Dejan Milojevic
Encyclopedia
Dejan Milojević is a retired Serbian basketball
player.
Milojević was born and raised in Belgrade
, and started playing basketball for a small club named KK Beovuk 72. He was quite a dominant figure while playing in youth leagues, once scoring 131 points in a single game, a still-standing record.
His professional career began in 1998 with a first division club KK FMP
from the Belgrade suburb of Železnik
. While playing a couple of seasons for a club well known for its working with young players, the 6 ft 7 in Milojević became famous for his blue collar and never-quit style of playing. He averaged a double-double in both of his seasons with FMP, and won the league MVP award in 1999.
In 2000, Milojević moved to KK Budućnost Podgorica
in Montenegro, where he won his first national championship in 2001. He spent three more seasons there, improving his skills and his game every year. Already a dominating inside presence, he improved his three-point and free-throw shooting, an area in which he struggled a lot in early years. While in Budućnost he won a couple more league MVP Awards, in 2003 and 2004.
After averaging 20.5 points and 10.8 rebounds per game in 2003–04, his third MVP season, Milojević decided he wanted to play in the Euroleague against the best players on the continent, so he signed with the three-time defending champion KK Partizan
. Although Partizan underachieved in the competition, Milojević was his usual dominant self, averaging 20.8 ppg, 11.5 rpg, and just over 3 steals and assists per game. He was also the key player for Partizan's another title rout in the domestic league, as they lost only one game during the playoffs.
In the 2005–06 season, another rather weak year for Partizan in the Euroleague, Milojević had another double-double Euroleague season, scoring 16.4 ppg and grabbing 10 rebounds per game, also winning a couple of Player of the Week honors.
From Partizan, Milojević moved to the Spanish side Pamesa Valencia, where he played two seasons, finishing his international career with the Turkish club Galatasaray Café Crown
in the 2008–09 season. He moved back to Partizan in 2009, but soon decided to end his career because of knee injury.
As far as the national team
in concerned, Milojević won the gold medal in the 2001
European Championship
in Turkey, and played for the national team in a few more occasions.
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.
Milojević was born and raised in 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...
, and started playing basketball for a small club named KK Beovuk 72. He was quite a dominant figure while playing in youth leagues, once scoring 131 points in a single game, a still-standing record.
His professional career began in 1998 with a first division club KK FMP
KK FMP
KK FMP , also known as FMP Železnik, is a defunct Serbian basketball club.Based in the Belgrade's neighborhood of Železnik, the club continually posts notable results every competition it competes in...
from the Belgrade suburb of Železnik
Železnik
Železnik , is an urban neighborhood of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is located in Belgrade's municipality of Čukarica.- Location :...
. While playing a couple of seasons for a club well known for its working with young players, the 6 ft 7 in Milojević became famous for his blue collar and never-quit style of playing. He averaged a double-double in both of his seasons with FMP, and won the league MVP award in 1999.
In 2000, Milojević moved to KK Budućnost Podgorica
KK Buducnost Podgorica
KK Budućnost Podgorica is a professional basketball club from Podgorica, Montenegro. It is a part of Budućnost Podgorica sport society. The team currently competes in First Montenegrin Opportunity League and regional Adriatic League...
in Montenegro, where he won his first national championship in 2001. He spent three more seasons there, improving his skills and his game every year. Already a dominating inside presence, he improved his three-point and free-throw shooting, an area in which he struggled a lot in early years. While in Budućnost he won a couple more league MVP Awards, in 2003 and 2004.
After averaging 20.5 points and 10.8 rebounds per game in 2003–04, his third MVP season, Milojević decided he wanted to play in the Euroleague against the best players on the continent, so he signed with the three-time defending champion KK Partizan
KK Partizan
Košarkaški klub Partizan is a Serbian professional basketball club. It is part of the multi-sports Belgrade-based club Partizan. The club competes in the Serbian League, Adriatic League and the Euroleague....
. Although Partizan underachieved in the competition, Milojević was his usual dominant self, averaging 20.8 ppg, 11.5 rpg, and just over 3 steals and assists per game. He was also the key player for Partizan's another title rout in the domestic league, as they lost only one game during the playoffs.
In the 2005–06 season, another rather weak year for Partizan in the Euroleague, Milojević had another double-double Euroleague season, scoring 16.4 ppg and grabbing 10 rebounds per game, also winning a couple of Player of the Week honors.
From Partizan, Milojević moved to the Spanish side Pamesa Valencia, where he played two seasons, finishing his international career with the Turkish club Galatasaray Café Crown
Galatasaray Café Crown
Galatasaray Medical Park is a professional basketball team based in the city of Istanbul in Turkey. It is a part of the Galatasaray Sports Club.Galatasaray play matches in Abdi İpekçi Arena which has a seating capacity for 12,500 spectators...
in the 2008–09 season. He moved back to Partizan in 2009, but soon decided to end his career because of knee injury.
As far as the national team
Serbia national basketball team
The Serbian national basketball team represents Serbia in international basketball matches....
in concerned, Milojević won the gold medal in the 2001
EuroBasket 2001
The EuroBasket 2001 was the 32nd EuroBasket, the biennial regional basketball championship contested by European nations and held by FIBA Europe. The tournament, which was hosted by Turkey, began on 31 August 2001 and concluded with the final on 9 September 2001. Yugoslavia won the gold medal,...
European Championship
Eurobasket
The EuroBasket, also referred to as the FIBA European Basketball Championship, is the main basketball competition contested biennially by the men's national teams governed by FIBA Europe, the European zone within the International Basketball Federation. The championship was first held in 1935 and...
in Turkey, and played for the national team in a few more occasions.