Dejan Bodiroga
Encyclopedia
Dejan Bodiroga is a retired Serbia
n professional basketball
player.He is offten considered as one of the best players who did not play in the NBA.
He was listed at 2.05 m (6 ft 8 ¾ in) tall and 110 kg (243 lbs.) and was a small forward
–shooting guard
.
and SFR Yugoslav national team
player in the 1960s.
His domestic career took off when, at 17, he was noticed by Krešimir Ćosić
at a friendly youth tournament that featured Mašinac and KK Zadar among others, where Bodiroga scored 32 points in a game that pitted two teams. Ćosić then brought Bodiroga for a week-long basketball camp in Zadar and eventually persuaded Bodiroga's family to allow their son to move away to Zadar
. In the meantime Bodiroga signed a pre-contract with KK Vojvodina
so that when he finally went to Zadar in autumn 1989 he wasn't right away eligible for the first team, meaning that he first worked with coach Josip Pino Grdović in the club's youth sections while simultaneously attending high school. After a year he was allowed to be moved into the full squad, then under head coach Slavko Trninić.
After just one season in the first team, Bodiroga's stay on the Dalmatian coast
came to a premature end when the conflict that pitted Croats and Serbs against each other inflamed in May–June 1991. The country was breaking up, war was about to start raging, and basketball quickly became an afterthought. Being a player from Serbia in a Croatian city was becoming increasingly uncomfortable for Dejan, so his mentor Ćosić (coaching AEK Athens
at the time) tried to persuade Bodiroga to follow suit.
, with both clubs offering a contract, on the condition that Bodiroga naturalized as a Greek
citizen. He refused and ended in Italy instead, joining a Pallacanestro Trieste
emerging team, coached by Bogdan Tanjević
and financially backed by the Stefanel clothing empire. In Trieste, Bodiroga first captured the attention of the wider basketball public. Shortly after his arrival in the summer of 1992, he made an impact, averaging 21.3 points per game over 30 league matches and leading his team to the playoffs. There, however, they were quickly disposed of in the second round by the more experienced Pallacanestro Cantù
.
He had another stellar season for Trieste in 1993/94, this time leading his team deeper into the playoffs. In the semifinals game 3 against Scavolini Pesaro, Carlton Myers
' buzzer beater clinched a 2-1 series victory for Pesaro. Trieste also reached the Korać Cup
final, where they surrendered to PAOK Thessaloniki
, who starred Zoran Savić
, Walter Berry and Bane Prelevic. After that season, Stefanel changed its backing to Olimpia Milano
, sparking an exodus of Trieste players and coaches to Lombardy
(coach Tanjević, Bodiroga, Gregor Fučka
, Alessandro De Pol, Davide Cantarello and Ferdinando Gentile
).
Bodiroga's leading role remained unchanged however, as he developed into an all-around player. In 1994/95, Olimpia reached the Korać Cup
final, with players that also reached it the previous year in Trieste. However, they lost to ALBA Berlin
, coached by Svetislav Pešić
, who would later play a big role in Bodiroga's career. On the home front, the team made it to the playoff semi-finals but lost 3-2 to the eventual champions, Virtus Bologna
, led by another Serbian superstar, Predrag Danilović
. The two Serbs turned the series into a personal duel, with Danilović's experience prevailing in the end.
The summer of 1995 was an important milestone for Bodiroga. He became part of the great Yugoslavia
squad that was making its comeback after years of international exile. The team was loaded with stars like Aleksandar Đorđević, Vlade Divac
, Žarko Paspalj
, Danilović and Savić. Together, they won the gold in one of the most spectacular finals in Eurobasket
history against a Lithuanian national team
that featured the likes of Arvydas Sabonis
, Šarūnas Marčiulionis
and Rimas Kurtinaitis
.
That same summer, Bodiroga was drafted by the Sacramento Kings
in the 1995 NBA Draft
(second round, #51 overall). One year later, the Kings selected his younger countryman Peja Stojaković
. However, unlike Stojaković, Bodiroga declined the offer to play in the NBA, choosing instead to remain in Europe.
In 1995-96, Bodiroga won his first trophy in Milan, but the Korać Cup was again lost, this time to Efes Pilsen Istanbul. In the league, Bodiroga led the way with 23.3 points per game in 32 regular season matches. During the playoffs, they beat Virtus 3-1 in the semi-finals (Danilovic left for the Miami Heat
in the summer), and Teamsystem Bologna
led by Myers, Djordjevic and Alessandro Frosini
.
