Aleksandar "Aca" Nikolić (Serbian: Александар Николић; 28 October 1924 – 12 March 2000) was a renowned Bosnian Serb basketball player and coach from Yugoslavia. He is considered to be so instrumental and important to the game's development in the country that he is often referred to as the Father of Yugoslav basketball. He was nicknamed "The Professor", "Iron Sergeant" and "The father of Yugoslav basketball".
Nikolić was a Professor of the University of Belgrade's Faculty of Sport and Physical Education. The future coaches taught by Nikolić include Božidar Maljković, Dušan Ivković, Bogdan Tanjević, Želimir Obradović etc.
Nikolić was born in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina what was at the time part of Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, but moved to the capital Belgrade at a young age. He studied medicine and law at the University of Belgrade, graduating in 1946.
However, Nikolić always had a real passion for basketball. As a player, he competed for KK Partizan (1945-1947) Red Star Belgrade (1947–1949), Železničar Čačak (1949–1950) and BSK Belgrade (1950–1951). He won the Yugoslav league in 1947, 1948 and 1949 with Red Star Belgrade. Nikolić was a member of the Yugoslav national basketball team during the late 1940s, playing 10 games.
After his playing career was over, he became involved with coaching, both with Serbia-based clubs and those in Italy, notably Pallacanestro Varese. Nikolić was head coach of the Yugoslav national squad between 1951 and 1965, and later between 1977 and 1978. During this time, he coached two future Hall of Famers in Borislav Stanković and Krešimir Ćosić. Under his leadership, Yugoslavia won the 1978 World Championship and 1977 European Championship; silver medals in the 1963 World Championship, 1961 European Championship and 1965 European Championship and bronze medals in the 1963 European Championship.
Aleksandar Nikolić died on 12 March 2000 in Belgrade, he is buried in the Alley of the Greats, in Belgrade Novo Groblje ("New Cemetery").
Nikolić was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1998 and FIBA Hall of Fame in 2007.
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Mirko Novosel |
FIBA World Championship Winning Coach 1978 |
Succeeded by Alexander Gomelsky |
| Preceded by Vladimir Kondrashin |
EuroBasket Winning Coach 1977 |
Succeeded by Alexander Gomelsky |
| Preceded by Armenak Alachachian Alexander Gomelsky |
FIBA European Champions Cup Winning Coach 1970 1972,1973 |
Succeeded by Alexander Gomelsky Pedro Ferrándiz |
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