen Dalipagic, Mirza Delibasic, Dragan Kićanović, Zoran Slavnic, Zeljko Jerkov, Andro Knego, Ratko Radovanovic, Rajko Zizic, Duje Krstulovic, Mihovil Nakic, Branko Skroce (Coach: Ranko Žeravica)

1981 EuroBasket: finished 2nd among 12 teams

Krešimir Ćosić, Dražen Dalipagić, Mirza Delibašić, Dragan Kićanović, Andro Knego, Ratko Radovanović, Peter Vilfan, Branko Skroce, Predrag Benaček, Boban Petrović, Željko Poljak, Petar Popović (Coach: Bogdan Tanjević)

1982 World Championship: finished 3rd among 13 teams

Dražen Dalipagić, Mirza Delibašić, Dragan Kićanović, Željko Jerkov, Aco Petrović, Andro Knego, Ratko Radovanović, Peter Vilfan, Rajko Žižić, Boban Petrović, Zufer Avdija, Zoran Radović (Coach: Ranko Žeravica)

1983 EuroBasket: finished 7th among 12 teams

Dražen Petrović, Krešimir Ćosić, Dražen Dalipagić, Dragan Kićanović, Zoran Slavnić, Ratko Radovanović, Peter Vilfan, Rajko Žižić, Ivan Sunara, Goran Grbović, Željko Poljak, Milenko Savović (Coach: Josip Djerdja)

1984 Olympic Games: finished 3rd among 12 teams

Dražen Petrović, Aco Petrović, Dražen Dalipagić, Andro Knego, Ratko Radovanovic, Rajko Zizic, Mihovil Nakic, Emir Mutapcic, Sabit Hadzic, Ivan Sunara, Nebojsa Zorkić, Branko Vukicevic (Coach: Mirko Novosel)

1985 EuroBasket: finished 7th among 12 teams

Dražen Petrović, Andro Knego, Zoran Čutura, Mihovil Nakić, Emir Mutapcic, Stojan Vranković, Ivan Sunara, Zoran Radović, Sven Ušić, Nebojša Zorkić, Boban Petrović, Borislav Vucevic (Coach: Krešimir Ćosić)

1986 World Championship: finished 3rd among 24 teams

Dražen Petrović, Aco Petrović, Dražen Dalipagić, Vlade Divac, Stojan Vranković, Ratko Radovanović, Zoran Čutura, Emir Mutapcic, Danko Cvjetičanin, Franjo Arapović, Zoran Radović, Veljko Petranović (Coach: Krešimir Ćosić)

1987 EuroBasket: finished 3rd among 12 teams

Dražen Petrović, Aco Petrović, Vlade Divac, Toni Kukoč, Dino Rađa, Žarko Paspalj, Aleksandar Đorđević, Stojan Vranković, Ratko Radovanović, Danko Cvjetičanin, Zoran Radović, Goran Grbović (Coach: Krešimir Ćosić)

1988 Olympic Games: finished 2nd among 12 teams

Dražen Petrović, Vlade Divac, Toni Kukoč, Dino Rađa, Žarko Paspalj, Stojan Vranković, Jure Zdovc, Zoran Čutura, Danko Cvjetičanin, Franjo Arapović, Željko Obradović, Zdravko Radulović (Coach: Dušan Ivković)

1989 EuroBasket: finished 1st among 8 teams

Dražen Petrović, Vlade Divac, Toni Kukoč, Dino Rađa, Žarko Paspalj, Predrag Danilović, Stojan Vranković, Jure Zdovc, Zoran Čutura, Zdravko Radulović, Zoran Radović, Mario Primorac (Coach: Dušan Ivković)

1990 World Championship: finished 1st among 16 teams

Dražen Petrović, Vlade Divac, Toni Kukoč, Žarko Paspalj, Zoran Savić, Velimir Perasović, Jure Zdovc, Zoran Čutura, Željko Obradović, Arijan Komazec, Radisav Ćurčić, Zoran Jovanović (Coach: Dušan Ivković)

1991 EuroBasket: finished 1st among 8 teams

Vlade Divac, Toni Kukoč, Dino Radja, Žarko Paspalj, Zoran Savic, Predrag Danilovic, Aleksandar Đorđević, Velimir Perasovic, Jure Zdovc, Arijan Komazec, Zoran Sretenovic, Zoran Jovanovic (Coach: Dušan Ivković)

ee also

*Bosnia and Herzegovina national basketball team
*Croatia national basketball team
*Kosovo national basketball team
*Macedonia national basketball team
*Montenegro national basketball team
*Serbia national basketball team
*Slovenia national basketball team

References

External links

* [http://www.internationalbasketball.com/serbia.html Serbia Basketball] - extensive Serbian basketball site