By now an established international, Bodiroga took his place in the Yugoslav national team
for the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta and he brought home a silver medal, with Dream Team 2 winning the gold.
after an offer of $1 million per season, and teaming up with coach Željko Obradović
, whom he knew well from his national team stints. The squad also featured veteran Joe Arlauckas
as well as established internationals Alberto Herreros
and Mikhail Mikhailov. In the Spanish ACB League finals, they faced an FC Barcelona team that boasted Djordjevic, Jerrod Mustaf
and Artūras Karnišovas
. Barcelona prevailed 3-2, winning the deciding 5th game 82-69 away, as Madrid settled with the European Cup
trophy.
On the national basketball front, Yugoslavia rolled over the competition with considerable ease en route to another European gold in 1997, with Bodiroga again playing an integral role. In the group stages, the Serbs faced the Croatian national team
, in the first meeting in basketball between the two nations since the breakup of the old Yugoslavia. The game carried all kinds of political tension and was a low-scoring affair, with Djordjevic winning it for Yugoslavia with a dramatic 3-pointer at the end.
In Bodiroga's next and final season with Real Madrid, (and without Obradovic, who had moved to Benetton Treviso
) there were no improvements, as the team was ousted in the league's semifinals by TDK Manresa
. He did achieve League MVP honours for the 1997-98 season.
That summer's national team duty was happier, as it brought another World Championship
title for Yugoslavia, the first for Bodiroga. Now 25, Bodiroga was, together with Djordjevic (who suffered knee problems and played few minutes) and Željko Rebrača
, one of the team leaders.
began assembling a team to conquer Europe. As such, Bodiroga was the final piece of the jigsaw puzzle that already included Dino Rađa, Fragiskos Alvertis
and coach Slobodan Subotić
. The Greens won the Greek Championship
, but the FIBA Champions' Cup
ended in a disappointing note, leading to the departures of Radja and Subotic, with the latter's replacement being old acquaintance Obradovic, who brought along Rebraca from Treviso. After such an investment, Panathinaikos captured both the 1999–2000 Greek Championship and the Euroleague
trophies, the latter coming in a final versus Maccabi Tel Aviv
. In 2001, Panathinaikos again won the Greek Championship and also reached the Suproleague
final in Paris. A year later, Bodiroga was named the Euroleague Final Four MVP, as the Greeks beat hosts Kinder Bologna
, and their star player Manu Ginóbili
89-83.
In the international front, Bodiroga, as the team's undisputed leader, helped Yugoslavia win the 2001 European Championship
in Turkey and the 2002 FIBA World Championship
in Indianapolis
. In this competition, the national side defeated Team USA
in the quarterfinals and the Argentine national team
in the final, in overtime.
and had players like Šarūnas Jasikevičius
, Gregor Fučka
and Juan Carlos Navarro
. He won the Euroleague with Barça (the first time the team achieved this), and also added two domestic league titles with them.
. After getting eliminated from European contention in the round of 16 and losing the Italian Cup final (83-85) to Carpisa Napoli
, Virtus finished the season in 6th place with a 22-12 record in the national league. Bodiroga finished the year with a 15.7 points-per-game regular season scoring average.
The playoff first round pitted Roma against favorites Mens Sana Basket
. After dropping the first game, Bodiroga dominated the series in a 3-1 victory.
Incidentally, the 2006-07 season's playoffs, both teams played again, with the exact opposite outcome. After the fourth and final game, Bodiroga announced his retirement from professional basketball on 8 June 2007.
Bodiroga was the General Manager for the Virtus Roma. In June 2009 he left the club.
in 1991 at the first round of the 1991 Mediterranean Games
in Athens
.
He was a regular for the team throwout the 1990s and early 2000s, participating in a total of three Summer Olympics (1996 Olympic Basketball
, 2000 Olympic Basketball
, 2004 Olympic Basketball
), two FIBA World Championship
s (1998 FIBA World Championship
and 2002 FIBA World Championship
) and five European Championships
(EuroBasket 1995
, EuroBasket 1997
, EuroBasket 1999
, EuroBasket 2001
, and EuroBasket 2005
).
