The Croatian national basketball team was formed when Croatia was separated from Yugoslavia in 1991. Thus, there are only few appearances of the Croatian national basketball team in different international tournaments because the Croatian players played for the Yugoslavian national basketball team from 1936 to 1990.
There are only a few Croatian coaches since they are still new in the international tournament scene, and these few Croatian basketball coaches will be discussed in great detail in just a little while.
Neven Spahija
Neven Spahija is considered to be one of the most successful Croatian basketball coaches. He was born on the 6th day of November, 1962 in Sibenik, Croatia.
He started his coaching career by first being an assisstant coach to the Gradine Pula team in Croatia, and then to the Olimpija Ljubljana in Slovenia. In the year 2001, he started his head coach career by coaching the KK Cibonia, a team from Croatia. In 2001, the KK Cibonia, under Neven Spahija, joined the Croatia A1 Liga and the Croatian Cup, where he won his first League Championship.
After coaching the KK Cibonia for one season, he became the head coach of KK Krka Novo Mesto, and the team participated and became the finalist and won the silver medal in 2002-2003 in the Adriatic League; the team also participated in the Slovenia League and ULEB Eurocop in the year 2003.
After two seasons with the KK Krka Novo Mesto, he coached the Avtodor Saratov in 2003 up to 2005. In 2005 to 2006, he became the head coach of BC Lietuvos Rytas, which participated in the Baltic Basketball League and Lithuanian Basketball League in 2006. In 2006 to 2007, he coached the Maccabi Tel Aviv which joined the Israeli League and Winner Cup in 2007.
In 2008 to 2010, he became the head coach of the team Valencia Basket Club. In his second season with the Valencia Basket Club, he led the team to win the gold medal in the ULEB Eurocup. Neven Spahija recently signed with the Fenerbache Ulker to be the team’s head coach until the year 2012.
Jasmin Repesa
Jasmin Repesa was born on June 1, 1961 in Capljina, Bosnia. He is considered to be one of the best Croatian basketball coaches in Croatian Basketball history. Just like most of the coaches, Jasmin Repesa became a professional basketball player before becoming a coach.
He played for the KK Capljina during his basketball career. Jasmin Repesa started his coaching career in the year 1995, where he became the head coach of the Cibona Zagreb. Jasmin Repesa became the head coach of the Cibona Zagreb in 1995-1997 and in 2001-2002, where he led the team to win three Croatian Championships in the year 1996, 1997, and in 2002.
He then coached the Tofas S.K in 1997 up to 2000 who won two Turkish championship in the year 1999 and 2000, the KK Split in 2000-2001, the Cibona Zagreb in 2001 to 2002, the Fortitudo Bologna in 2002 to 2006, the Lottomatica Roma in 2006 to 2008 and he became the head coach of the Croatian national basketball team from the year 2005 to 2009.
Return from Croatian Basketball Coaches to Croatian Basketball
Return from Croatian Basketball Coaches to Best Basketball Tips