We are recalling all foreign players that have ever played in the League, telling about foreign championships and National teams of different countries in World basketball map project. Today we are moving to Macedonia.
Population: 2,08 mln
Players in the history of League: 3.
Full list of players: Vlado Ilievski, Predrag Samaradziski, Vojdan Stojanovski.
There are only 3 Macedonian players in the history of VTB United League. They have been playing in the League since 2011 till 2014.
Guard Vlado Ilievski was playing for Lokomotiv-Kuban in 2011/12 season, and in 2013/14 for Nymburk; center Predrag Samaradziski has been wearing Lietuvos Rytas jersey since 2011 till 2013; guard Vojdan Stojanovski was one of the Donetsk leaders averaging 9,5 points per.
Moreover, there are 6 more American players with Macedonian citizenship in the history of League: Jeremiah Massey (Lokomotiv-Kuban, 2011-12; Krasnye Krylia, 2012-13), Richard Hendrix (Lokomotiv-Kuban, 2012-15), Romeo Travis (Krasny Oktyabr, 2014-15), Darius Washington (Nymburk, 2014-15), Shayne Whittington (Zenit, 2017-2018) and Jordan Theodore (UNICS, 2020).
Basketball in Macedonia
League: Македонска прва лига (Macedonian First League)
Founded: in 1992
Number of teams: 10
League’s web-site: https://kfsm.mk/
There are 10 teams in the championship, 5 of them are from Skopje, the capital. The strongest team of recent years is MZT Skopje Aerodrom, it has a farm club that is called MZT Skopje UNI Banca.
Throughout 28-year history 5 different teams became champions. The most titled teams are Rabotnicki (15 titles) and MZT Skopje Aerodrom (7 titles).
The regular season is played in 2 rounds (one home, one away), after that 6 strongest teams participate in the second stage that is called Super League and play 10 more games. 4 strongest teams make it to the play-offs after Super League. Semi-finals and Finals are played till 3 wins.
Since 2012/13 season Macedonia is represented in Adriatic League with MZT Skopje Aerodrom. Since 2012 till 2018 team was participating in first division of the tournament and since 2018 in the second.
There are some ex-VTB United League players that participated in Macedonian championship. Among them – VTB League 2019 All-Star Kendrick Perry. In 2016/17 season the American guard was playing for Karpos Sokoli and was steals leader in the League (1,8).
Interesting fact
Best VTB United League coach in 2018/19 season Emil Raikovikj was born in Skopje, the capital of Macedonia. Since 1996 till 2005 he was a player, and just after this he began his coaching career. As KK Feni head coach (today – KK EuroNickel 2005) he became 3-time Macedonia champion and won 2 Macedonian Cups.
Macedonia National team
FIBA rank: 53
FIBA members: since 1993
Achievements: 5 Eurobasket participations
Macedonia joined FIBA in 1993, and 6 years later they participated in Eurobasket for the first time. On 1999 tournament they lost all three group stage games, but played tight ones against France (67:71) and Israel (62:64).
Since 2009 till 2015 Macedonia National team haven’t missed a single Eurobasket and in 2011 became tournament’s sensation. The Lions took 4th place. Macedonians held 1 place in their group, outpacing Greece, Finland, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro. On the second group stage only Russia managed to beat Macedonia (63:61). In quarterfinal Macedonia sensationally beat Lithuania, the competition hosts – 67:65, as a result they took 4th place on that Eurobasket. The team’s guard Bo McCalebb was included in symbolic starting five of the tournament.
In 2022 Eurobasket qualifications Macedonia National team plays in the same group with Russia. February game ended victoriously for Russia, 77:67.
Macedonia is ranked 53rd by FIBA, 29th among European teams.
The most popular Macedonian players in history
Petar Naumoski. 2-time Euroleague champion, 2-time Yugoslavia champion and 4-time Turkey champion. In 1999 Naumoski was one of Macedonia National team’s leaders on its first Eurobasket. In 2017 the guard’s jersey (#7) in Anadolu Efes was retired.
Pero Antic. 3-time Euroleague champion, 2-time Greece champion, 2-time Turkey champion, 2-time Bulgaria champion and Serbia champion. The first Macedonian to play in NBA. In 2008/09 (Lokomotiv-Kuban) and 2010/11 (Spartak) Antic played in Russia, and in 2011 he won Russia Cup and tournament MVP award.
Todor Gecevski. 5-time Macedonia champion, 2-time Croatia champion and 2-time Macedonian championship MVP. Gecevski is National team leader in games played (89), and Adriatic League leader in career efficiency points (3212).
Gjorgji Cekovski. 9-time Macedonia champion, 6-time Macedonian Cup winner, 3-time Bulgaria champion and 5-time Bulgarian Cup winner. Moreover, Macedonian ex-forward has 3 finals MVP awards and 2 Macedonian Cup MVP awards.
Vlado Ilievski. Adriatic League champion, Spain champion, Italy champion, Slovenia champion and Czech Republic champion. His game-winning three in quarterfinal against Lithuania let Macedonia play in semi-final of Eurobasket 2011
Worth mentioning: Pero Blazevski, Predrag Samardzinski, Vrbica Stefanov.
Dmitriy Kolinov