Bodiroga retired from the national team after the EuroBasket 2005
fiasco, in which his team, one of the tournament's favorites, was relegated as early as the first elimination round by the French national team
on their own home court, in a tournament that ended with fierce allegations from head coach Željko Obradović
of numerous fights between many of the players http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-4-54/Serbia-and-Montenegro-Coach-Resigns-After-Fracas.html. Bodiroga was reduced to tears as he was leaving the court for his last international game.
In April 2010, Bodiroga along with fellow former player Željko Rebrača
sued the Carmel, Indiana
-based company Worldwide Associates LLC for investment fraud. They allege in their suit they each gave the company more than $4 million to manage, which the company used as venture capital in speculative startup companies instead of investing it in traditional securities.
near Trebinje
and was among the wave of migrants from Herzegovina
that moved northwards following World War II. On July 13, 2003, Bodiroga married his long-time fiancée Ivana Medić (Ивана Медић) in Belgrade
's Saborna crkva (one of the most significant Serbian Orthodox Cathedrals). The couple's first child, a boy named Nikola (Никола), was born 23 July 2004.
He is a relative of another European basketball player - Dražen Petrović
. His grandmother (on his father's side) and Petrović's grandfather (also on his father's side) are brother and sister, making Bodiroga and Petrović second cousins.
Though he never played for the club, Bodiroga is a declared fan of Partizan Belgrade
and is often seen at their games. Bodiroga is one of the founding members of the Group Seven Children's Foundation
.
He is one of few players who have won the Euroleague
with clubs from two different countries, and he is also one of the few players to win each of the top 3 European national domestic leagues, the Italian League
, the Greek League
, and the Spanish League.
Bodiroga is very highly regarded by fans of Panathinaikos BC for his known passion in games with Greek arch-rival Olympiacos B.C. and is considered by them as one of the most loved players of all time. In his home country of Serbia, he is idolized for his on-court prowess and also revered for his unassuming, humble and quiet way of going about matters off the court.
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
n 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.He is offten considered as one of the best players who did not play in the NBA.
He was listed at 2.05 m (6 ft 8 ¾ in) tall and 110 kg (243 lbs.) and was a small forward
Small forward
The small forward, or colloquially known as three, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are typically somewhat shorter, quicker, and leaner than power forwards and centers, but on occasion are just as tall...
–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...
.
Yugoslavia
Bodiroga first started playing structured basketball at the age of 13. He enrolled in Zrenjanin's Mašinac (Servo Mihalj) basketball section, under supervision of local basketball enthusiast Rade Prvulov. At the age of fifteen, he sprung up to 2.05m, and was quickly incorporated into the first team squad, coached by Miodrag Sija Nikolić, a former OKK BeogradOKK Beograd
OKK Beograd is a Serbian professional basketball club. It is part of the multi-sports Belgrade-based sport club OSD Beograd.-History:The club was founded in 1945 under the name KK Metalac...
and SFR Yugoslav national team
Yugoslavia national basketball team
The Yugoslavian national basketball team represented the Kingdom and socialist Yugoslavia. Its of governing body was the Basketball Federation of Yugoslavia, whose seat was in Belgrade....
player in the 1960s.
His domestic career took off when, at 17, he was noticed by Krešimir Ćosić
Krešimir Cosic
Krešimir Ćosić was a Croatian professional basketball player who represented Yugoslavia internationally, a member of FIBA Hall of Fame and Basketball Hall of Fame...
at a friendly youth tournament that featured Mašinac and KK Zadar among others, where Bodiroga scored 32 points in a game that pitted two teams. Ćosić then brought Bodiroga for a week-long basketball camp in Zadar and eventually persuaded Bodiroga's family to allow their son to move away to Zadar
Zadar
Zadar is a city in Croatia on the Adriatic Sea. It is the centre of Zadar county and the wider northern Dalmatian region. Population of the city is 75,082 citizens...
. In the meantime Bodiroga signed a pre-contract with KK Vojvodina
KK Vojvodina
KK Vojvodina Srbijagas is a professional basketball club from Novi Sad, Serbia. The club currently participates in the Basketball League of Serbia...
so that when he finally went to Zadar in autumn 1989 he wasn't right away eligible for the first team, meaning that he first worked with coach Josip Pino Grdović in the club's youth sections while simultaneously attending high school. After a year he was allowed to be moved into the full squad, then under head coach Slavko Trninić.
