Aleksandar Nikolić

For the Olympic fencer, see Aleksandar Nikolić (fencer).
Aleksandar Nikolić
Александар Николић
Personal information
Born October 28, 1924
Sarajevo, Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes
Died March 12, 2000 (aged 75)
Belgrade, FR Yugoslavia
Nationality Serbian
Listed height 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Career information
Pro career 1945–1951
Position Small forward
Coaching career 1959–1985
Career history
As player:
1945–1947 Partizan
1947–1949 Crvena zvezda
1949–1950 Železničar Čačak
1950–1951 BSK Belgrade
As coach:
1959–1961 Partizan
1961–1963 OKK Beograd
1965–1967 Petrarca Padova
1967–1968 OKK Beograd
1969–1973 Varese (Ignis)
1973–1974 Crvena zvezda
1974–1976 Fortitudo Bologna (Alco)
1978–1980 Borac Čačak
1981–1982 Virtus Bologna (Sinudyne)
1982–1983 Reyer Venezia (Carrera)
1983–1984 Victoria Libertas Pesaro (Scavolini)
1984–1985 AP Udinese
Career highlights and awards

As player:

  • 3x Yugoslav League (1947–1949)

As coach:

Basketball Hall of Fame as coach
FIBA Hall of Fame as player

Aleksandar "Aca" Nikolić (Serbian Cyrillic: Александар "Аца" Николић; 28 October 1924 – 12 March 2000) was a renowned Serbian 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.[1]

Aleksandar Nikolić died on 12 March 2000, in Belgrade, He is buried in the Alley of the Greats, in Belgrade, Novo Groblje ("New Cemetery").

Early life

Though his parents were from Brčko, Nikolić was born in Sarajevo, Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes due to his mother visiting her sister and suddenly going into labour. Having a wealthy father Đorđe Nikolić, who had him when he was 62 years old, meant that young Aleksandar enjoyed a privileged upbringing.[2] After spending the first few years of his life in Brčko, Nikolić, still an infant, got brought to the capital Belgrade where his parents moved to and where he ending up growing up.

He studied medicine and law at the University of Belgrade, graduating in 1946.

Basketball biography

Nikolić was nicknamed, "The Professor", "Iron Sergeant", and, "The father of Yugoslav basketball". He was a professor at the University of Belgrade's Faculty of Sport and Physical Education.[1] The future coaches taught by Nikolić include Božidar Maljković, Dušan Ivković, Bogdan Tanjević, Želimir Obradović, etc.

However, Nikolić always had a real passion for basketball. As a player, he competed for 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 Varese. Nikolić was the 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 FIBA World Championship and 1977 FIBA European Championship; silver medals in the 1963 FIBA World Championship, 1961 FIBA European Championship, and 1965 FIBA European Championship, and a bronze medal in the 1963 FIBA European Championship.

Nikolić was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1998, and into the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2007. In 2008, he was named one of the 50 Greatest Euroleague Contributors.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "15 godina od smrti Profesora" [15 Years since Professor Died]. B92. 12 March 2015. Retrieved 12 March 2015.
  2. ↑ Život je sjajna zajebancija;Vreme, 28 June 2012

External links

Sporting positions
Preceded by
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Mirko Novosel		 FIBA World Championship
Winning Coach
1978 		Succeeded by
Soviet Union Alexander Gomelsky
Preceded by
Soviet Union Vladimir Kondrashin		 EuroBasket
Winning Coach
1977 		Succeeded by
Soviet Union Alexander Gomelsky
Preceded by
Soviet Union Armenak Alachachian
Soviet Union Alexander Gomelsky		 FIBA European Champions Cup
Winning Coach
1970
1972,1973 		Succeeded by
Soviet Union Alexander Gomelsky
Spain Pedro Ferrándiz