Dragan Kicanovic
Encyclopedia
Dragan Kićanović ' onMouseout='HidePop("39035")' href="/topics/Cacak">Čačak
, Serbia
, FPR Yugoslavia) is a retired Serbian professional basketball
player. A 1.91m (6 ft 3 in) tall shooting guard
, he played in the 70's and 80's and is considered as one of the best European players and scorers of all time, having won both the Mr. Europa
and the Euroscar European Player of the Year
awards in 1981 and 1982. On August 20, 2010, Kićanović was inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame
in recognition of his play in international competition.
He was named as The best athlete of Yugoslavia in 1982
.
, thus creating a spectacular duo as members of Partizan Belgrade. In international club
competition, Kićanović won 2 consecutive Korać Cup
championships with Partizan
in 1978 and 1979, scoring 33 (behind Dalipagić's 50) and 41 points respectively in the finals. Furthermore, he won a Saporta Cup
with Scavolini Pesaro in 1983, in which he again dominated the final with 31 points and 8 assists. With Partizan Belgrade
Kićanović also won 3 Yugoslavian championships (1976, 1979 and 1981) and a Yugoslavian cup (1979).
from 1973 to 1983 and he competed at all the major international competitions with them: the European Championship
, the FIBA World Championship
and the Olympics Basketball Tournament
. He won the European Championship
three times, winning the 1973 European Championship
, 1975 European Championship
and 1977 European Championship
.
At the Olympics, Kićanović won the silver medal at the 1976 Olympic Basketball Tournament
and the gold medal at the 1980 Olympic Basketball Tournament
. At the FIBA World Championship
s, he won the silver medal at the 1974 FIBA World Championship
, being selected as the Most Valuable Player
of the tournament, the gold medal at the 1978 FIBA World Championship
, and the bronze at the 1982 FIBA World Championship
. He was the top scorer in total points scored of the 1982 World Championship, scoring 190 points. He is one of the leading scorers of all-time in the history of FIBA World Championships, having scored a total of 484 points.
Cacak
Čačak is a city in central Serbia. It is the administrative center of the Moravica District of Serbia. Čačak is also the main industrial, cultural and sport center of the district...
, 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...
, FPR Yugoslavia) is a retired Serbian professional 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. A 1.91m (6 ft 3 in) tall shooting guard
Shooting guard
The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team...
, he played in the 70's and 80's and is considered as one of the best European players and scorers of all time, having won both the Mr. Europa
Mr. Europa
The Mister Europa European Player of the Year Award is an annual basketball award created in 1976 and given today by the panel of journalists of the Italian weekly magazine Superbasket. Its purpose is to praise the best European basketball player, regardless of where he plays in the world,...
and the Euroscar European Player of the Year
European Basketball Player of the Year Awards
The European Basketball Player of the Year Awards are the three awards given out on a yearly basis to the best male European basketball player of the year. More specifically, those are the Mr. Europa award, which began in 1976, the Euroscar, established in 1979, and the FIBA Europe Player of the...
awards in 1981 and 1982. On August 20, 2010, Kićanović was inducted into 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...
in recognition of his play in international competition.
He was named as The best athlete of Yugoslavia in 1982
1982 in sports
1982 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup:** Men's overall season champion: Phil Mahre, United States** Women's overall season champion: Erika Hess, Switzerland-American football:...
.
Pro career
During the 70's he played alongside Dražen DalipagićDražen Dalipagic
Dražen Dalipagić , born in Mostar, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina, SFR Yugoslavia) is a retired Yugoslavian basketball player. He was enshrined as a player in the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2007.-Yugoslavian national team:...
, thus creating a spectacular duo as members of Partizan Belgrade. In international club
Sports club
A sports club or sport club, sometimes athletics club or sports association is a club for the purpose of playing one or more sports...
competition, Kićanović won 2 consecutive Korać Cup
Korac Cup
The Korać Cup was an annual basketball club competition held by FIBA between the 1971-72 and 2001-02 seasons. It was the third-tier level club competition in European basketball, after the European Champions' Cup and the Cup Winners' Cup...
championships with 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....
in 1978 and 1979, scoring 33 (behind Dalipagić's 50) and 41 points respectively in the finals. Furthermore, he won a Saporta Cup
Saporta Cup
Saporta Cup was the name of the second-tier level European professional club basketball competition, where the National Cup winners from all over Europe played against each other. The competition was organized by FIBA Europe...
with Scavolini Pesaro in 1983, in which he again dominated the final with 31 points and 8 assists. With Partizan Belgrade
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....