After just one season in the first team, Bodiroga's stay on the Dalmatian coast
Dalmatia
Dalmatia is a historical region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It stretches from the island of Rab in the northwest to the Bay of Kotor in the southeast. The hinterland, the Dalmatian Zagora, ranges from fifty kilometers in width in the north to just a few kilometers in the south....
came to a premature end when the conflict that pitted Croats and Serbs against each other inflamed in May–June 1991. The country was breaking up, war was about to start raging, and basketball quickly became an afterthought. Being a player from Serbia in a Croatian city was becoming increasingly uncomfortable for Dejan, so his mentor Ćosić (coaching AEK Athens
AEK Athens BC
AEK BC , the Athletic Union of Constantinople, is a Greek professional sports basketball club based in Athens, Greece. The club was established in Athens in 1924 by Greek refugees from Constantinople in the wake of the Greco-Turkish War ....
at the time) tried to persuade Bodiroga to follow suit.
Italy
Trials were arranged with AEK and OlympiakosOlympiacos BC
Olympiacos B.C. , also known simply as Olympiacos and Olympiacos Piraeus, is a Greek professional basketball club, part of Olympiacos CFP, based in Piraeus. The basketball club, founded in 1931, is one of the most successful in Greece and a traditional powerhouse in European competitions...
, with both clubs offering a contract, on the condition that Bodiroga naturalized as a Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
citizen. He refused and ended in Italy instead, joining a Pallacanestro Trieste
Pallacanestro Trieste
Pallacanestro Trieste 2004, also known for sponsorship reasons as Acegas A.P.S. Trieste is an Italian professional basketball team from the town of Trieste....
emerging team, coached by Bogdan Tanjević
Bogdan Tanjevic
Bogdan Tanjević is an ex-Yugoslav, naturalized Italian, Bosnian, and Turkish basketball coach last managed Turkish national basketball team between 2004-10 and Fenerbahçe Ülker between 2007-10...
and financially backed by the Stefanel clothing empire. In Trieste, Bodiroga first captured the attention of the wider basketball public. Shortly after his arrival in the summer of 1992, he made an impact, averaging 21.3 points per game over 30 league matches and leading his team to the playoffs. There, however, they were quickly disposed of in the second round by the more experienced Pallacanestro Cantù
Pallacanestro Cantù
Pallacanestro Cantù is an Italian League professional basketball club that is based in Cantù. For sponsorship reasons, it is also known as Bennet Cantù, after Bennet, an Italian supermarket chain. For past club sponsorship names, see the list below...
.
He had another stellar season for Trieste in 1993/94, this time leading his team deeper into the playoffs. In the semifinals game 3 against Scavolini Pesaro, Carlton Myers
Carlton Myers
Carlton Ettore Francesco Myers is a retired Italian basketball player that played in the Italian league and the Euroleague...
' buzzer beater clinched a 2-1 series victory for Pesaro. Trieste also reached the Korać Cup
Korac Cup
The 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...
final, where they surrendered to PAOK Thessaloniki
PAOK BC
P.A.O.K. Thessaloniki B.C. is the professional basketball department of the Greek multi-sports club P.A.O.K., originally founded in 1926 and is based in Thessaloniki, Greece. The club has established a firm reputation in Greek sports, especially for its success in European leagues...
, who starred Zoran Savić
Zoran Savic
Zoran Savić is a retired Serbian professional basketball player. The 208 cm forward played in various European nations.-Career:...
, Walter Berry and Bane Prelevic. After that season, Stefanel changed its backing to Olimpia Milano
Olimpia Milano
Olimpia Milano is a Lega Basket Italian professional basketball team, based in Milan, Italy, founded in 1936 by Milan businessman Adolfo Bogoncelli. Its colors are red and white, and the team is sometimes referred as "Scarpette Rosse" because team officials imported from the United States red...
, sparking an exodus of Trieste players and coaches to Lombardy
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
(coach Tanjević, Bodiroga, Gregor Fučka
Gregor Fucka
Gregor Fučka is a retired Italian basketball player of Slovenian origin. A 215 cm forward-center, he was a European Player of the Year Mister Europa and Euroscar laureate in 2000.- Pro career :...
