Predrag Danilovic
Encyclopedia
Predrag "Saša" Danilović (Serbian Cyrillic
: Предраг "Саша" Даниловић), usually referred to in English
as Sasha Danilovic (born February 26, 1970 in Sarajevo
, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina
, SFR Yugoslavia
), is a retired professional basketball
player, considered one of the best Europe
an shooting guard
s during the 1990s. He is president of his former team, KK Partizan
.
Even though he was selected by the Golden State Warriors
with the 43rd pick overall in the 1992 NBA Draft
(his rights were later dealt to another team), Danilović spent time playing in Europe
before debuting in the National Basketball Association
(NBA). He played for KK Bosna
(youth), KK Partizan
and Virtus Bologna, before he was a member of the NBA's Miami Heat
and Dallas Mavericks
. During his two NBA seasons (1995–1997), Danilović averaged 12.8 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2 assists per game.
Danilović was voted Mister Europa Player of the Year
in 1998, and was Italian Basketball League MVP
the same year. During his years in Virtus Bologna, he became an idol among team's fans. Still a legendary hero in Bologna
, Danilović remains one of the most charismatic and winning players in European basketball history.
With the Yugoslav national team, Danilović won four European Championships
in 1989
, 1991
, 1995
and 1997
. He was also a member of the silver medal winning Yugoslav team at the 1996 Summer Olympics
in Atlanta.
Danilović was co-vice president of his old club KK Partizan
, along with Vlade Divac
. In 2007 he got involved once more with KK Partizan, this time as president. Danilović is also involved with Group Seven
, a charity organization run by Serbian basketball players.
Virtus Bologna
sports reporter. The couple have three children.
Serbian Cyrillic alphabet
The Serbian Cyrillic alphabet is an adaptation of the Cyrillic script for the Serbian language, developed in 1818 by Serbian linguist Vuk Karadžić. It is one of the two standard modern alphabets used to write the Serbian language, the other being Latin...
: Предраг "Саша" Даниловић), usually referred to in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
as Sasha Danilovic (born February 26, 1970 in Sarajevo
Sarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
, 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,...
), is a retired 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, considered one of the best Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an 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...
s during the 1990s. He is president of his former team, 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....
.
Even though he was selected by the Golden State Warriors
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
with the 43rd pick overall in the 1992 NBA Draft
1992 NBA Draft
The 1992 NBA Draft took place on June 24, 1992, in Portland, Oregon. At the time, the draft was considered to be one of the deepest drafts in NBA history. The top three picks were considered can't-miss prospects. O'Neal and Mourning are likely Hall of Famers...
(his rights were later dealt to another team), Danilović spent time playing in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
before debuting in the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
(NBA). He played for KK Bosna
KK Bosna
KK Bosna is a basketball club in Sarajevo the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The club is part of the University Sport Society USD Bosna...
(youth), 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....
and Virtus Bologna, before he was a member of the NBA's Miami Heat
Miami Heat
The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
and Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
. During his two NBA seasons (1995–1997), Danilović averaged 12.8 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2 assists per game.
Danilović was voted Mister Europa Player of the Year
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,...
in 1998, and was Italian Basketball League MVP
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...
the same year. During his years in Virtus Bologna, he became an idol among team's fans. Still a legendary hero in Bologna
Bologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
, Danilović remains one of the most charismatic and winning players in European basketball history.
With the Yugoslav national team, Danilović won four European Championships
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 1989
EuroBasket 1989
-Group A:-Group B:-Places 5 - 8:-Places 1 - 4:-Finals:-Final rankings:# # # # # # # # -Team rosters:#Yugoslavia: Dražen Petrović, Toni Kukoč, Vlade Divac, Dino Rađa, Žarko Paspalj, Stojan Vranković, Predrag Danilović, Jure Zdovc, Zoran Čutura, Zdravko Radulović, Zoran Radović, Mario Primorac...
, 1991
EuroBasket 1991
Eurobasket 1991 was the tournament contested by men's professional basketball teams from Europe. It was hosted by Italy.-Group A:-Group B:-Places 5 - 8:-Places 1 - 4:-Finals:-Final rankings:# # # # # # # # -Team rosters:...
, 1995
EuroBasket 1995
EuroBasket 1995 final tournament stage was XXIX European basketball championship and was held in Athens, Greece from 21 June to 2 July, 1995. This European championship was the first one that saw the successful return of Lithuania national basketball team to the tournament, since its last triumph...
and 1997
EuroBasket 1997
-Venues:The tournament was played at three venues in Spain. Girona and Badalona hosted the first and the second round, while the entire knockout stage was played at Palau Sant Jordi, Barcelona.-First round:-Group A:-Group B:-Group C:...
. He was also a member of the silver medal winning Yugoslav team at the 1996 Summer Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
in Atlanta.
Danilović was co-vice president of his old club 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....
, along with Vlade Divac
Vlade Divac
Vlade Divac is a retired Yugoslav and Serbian professional basketball player who spent most of his career in the NBA. At , he played center and was known for his passing skills...
. In 2007 he got involved once more with KK Partizan, this time as president. Danilović is also involved with Group Seven
Group Seven Children's Foundation
Group Seven Children's Foundation or Group 7 is a non-profit organization dedicated to raising funds to provide material, moral and emotional relief to the children of the former Yugoslavia. Group 7 is a result of the humanitarian effort of seven of the former Yugoslavia's world renowned basketball...
, a charity organization run by Serbian basketball players.
Titles
Partizan- European Championship (1991–92)
- Korać CupKorac CupThe 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...
(1988–89) - Yugoslav Championship (1991–92)
- 2× Yugoslav Cup (1988–89, 1991–92)
Virtus Bologna
- European Championship (1997–98)
- 4× Italian Championship (1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1997–98)
- Italian Cup (1998–99)
- Italian Supercup (1995–96)
Personal life
Danilović is married to Svetlana Danilović, an RTSRadio Television of Serbia
Radio Television of Serbia or Serbian Broadcasting Corporation is the public broadcaster in Serbia. It broadcasts and produces a variety of news, drama, and sports programming through radio, television and the Internet. RTS is, since July 2001, a member of the European Broadcasting Union. RTS is...
sports reporter. The couple have three children.
External links
- Official website
- Predrag Danilović at nba.com
- Predrag Danilović at legabasket.it