Velimir Perasović

Velimir Perasović
Perasović with Anadolu Efes in 2017
UNICS Kazan
PositionHead coach
LeagueVTB United League
EuroLeague
Personal information
Born (1965-02-09) 9 February 1965 (age 59)
Stobreč, SR Croatia, SFR Yugoslavia
NationalityCroatian
Listed height1.96 m (6 ft 5 in)
Listed weight94 kg (207 lb)
Career information
NBA draft1987: undrafted
Playing career1985–2003
PositionShooting guard
Coaching career2003–present
Career history
As player:
1985–1992Jugoplastika / Pop 84
1992–1993Breogán
1993–1997Baskonia
1997–2002Fuenlabrada
2002–2003Alicante
As coach:
2003–2004Split
2004–2005Sevilla
2005–2007Tau Cerámica
2007–2008Estudiantes
2008–2010Cibona
2010–2011Efes Pilsen
2012–2015Valencia
2015Croatia
2015–2016Baskonia
2016–2017Anadolu Efes
2018–2019Baskonia
2021–presentUNICS Kazan
Career highlights and awards
As player:

As head coach:

Medals
Men's basketball
Representing  Yugoslavia
FIBA World Cup
Gold medal – first place 1990 Argentina
EuroBasket
Gold medal – first place 1991 Italy
Summer Universiade
Silver medal – second place 1983 Edmonton
European Championship for Juniors
Bronze medal – third place 1984 Sweden
Silver medal – second place 1982 Bulgaria
Representing  Croatia
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place 1992 Barcelona Team
EuroBasket
Bronze medal – third place 1993 Germany
Bronze medal – third place 1995 Greece

Velimir Perasović (pronounced [vèlimir pèrȃsovitɕ]; born 9 February 1965) is a Croatian professional basketball coach and former player. He is serving as the head coach for the Russian team UNICS Kazan of the VTB United League.

Early life

Perasović was born in Stobreč, at that time in the SFR Yugoslavia, to parents Gašpar and Vica Perasović. He started playing basketball at age 14.[citation needed]

Perasović was member of the junior men's Yugoslavia national team which won the silver medal at the 1982 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship in Bulgaria, and the bronze medal at the 1984 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship in Sweden.[citation needed]

Professional career

Perasović playing with Alicante in January 2002.

Perasović's club, KK Split, went on to win three EuroLeague championships, in 1989 and 1990 as "Jugoplastika", and in 1991 as "Pop 84". In 1988, 1989, 1990, and 1991, they also won the Yugoslav League championship. In 1990 and 1991, they also won the Yugoslav Cup, and in 1992, the Croatian Cup.[citation needed]

In 1992 Perasović moved to the Spanish club Breogán, and spent one season there, before moving to Taugrés, in 1993. He won the 1995 Spanish King's Cup, and in 1996, he won the Saporta Cup.[citation needed]

In 1997 he moved to the Spanish club Fuenlabrada, where he played until 2002. He then moved to the Spanish club Alicante, and retired from his basketball playing career in 2003. During his playing career in Spain, he won the Spanish ACB League Top Scorer award five times. He was also once the best scorer of the Radivoj Korać Cup, and he participated in Liga ACB All Star games.[citation needed]

National team career

Perasović was also a part of the senior men's national team of Yugoslavia, that won the 1990 FIBA World Championship in Argentina, and EuroBasket 1991 in Italy. He then played with the Croatia national team when they won the silver medal in the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympics, the bronze medal at the 1994 FIBA World Championship in Canada, and the bronze medal at EuroBasket 1993 in Germany, and EuroBasket 1995 in Greece.[citation needed]

Coaching career

Perasović became the head coach of Split CO, before moving back to Spain, to become the head coach of Tau Cerámica. He led the team to the EuroLeague Final Four.[citation needed]

In the 2007–08 season, Perasović was appointed the head coach for Estudiantes, filling in for Mariano de Pablos, who had been fired due to negative results.[citation needed]

He then moved to Zagreb, to become the head coach for Cibona. In 2009 he led the team to the Adriatic League final, winning the award for the best coach in the Adriatic League in that season, and won the Croatian Cup and Croatian League championship, respectively. He again took Cibona to the Adriatic League and Croatian Cup finals in 2010. He also won the Croatian League championship.[citation needed]