, Alessandro De Pol, Davide Cantarello and Ferdinando Gentile
Ferdinando Gentile
Ferdinando "Nando" Gentile is an Italian retired professional basketball player. Gentile is considered one of the best European Shooting guards of the 1990s.-Professional career:...
).
Bodiroga's leading role remained unchanged however, as he developed into an all-around player. In 1994/95, Olimpia reached the Korać Cup
Korac Cup
The 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...
final, with players that also reached it the previous year in Trieste. However, they lost to ALBA Berlin
ALBA Berlin
-Depth Chart:* Denotes injured player.-Championships:*German Championships: 8 *German Cups: 6 *Korać Cups: 1 -Notable players:- Season by season :-External links:...
, coached by Svetislav Pešić
Svetislav Pešic
Svetislav Pešić Svetislav Pešić (Светислав Пешић) Svetislav Pešić (Светислав Пешић) (born August 28, 1949 in Pirot, Serbia, is former Serbian professional basketball player and a present day Serbian basketball coach. He is the current coach of BC Red Star.-Playing career:...
, who would later play a big role in Bodiroga's career. On the home front, the team made it to the playoff semi-finals but lost 3-2 to the eventual champions, Virtus Bologna
Virtus Bologna
-Notable players: Marco Bonamico 9 seasons: '75-'76, '77-'78, '80-'86, '88-'89 Carlo Caglieris 6 seasons: '75-'81 Pietro Generali 6 seasons: '75-'76, '78-'83 Gianni Bertolotti 5 seasons: '75-'80 Terry Driscoll 3 seasons: '75-'78 Eric Luc Leclerc 1 season: '75-'76 Luigi Serafini 2 seasons: '75-'77...
, led by another Serbian superstar, Predrag Danilović
Predrag Danilovic
Predrag "Saša" Danilović , usually referred to in English as Sasha Danilovic , is a retired professional basketball player, considered one of the best European shooting guards during the 1990s...
. The two Serbs turned the series into a personal duel, with Danilović's experience prevailing in the end.
The summer of 1995 was an important milestone for Bodiroga. He became part of the great Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia national basketball team
The Yugoslavian national basketball team represented the Kingdom and socialist Yugoslavia. Its of governing body was the Basketball Federation of Yugoslavia, whose seat was in Belgrade....
squad that was making its comeback after years of international exile. The team was loaded with stars like Aleksandar Đorđević, 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...
, Žarko Paspalj
Žarko Paspalj
Žarko Paspalj is a retired Serbian professional basketball player and current sports administrator...
, Danilović and Savić. Together, they won the gold in one of the most spectacular finals in Eurobasket
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...
history against a Lithuanian national team
Lithuania national basketball team
The Lithuanian national basketball team is the representative for Lithuania in international men's basketball. Lithuania won bronze medals in three out of five Olympic tournaments it participated in....
that featured the likes of Arvydas Sabonis
Arvydas Sabonis
Arvydas Romas Sabonis is a retired Lithuanian professional basketball player and a businessman. He was an eight-time European Player of the Year, winning the Euroscar Award six times, and the Mr...
, Šarūnas Marčiulionis
Šarunas Marciulionis
Raimondas Šarūnas Marčiulionis is a retired Lithuanian professional basketball player. He was one of the first Europeans to become a regular in the North American National Basketball Association...
and Rimas Kurtinaitis
Rimas Kurtinaitis
Rimas Kurtinaitis is a basketball trainer, head coach of the VEF Riga, retired Soviet and Lithuanian basketball player who was a member of the USSR and Lithuanian national basketball teams. He played as a shooting guard and is the only non-NBA player to participate in the NBA All-Star Three Point...
.
That same summer, Bodiroga was drafted by the Sacramento Kings
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
in the 1995 NBA Draft
1995 NBA Draft
The 1995 NBA Draft took place on June 28, 1995 at SkyDome in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It marked the first NBA draft for the two Canadian expansion teams, Toronto Raptors and Vancouver Grizzlies...
(second round, #51 overall). One year later, the Kings selected his younger countryman Peja Stojaković
Peja Stojaković
Predrag Stojaković , also known by his nickname Peja , is a Serbian professional basketball player who last played for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association . Standing at 6 ft 10 , Stojaković plays the small forward position...
