We are recalling all foreign players that ever have played in the League, telling about foreign championships and National teams of different countries in World basketball map project. Today we will speak about Bosnia and Herzegovina
Population: 3.5 mln
Players in the history of League: 11
Full list of players: Filip Adamovic, Kenan Bajramovic, MIrza Begic (Slovenia), Ratko Varda, Nemanja Gordic, Goran Ikonic (Serbia), Elmedin Kikanovic, Djorje Micic, Ivan Opacak, Jasmin Hukic, Aleksandar Chapin (Slovenia)
The most famous Bosnian player in VTB League is Enisey center Elmedin Kikanovic. 210 cm tall, he played in 4 seasons of VTB League with a total of 84 games. Kikanovic finished the 2014/15 season as a leader of Krasnoyarsk, averaging 16.7 points per game (4th result in the League).
10 other Bosnians haven’t spent more than 2 seasons in VTB United Leauge. The last time a Bosnian played in VTB League was Filip Adamovic (Tsmoki-Minsk) in 2017-18.
There were also three American athletes with Bosnian passports: Alex Renfroe, Henry Domercant and Zach Wright.
Basketball in Bosnia and Herzegovina
League: Bosnia and Herzegovina championship
Founded: 1992
Number of teams: 12 (14 commencing 2020/21)
League’s web-site: https://basket.ba/
In 2019/20 edition of Bosnia and Herzegovina league, there were 12 teams representing 12 cities. Igokea, the leader of the last years and the reigning champs, are located in Laktasi (population of 35 thousand people), and the team with most titles Siroki Brijeg (10 titles) represents the city of the same name (population of 10 thousand people).
Aparat from the domestic league, Igokea also compete in the first division of the Adriatic league, while Siroki Brijeg, Sloboda and Spars represent Bosnia in the second.
The list of Bosnia and Herzegovina champions features ex-VTB League players such as Danilo Andjusic (Igokea, 2014), Filip Adamovic (Igokea, 2013), Darko Planinic (Siroki Brijeg, 2011) and Zelko Sakic (Siroki Brijeg, 2011)
Interesting fact
In 1979, KK Bosna from Sarajevo won Euroleague beating the Italian Varese (96:93) in the final game. KK Bosna were the second club in Euroleague history after CSKA to win the trophy with domestic players only.
National team
FIBA rank: 45
FIBA members: since 1992
Achievements: 9-times Eurobasket participant
Bosnia and Herzegovina have played in the final stage of Eurobasket 9 times since 1992. Their best result in 28 years is 8th place in 1993. They qualified for the playoffs but were beaten by Croatia (78:98), Estonia (91:99) and France (75:83).
In 2013, Bosnia and Herzegovina had a positive win-loss record for the first time in history, but it was not enough to advance to the next stage. In a group of 6, 4 teams had the same result (3 wins, 2 losses), Bosnia and Herzegovina lost in a tie-break. The Bosnian forward Mirza Teletovic averaged 21 points per game which was the best result.
Currently, Bosnians are ranked 45th in FIBA rating (24th in Europe).
The most famous players in history
Jusuf Nurkic. Portland Trail Blazers starting center is the most popular Bosnian player today. NBA’s 2014 draft no. 16 has Croatian league gold and MVP of 2014, plus 5 overseas seasons for Denver and Portland.
Sabahudin Bilalovic. Legendary Yugoslavian center won Euroleague in 1979, has three titles of Yugoslavia league and in 1993–already as a member of Bosnia and Herzegovina national team–became Eurobasket’s top scorer with 24.6 points per game.
Mirza Teletovic. The forward played 10 seasons in Europe and 6 in the NBA. Won the titles of Belgium and Spain (twice), has 4 Eurobasket appearances (2003, 2005, 2011 and 2013). In 2012, Teletovic was named the athlete of the year in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Dzanan Musa. In 2015, Dzanan Musa was the hero of U16 Eurobasket leading Bosnia and Herzegovina to golden medals. Later he won three titles of Croatia and Eurocup Rising Star award. Plays for Brooklyn Nets since 2018.
Nihad Dzedovic. A Euroleague player since 17, Dzedovic won Spanish and German (three times) leagues, and in 2019, was named the MVP of German league finals. Represented Bosnia and Herzegovina at 2011 and 2013 Eurobaskets.
Worth mentioning: Mirza Delibasic (Yugoslavia), Drazen Dalipagic (Yugoslavia)
Dmitriy Kolinov
