Borislav Stankovic
Encyclopedia
Borislav "Bora" Stanković (Serbian
Cyrillic: Борислав Станковић; born July 9, 1925) is a Serbia
n former basketball
player and coach, as well as a longtime administrator in the sport's various governing bodies. For his contributions to the game of basketball he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame
in 1991.
Stanković was born in Bihać
, Bosnia and Herzegovina
. Early in his life he moved to Novi Sad
and then to Syrmia
n town of Ledinci
during World War II
. After the war, Stanković went to Belgrade
where he graduated from the University of Belgrade
with a degree in veterinary medicine
.
Simultaneous to his studies Stanković played professionally for KK Crvena zvezda
(1946-1948) and Železničar Beograd (1948-1950) and was on the Yugoslav national team for five years in early 1950s. After he retired from the game, he coached OKK Beograd
for ten consecutive seasons (1953–1963) and for a season in 1965. He then moved on to Italian
club Pallacanestro Cantù
, spending three seasons as its head coach (1966–1969).
Throughout his lengthy involvement with basketball
, Stanković has served or been a part of the following organizations: Yugoslav Olympic Committee, International Olympic Committee
, Board of Trustees at the Basketball Hall of Fame
and he's best remembered for his tenure as FIBA's Secretary General of from 1976 to 2002.
Stanković was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
in 2000.
Many observers feel it was Borislav Stanković who encouraged foreign basketball players to apply their trade in the NBA. Other than Serbian
, he fluently speaks six other languages and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame
in 1991 as a contributor. In 2007, he was enshrined as a contributor in the FIBA Hall of Fame
.
FIBA has named the annual international basketball cup after him, "Stanković Cup
".
Serbian language
Serbian is a form of Serbo-Croatian, a South Slavic language, spoken by Serbs in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia and neighbouring countries....
Cyrillic: Борислав Станковић; born July 9, 1925) is a Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
n former basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player and coach, as well as a longtime administrator in the sport's various governing bodies. For his contributions to the game of basketball he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame
Basketball Hall of Fame
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States, honors exceptional basketball players, coaches, referees, executives, and other major contributors to the game of basketball worldwide...
in 1991.
Stanković was born in Bihać
Bihac
Bihać is a city and municipality on the river Una in the north-western part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the Bosanska Krajina region. Bihać is located in the Una-Sana Canton in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.-History:...
, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
. Early in his life he moved to Novi Sad
Novi Sad
Novi Sad is the capital of the northern Serbian province of Vojvodina, and the administrative centre of the South Bačka District. The city is located in the southern part of Pannonian Plain on the Danube river....
and then to Syrmia
Syrmia
Syrmia is a fertile region of the Pannonian Plain in Europe, between the Danube and Sava rivers. It is divided between Serbia in the east and Croatia in the west....
n town of Ledinci
Ledinci
Ledinci , also known as Novi Ledinci , is a village located in the Petrovaradin municipality, one of two municipalities of Novi Sad City, in Serbia. It is situated in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. After the war, Stanković went to Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
where he graduated from the University of Belgrade
University of Belgrade
The University of Belgrade is the oldest and largest university of Serbia.Founded in 1808 as the Belgrade Higher School in revolutionary Serbia, by 1838 it merged with the Kragujevac-based departments into a single university...
with a degree in veterinary medicine
Veterinary medicine
Veterinary Medicine is the branch of science that deals with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease, disorder and injury in non-human animals...
.
Simultaneous to his studies Stanković played professionally for KK Crvena zvezda
KK Crvena zvezda
Košarkaški klub Crvena zvezda is a professional basketball club based in Belgrade, Serbia. Its name Crvena zvezda means Red Star and it's part of the Red Star Belgrade sports society ....
(1946-1948) and Železničar Beograd (1948-1950) and was on the Yugoslav national team for five years in early 1950s. After he retired from the game, he coached OKK Beograd
OKK Beograd
OKK Beograd is a Serbian professional basketball club. It is part of the multi-sports Belgrade-based sport club OSD Beograd.-History:The club was founded in 1945 under the name KK Metalac...
for ten consecutive seasons (1953–1963) and for a season in 1965. He then moved on to Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
club Pallacanestro Cantù
Pallacanestro Cantù
Pallacanestro Cantù is an Italian League professional basketball club that is based in Cantù. For sponsorship reasons, it is also known as Bennet Cantù, after Bennet, an Italian supermarket chain. For past club sponsorship names, see the list below...
, spending three seasons as its head coach (1966–1969).
Throughout his lengthy involvement with basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, Stanković has served or been a part of the following organizations: Yugoslav Olympic Committee, International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
, Board of Trustees at the Basketball Hall of Fame
Basketball Hall of Fame
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States, honors exceptional basketball players, coaches, referees, executives, and other major contributors to the game of basketball worldwide...
and he's best remembered for his tenure as FIBA's Secretary General of from 1976 to 2002.
Stanković was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
The Women's Basketball Hall of Fame honors men and women who have contributed to the sport of women's basketball. The Hall of Fame opened in 1999 in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA...
in 2000.
Many observers feel it was Borislav Stanković who encouraged foreign basketball players to apply their trade in the NBA. Other than Serbian
Serbian language
Serbian is a form of Serbo-Croatian, a South Slavic language, spoken by Serbs in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia and neighbouring countries....
, he fluently speaks six other languages and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame
Basketball Hall of Fame
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States, honors exceptional basketball players, coaches, referees, executives, and other major contributors to the game of basketball worldwide...
in 1991 as a contributor. In 2007, he was enshrined as a contributor in the FIBA Hall of Fame
FIBA Hall of Fame
FIBA Hall of Fame honors basketball players, coaches and administrators who have contributed to international competitive basketball. It was established by FIBA in 1991. It includes the "Samaranch Library", the biggest basketball library in the world that, as of 2007, has over 10,000 basketball...
.
FIBA has named the annual international basketball cup after him, "Stanković Cup
Stankovic Cup
The FIBA Stanković Continental Champions’ Cup is an international basketball tournament for men's national teams held annually by the International Basketball Federation . The idea for the tournament came from Dr...
".