In January 2012, he came back to Spain to coach Valencia. Perasović won the 2013–14 EuroCup, and left the club in January 2015.[1] In March 2015, Perasović took over the senior Croatian men's national team.[2][3] After a disappointing EuroBasket 2015 tournament, in which Croatia was defeated in the round of 16, Perasović and Croatia parted ways.[citation needed]

In June 2015, he came back to Spain to coach Laboral Kutxa,[4] while in February 2016, he extended his contract with Baskonia through the 2016–17 season.[5] After being a semifinalist of the three competitions Baskonia played (EuroLeague, Copa del Rey, and Liga ACB), Perasović left the club and went back to coach Anadolu Efes.[6] On 16 December 2017, Anadolu Efes parted ways with him.[7]

On 16 November 2018, he came back to Spain to the third time to coach Kirolbet Baskonia until the end of 2019–20 season to replace Pedro Martínez.[8] On 20 December 2019, following a loss to Real Madrid, Perasović was fired from Baskonia.[9]

On June 29, 2021, he has signed with UNICS Kazan of the VTB United League.[10]

Coaching record

Legend
G Games coached W Games won L Games lost W–L % Win-loss %

Note: The EuroLeague is not the only competition in which the team played during the season. He also coached in domestic competition, and regional competition if applicable.

EuroLeague

Team Year G W L W–L% Result
Baskonia 2005–06 21 15 6 .714 Won in 3rd place game
2006–07 24 20 4 .833 Lost in 3rd place game
Cibona 2008–09 17 8 9 .471 Eliminated in Top 16 stage
2009–10 16 4 12 .250 Eliminated in Top 16 stage
Efes 2010–11 16 7 9 .438 Eliminated in Top 16 stage
Valencia 2014–15 10 3 7 .300 Eliminated in group stage
Baskonia 2015–16 29 18 11 .621 Lost in 3rd place game
Anadolu Efes 2016–17 35 19 16 .543 Eliminated in quarterfinals
2017–18 12 3 9 .250 Fired
Baskonia 2018–19 30 16 18 .471 Eliminated in quarterfinals
Career 214 113 101 .528

Personal life

Perasović married his wife Dubravka in 1991, and the couple have two sons: Vicko and Ivan.[11]

His younger son Ivan is also a professional basketball player currently plays with BC Labas Gas, who won the gold medal as a part of the Croatia national under-16 team at the 2018 FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship in Serbia.[12][13][14]

References

  1. ^ Valencia, Coach Perasovic part ways; Eurocup Basketball, 22 January 2015
  2. ^ "VELIMIR PERASOVIĆ NOVI IZBORNIK Hoće li Hrvatskoj donijeti medalju nakon dvadeset godina?". jutarnji.hr. 1 March 2015. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  3. ^ "Perasović o reprezentaciji: 'Uvest ću igrače koji mogu unaprijediti našu igru'". Sportske novovsti (in Croatian). No. 2 March 2015. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
  4. ^ "Velimir Perasovic, new Laboral Kutxa Baskonia Head Coach". baskonia.com. June 6, 2015.
  5. ^ "Perasovic continuará en el banquillo del Laboral Kutxa Baskonia". acb.com (in Spanish). February 24, 2016.
  6. ^ "Velimir Perasovic abandona el Laboral Kutxa rumbo al Anadolu Efes" (in Spanish). ACB.com. 14 June 2016.
  7. ^ "Efes parts ways with coach Perasovic". EuroLeague.net. 16 December 2017. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  8. ^ "Martinez out, Perasovic back on Baskonia bench". EuroLeague.net. 16 November 2018. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  9. ^ "Perasović više nije trener Baskonije, presudio mu poraz od Reala". slobodnadalmacija.hr. 20 December 2019. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  10. ^ "UNICS Kazan: Velimir Perasovic is the new head coach". Sportando. June 29, 2021. Retrieved June 30, 2021.
  11. ^ "Glavni glumac iz sjene na putu za klupu Barce, Reala, reprezentacije Hrvatske..." slobodnadalmacija.hr. 12 May 2014. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  12. ^ "Ivan PERASOVIC". fiba.basketball. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  13. ^ HINA (21 August 2018). "Ivan Perasović: Želim biti bolji od oca". sport.hrt.hr. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  14. ^ Frane Vulas (15 November 2018). "Sin velikog košarkaša Žutih: Otac mi je 'imao ruku', volio bih imati takav šut". dubrovacki.slobodnadalmacija.hr. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
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