. However, unlike Stojaković, Bodiroga declined the offer to play in the NBA, choosing instead to remain in Europe.
In 1995-96, Bodiroga won his first trophy in Milan, but the Korać Cup was again lost, this time to Efes Pilsen Istanbul. In the league, Bodiroga led the way with 23.3 points per game in 32 regular season matches. During the playoffs, they beat Virtus 3-1 in the semi-finals (Danilovic left for the 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...
in the summer), and Teamsystem Bologna
Fortitudo Bologna
Fortitudo Pallacanestro Bologna is an Legadue Basket professional basketball club that is based in Bologna. It's currently sponsored by Conad.-History:...
led by Myers, Djordjevic and Alessandro Frosini
Alessandro Frosini
Alessandro Frosini is an Italian basketball player with Juvecaserta Basket. He is also a member of the Italian national basketball team. He has won the Euroleague twice in 1997-98 and 2000-01, along with Virtus Bologna....
.
By now an established international, Bodiroga took his place in the Yugoslav national team
Yugoslavia national basketball team
The Yugoslavian national basketball team represented the Kingdom and socialist Yugoslavia. Its of governing body was the Basketball Federation of Yugoslavia, whose seat was in Belgrade....
for the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta and he brought home a silver medal, with Dream Team 2 winning the gold.
Spain
For the 1996-97, Bodiroga joined Real MadridReal Madrid Baloncesto
Real Madrid Baloncesto is a Spanish professional basketball team founded in 1932 as a division of the Real Madrid club. They play in the Asociación de Clubes de Baloncesto ....
after an offer of $1 million per season, and teaming up with coach Željko Obradović
Željko Obradovic
Želimir “Željko” Obradović is a Serbian professional basketball coach and a former professional basketball player...
, whom he knew well from his national team stints. The squad also featured veteran Joe Arlauckas
Joe Arlauckas
Joseph John 'Joe' Arlauckas is a retired American professional basketball player, in the power forward position.-College/NBA career:...
as well as established internationals Alberto Herreros
Alberto Herreros
Alberto Herreros Ros is a retired Spanish professional basketball player and is considered as one of the best European players. He has played for CB Estudiantes and Real Madrid Baloncesto....
and Mikhail Mikhailov. In the Spanish ACB League finals, they faced an FC Barcelona team that boasted Djordjevic, Jerrod Mustaf
Jerrod Mustaf
Terrah Jerrod Mustaf is a retired American professional basketball player.Mustaf played at DeMatha High School in Hyattsville, Maryland...
and Artūras Karnišovas
Arturas Karnišovas
Artūras Karnišovas is a retired Lithuanian professional basketball player....
. Barcelona prevailed 3-2, winning the deciding 5th game 82-69 away, as Madrid settled with the European Cup
Saporta Cup
Saporta Cup was the name of the second-tier level European professional club basketball competition, where the National Cup winners from all over Europe played against each other. The competition was organized by FIBA Europe...
trophy.
On the national basketball front, Yugoslavia rolled over the competition with considerable ease en route to another European gold in 1997, with Bodiroga again playing an integral role. In the group stages, the Serbs faced the Croatian national team
Croatia national basketball team
The Croatian national basketball team represents Croatia at international tournaments. It is organized by the Croatian Basketball Federation...
, in the first meeting in basketball between the two nations since the breakup of the old Yugoslavia. The game carried all kinds of political tension and was a low-scoring affair, with Djordjevic winning it for Yugoslavia with a dramatic 3-pointer at the end.
In Bodiroga's next and final season with Real Madrid, (and without Obradovic, who had moved to Benetton Treviso
Pallacanestro Treviso
Pallacanestro Treviso, more often known by its sponsorship name of Benetton Basket, or Benetton Treviso, is an Italian Serie A League professional basketball club from Treviso, the headquarters city of its longtime owner Benetton Group...
) there were no improvements, as the team was ousted in the league's semifinals by TDK Manresa
Basquet Manresa
Bàsquet Manresa, S.A.D., known as Assignia Manresa for sponsorship reasons, is a professional basketball team based in Manresa, Catalonia, Spain, playing in Liga ACB. The team was founded in 1931. They are currently playing their home games at the Pavelló Nou Congost...
. He did achieve League MVP honours for the 1997-98 season.