Kićanović also won 3 Yugoslavian championships (1976, 1979 and 1981) and a Yugoslavian cup (1979).
Yugoslavian national team
Kićanović played with the Yugoslavian national basketball teamYugoslavia national basketball team
The Yugoslavian national basketball team represented the Kingdom and socialist Yugoslavia. Its of governing body was the Basketball Federation of Yugoslavia, whose seat was in Belgrade....
from 1973 to 1983 and he competed at all the major international competitions with them: the 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...
, the FIBA World Championship
FIBA World Championship
The FIBA World Championship is an international basketball competition contested by the men's national teams of the members of the International Basketball Federation , the sport's global governing body...
and the Olympics Basketball Tournament
Basketball at the Summer Olympics
Basketball has been a Summer Olympics sport for men consistently since 1936. Prior to its inclusion as a medal sport, it was held as demonstration event in 1904 and 1932, both in the United States. Women's basketball was played in the Olympics only since 1976....
. He won the 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...
three times, winning the 1973 European Championship
EuroBasket 1973
-Venues:-Group A - Badalona:-Group B - Barcelona:-Places 9 - 12:-Places 5 - 8:-Places 1 - 4:-Finals:-Final rankings:# # # # # # # # # # # # -Team rosters:...
, 1975 European Championship
EuroBasket 1975
-Group A - Split:-Group B - Karlovac:-Group C - Rijeka:-Places 7 - 12:-Places 1 - 6 in Belgrade:-Final rankings:# # # # # # # # # # # # -Team rosters:...
and 1977 European Championship
EuroBasket 1977
-Final rankings:# # # # # # # # # # # # -Group A - Liège:-Group B - Ostend:-Places 9 - 12 in Liège:-Places 5 - 8 in Liège:-Places 1 - 4 in Liège:-Finals:-Team rosters:...
.
At the Olympics, Kićanović won the silver medal at the 1976 Olympic Basketball Tournament
Basketball at the 1976 Summer Olympics
Basketball contests at the 1976 Summer Olympics took place from July 18 to July 27 at the Centre Étienne Desmarteau and the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Canada. Women's basketball was introduced to the Olympic program for the first time at this Games...
and the gold medal at the 1980 Olympic Basketball Tournament
Basketball at the 1980 Summer Olympics
Basketball at the 1980 Summer Olympics was held from July 20 to July 30 at the Olympiiski Indoor Stadium and at the CSKA Sports Palace, both located in Moscow. Finals of both men's and women's events were held 30 July at the Olympiiski Indoor Stadium....
. At the FIBA World Championship
FIBA World Championship
The FIBA World Championship is an international basketball competition contested by the men's national teams of the members of the International Basketball Federation , the sport's global governing body...
s, he won the silver medal at the 1974 FIBA World Championship
1974 FIBA World Championship
The 1974 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Puerto Rico from July 3 to 14, 1974.-Venues:- Competing nations :- Preliminary round :-Group A:-Group B:-Group C:-Classification round:-Final round:...
, being selected as the Most Valuable Player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
of the tournament, the gold medal at the 1978 FIBA World Championship
1978 FIBA World Championship
The 1978 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Philippines from October 1 to 14, 1978.Rizal Memorial Coliseum at Manila and Araneta Coliseum at Quezon City, Metro Manila were the venues for the event.-Venues:...
, and the bronze at the 1982 FIBA World Championship
1982 FIBA World Championship
The 1982 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Colombia from August 15 to 28 , 1982.-Venues:- Competing nations :- Preliminary round :-Group A:-Group B:-Group C:-Classification round:-Final round:...
. He was the top scorer in total points scored of the 1982 World Championship, scoring 190 points. He is one of the leading scorers of all-time in the history of FIBA World Championships, having scored a total of 484 points.