Damir Markota
Encyclopedia
Damir Markota is a Croatian-Swedish professional basketball
player at the forward position. He is 2.09 m (6 ft 10 ¼) tall and 118 kg (260 lbs) in weight. His style of play has been compared to that of Vladimir Radmanović
. He plays for Union Olimpija
in Ljubljana
, Slovenia
.
(then SR Bosnia and Herzegovina
, SFR Yugoslavia
), fled Bosnia during the war
and settled in Sweden, where he began to practice basketball. He played together with Maciej Lampe
in Stockholm
, until moving to Croatia when he was fourteen, after being invited to play in the Croatian league. Markota signed with KK Cibona
, but was loaned to Zabok and Karlovac Šanac until the end of 2002-03. Subsequently, he received Croatian citizenship (holding Swedish as well), declining an offer to play for the Swedish national basketball team
.
Markota was an early candidate for the 2004 NBA Draft
, but soon withdrew his name from consideration. He was later invited to the Croatian national team
, and in 2005 he changed his last name to "Markota" (his mother's maiden name).
He was eventually chosen by the San Antonio Spurs
in the second round of the 2006 NBA Draft
, 59th overall, then immediately traded to the Milwaukee Bucks
. During the summer of 2006, the Bucks signed Markota to a multi-year contract after the Spurs traded his draft rights for the higher of the Bucks’ two 2007 NBA Draft
second-round picks.
In February 2007, the Bucks assigned Markota to Tulsa 66ers
of the NBA Development League
, in order to further improve his play.
On September 7, Markota was waived by the Bucks, and signed with Russian team Spartak St. Petersburg on a two-year contract two days later. However, in early 2008, he switched to Lithuania
n powerhouse Žalgiris Kaunas
.
On August 14, 2008, Markota was signed by Cibona, returning to the team he represented as a youngster but, after a series of unsatisfying performances upon recovering form knee injury, he was suspended for clashing with the coach.
On October 28, 2008 ViveMenorca, of the Spanish ACB
, announced the signing of Markota. In January 2009, he joined Iurbentia Bilbao.
On September 1, 2010 he signed a one year deal with Union Olimpija
in Slovenia
.
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 at the forward position. He is 2.09 m (6 ft 10 ¼) tall and 118 kg (260 lbs) in weight. His style of play has been compared to that of Vladimir Radmanović
Vladimir Radmanovic
Vladimir Radmanović is a Serbian professional basketball player who last played for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association...
. He plays for Union Olimpija
KK Union Olimpija
-Depth Chart:-In: Ben Woodside Deon Thompson Aleksandar Ćapin Jaka Blažič Danny Green Ratko Varda Robert Rothbart -Out: Giorgi Shermadini - return from a loan Kenny Gregory Samo Udrih Aloysius Anagonye Vladimir...
in Ljubljana
Ljubljana
Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia and its largest city. It is the centre of the City Municipality of Ljubljana. It is located in the centre of the country in the Ljubljana Basin, and is a mid-sized city of some 270,000 inhabitants...
, Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
.
Basketball career
Markota, born in SarajevoSarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
(then SR Bosnia and Herzegovina
Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina , known until 1963 under the name of People's Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, was a socialist state that was a constituent country of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia...
, SFR Yugoslavia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
), fled Bosnia during the war
Bosnian War
The Bosnian War or the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina was an international armed conflict that took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina between April 1992 and December 1995. The war involved several sides...
and settled in Sweden, where he began to practice basketball. He played together with Maciej Lampe
Maciej Lampe
Maciej Bolesław Lampe is a Polish professional basketball player. He currently plays with Caja Laboral in Spain.-Professional career:Originally from Łódź, Poland, Lampe grew up in Stockholm, Sweden...
in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, until moving to Croatia when he was fourteen, after being invited to play in the Croatian league. Markota signed with KK Cibona
KK Cibona
Košarkaški klub Cibona is a professional basketball club based in Zagreb, Croatia. It competes in the Croatian League and the Adriatic League.-History:The club was founded in 1946 under the name Sloboda...
, but was loaned to Zabok and Karlovac Šanac until the end of 2002-03. Subsequently, he received Croatian citizenship (holding Swedish as well), declining an offer to play for the Swedish national basketball team
Sweden national basketball team
The Swedish national basketball team is the basketball side that represents Sweden in international competitions. Sweden already entered 9 EuroBasket finals, but their best result was only 11 th place at EuroBasket 1995...
.
Markota was an early candidate for the 2004 NBA Draft
2004 NBA Draft
The 2004 NBA Draft was held on June 24, 2004 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York and was broadcast live on ESPN at 7:00 pm . In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible...
, but soon withdrew his name from consideration. He was later invited to the Croatian national team
Croatia national basketball team
The Croatian national basketball team represents Croatia at international tournaments. It is organized by the Croatian Basketball Federation...
, and in 2005 he changed his last name to "Markota" (his mother's maiden name).
He was eventually chosen by the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
in the second round of the 2006 NBA Draft
2006 NBA Draft
The 2006 NBA Draft was held on June 28, 2006 at the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City and was broadcast in the United States on ESPN. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players and other eligible players,...
, 59th overall, then immediately traded to the Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center....
. During the summer of 2006, the Bucks signed Markota to a multi-year contract after the Spurs traded his draft rights for the higher of the Bucks’ two 2007 NBA Draft
2007 NBA Draft
The 2007 NBA Draft was held on June 28, 2007 at the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. It was broadcast on television in 115 countries. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S...
second-round picks.
In February 2007, the Bucks assigned Markota to Tulsa 66ers
Tulsa 66ers
The Tulsa 66ers are an NBA Development League team based in Tulsa, Oklahoma and the minor league affiliate of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Their logo design is a basketball behind mountains with a road leading up to them, all on a U.S...
of the NBA Development League
NBA Development League
The NBA Development League, or NBA D-League, is the National Basketball Association's official minor league basketball organization. Known until summer 2005 as the National Basketball Development League , the NBA D-League started with eight teams in the fall of 2001...
, in order to further improve his play.
On September 7, Markota was waived by the Bucks, and signed with Russian team Spartak St. Petersburg on a two-year contract two days later. However, in early 2008, he switched to Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
n powerhouse Žalgiris Kaunas
BC Žalgiris
BC Žalgiris is a professional basketball team that is based in Kaunas, Lithuania. It is one of the oldest teams in the Euroleague and plays domestically in the Lietuvos krepšinio lyga , and regionally in the VTB United League...
.
On August 14, 2008, Markota was signed by Cibona, returning to the team he represented as a youngster but, after a series of unsatisfying performances upon recovering form knee injury, he was suspended for clashing with the coach.
On October 28, 2008 ViveMenorca, of the Spanish ACB
Asociación de Clubs de Baloncesto
The Liga ACB, known as the Liga Endesa for sponsorship reasons, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in Spain. It was founded in 1956 with the name of Liga Nacional. The league changed its name to the current one in 1983. The league is rated as one of the three "A" level European...
, announced the signing of Markota. In January 2009, he joined Iurbentia Bilbao.
On September 1, 2010 he signed a one year deal with Union Olimpija
KK Union Olimpija
-Depth Chart:-In: Ben Woodside Deon Thompson Aleksandar Ćapin Jaka Blažič Danny Green Ratko Varda Robert Rothbart -Out: Giorgi Shermadini - return from a loan Kenny Gregory Samo Udrih Aloysius Anagonye Vladimir...
in Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
.