That summer's national team duty was happier, as it brought another World Championship
FIBA World Championship
The FIBA World Championship is an international basketball competition contested by the men's national teams of the members of the International Basketball Federation , the sport's global governing body...
title for Yugoslavia, the first for Bodiroga. Now 25, Bodiroga was, together with Djordjevic (who suffered knee problems and played few minutes) and Željko Rebrača
Željko Rebraca
Željko Rebrača is a retired Serbian professional basketball player. Formerly in the NBA, he finished his career with the Spanish ACB League team Pamesa Valencia.-Europe:He began his professional career in 1991 with KK Partizan...
, one of the team leaders.
Greece
The same summer of 1998 also saw Bodiroga move to the Greek powerhouse Panathinaikos, where club chairman Pavlos GiannakopoulosPavlos Giannakopoulos
Pavlos Giannakopoulos is a Greek businessman.Along with his brother Thanassis Giannakopoulos, he's the co-owner of pharmaceutical corporation Vianex, which was originally founded in 1924 by their father Dimitrios Giannakopoulos as a small local import and distribution firm...
began assembling a team to conquer Europe. As such, Bodiroga was the final piece of the jigsaw puzzle that already included Dino Rađa, Fragiskos Alvertis
Fragiskos Alvertis
Fragiskos Alvertis is a retired Greek professional basketball player. He was the captain of the Panathinaikos basketball team...
and coach Slobodan Subotić
Slobodan Subotic
Slobodan "Piksi" Subotić ) is a retired professional basketball player. A 2.01 m talented swingman, his incredible shooting ability helped Aris Thessaloniki qualify for three Euroleague final fours between 1988 and 1990. Subotić followed a successful career as a coach...
. The Greens won the Greek Championship
A1 Ethniki
The Greek Basket League , commonly referred to as the Greek Basketball League or Greek Basketball Championship, is the highest professional basketball league in Greece. It is run by HEBA...
, but the FIBA Champions' Cup
Euroleague
Euroleague Basketball, commonly known as the Euroleague, is the highest level tier and most important professional club basketball competition in Europe, with teams from up to 18 different countries, members of FIBA Europe. For sponsorship reasons, for five seasons starting with 2010–2011, it is...
ended in a disappointing note, leading to the departures of Radja and Subotic, with the latter's replacement being old acquaintance Obradovic, who brought along Rebraca from Treviso. After such an investment, Panathinaikos captured both the 1999–2000 Greek Championship and the Euroleague
Euroleague
Euroleague Basketball, commonly known as the Euroleague, is the highest level tier and most important professional club basketball competition in Europe, with teams from up to 18 different countries, members of FIBA Europe. For sponsorship reasons, for five seasons starting with 2010–2011, it is...
trophies, the latter coming in a final versus Maccabi Tel Aviv
Maccabi Tel Aviv (basketball)
Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv B.C. is a professional Israeli basketball club based in Tel Aviv. The team plays in three leagues: the Euroleague, the Israeli Basketball Super League, and the Adriatic League....
. In 2001, Panathinaikos again won the Greek Championship and also reached the Suproleague
Suproleague
FIBA SuproLeague was the FIBA professional club basketball Champions' Cup for the 2000-01 season. Up until that season, there was one cup, the FIBA European Champions' Cup , though in this season of 2000-01, the leading European teams split into two competitions: the FIBA SuproLeague and the ULEB's...
final in Paris. A year later, Bodiroga was named the Euroleague Final Four MVP, as the Greeks beat hosts Kinder Bologna
Virtus Bologna
-Notable players: Marco Bonamico 9 seasons: '75-'76, '77-'78, '80-'86, '88-'89 Carlo Caglieris 6 seasons: '75-'81 Pietro Generali 6 seasons: '75-'76, '78-'83 Gianni Bertolotti 5 seasons: '75-'80 Terry Driscoll 3 seasons: '75-'78 Eric Luc Leclerc 1 season: '75-'76 Luigi Serafini 2 seasons: '75-'77...
, and their star player Manu Ginóbili
Manu Ginobili
Emanuel David "Manu" Ginóbili is an Argentine professional basketball player. Coming from a family of professional basketball players, he is a member of the Argentine men's national basketball team and the San Antonio Spurs in the National Basketball Association .Ginóbili spent the early part of...
89-83.
In the international front, Bodiroga, as the team's undisputed leader, helped Yugoslavia win the 2001 European Championship
EuroBasket 2001
The EuroBasket 2001 was the 32nd EuroBasket, the biennial regional basketball championship contested by European nations and held by FIBA Europe. The tournament, which was hosted by Turkey, began on 31 August 2001 and concluded with the final on 9 September 2001. Yugoslavia won the gold medal,...
in Turkey and the 2002 FIBA World Championship
2002 FIBA World Championship
The 2002 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball tournament held by the International Basketball Federation in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA from August 29 to September 8, 2002.-Venues:-Squads:...
in Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
. In this competition, the national side defeated Team USA
United States national basketball team
The United States men's national basketball team represents the United States of America in international men's basketball. The USA is the most successful team in international competition, winning medals in all sixteen Olympic tournaments it has entered, coming away with thirteen golds...
in the quarterfinals and the Argentine national team
Argentina national basketball team
The Argentina national basketball team represents Argentina in basketball international competitions, and is controlled by the Argentine Basketball Federation....
in the final, in overtime.
Back to Spain
In the summer of 2002, Bodiroga returned to the Spanish league's FC Barcelona, which was managed by Svetislav PešićSvetislav Pešic
Svetislav Pešić Svetislav Pešić (Светислав Пешић) Svetislav Pešić (Светислав Пешић) (born August 28, 1949 in Pirot, Serbia, is former Serbian professional basketball player and a present day Serbian basketball coach. He is the current coach of BC Red Star.-Playing career:...
and had players like Šarūnas Jasikevičius
Šarunas Jasikevicius
Šarūnas Jasikevičius is a Lithuanian professional basketball player who plays for Panathinaikos BC. He is a member of the Lithuanian national team, and plays the point guard position.-Early years:...
, Gregor Fučka
Gregor Fucka
Gregor Fučka is a retired Italian basketball player of Slovenian origin. A 215 cm forward-center, he was a European Player of the Year Mister Europa and Euroscar laureate in 2000.- Pro career :...
and Juan Carlos Navarro
Juan Carlos Navarro (basketball)
Juan Carlos Navarro Feijoo , nicknamed "La Bomba" , is a Spanish professional basketball player...
. He won the Euroleague with Barça (the first time the team achieved this), and also added two domestic league titles with them.
Finishing up back in Italy
In 2005-06, Bodiroga came back to the Italian League, this time with Virtus Roma, re-joining coach Pešić, as the team played in the ULEB CupULEB Cup
Eurocup Basketball is the second-tier level transnational professional basketball competition in Europe. The Eurocup is the level that is one tier below the Turkish Airlines Euroleague level...
. After getting eliminated from European contention in the round of 16 and losing the Italian Cup final (83-85) to Carpisa Napoli
Basket Napoli
Basket Napoli is an Italian professional basketball club that is based in the city of Naples. For past club sponsorship names, see the list below.-History:...
, Virtus finished the season in 6th place with a 22-12 record in the national league. Bodiroga finished the year with a 15.7 points-per-game regular season scoring average.
The playoff first round pitted Roma against favorites Mens Sana Basket
Mens Sana Basket
Mens Sana Basket, more frequently referred to as Montepaschi Siena, is an Italian League professional basketball club from Siena. More precisely, it is the now-autonomous basketball section of the comprehensive sports club Polisportiva Mens Sana...
. After dropping the first game, Bodiroga dominated the series in a 3-1 victory.
Incidentally, the 2006-07 season's playoffs, both teams played again, with the exact opposite outcome. After the fourth and final game, Bodiroga announced his retirement from professional basketball on 8 June 2007.
Bodiroga was the General Manager for the Virtus Roma. In June 2009 he left the club.
International career
Bodiroga made his debut for the senior FSFR Yugoslav national teamSerbia national basketball team
The Serbian national basketball team represents Serbia in international basketball matches....
in 1991 at the first round of the 1991 Mediterranean Games
1991 Mediterranean Games
The 11th edition of the Mediterranean Games were held in Athens, Greece fromthe 28th of June to the 12th of July 1991. Eighteen nations competed in 24 different sportingevents.- Pre-Mediterranean Cup :...
in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
.
He was a regular for the team throwout the 1990s and early 2000s, participating in a total of three Summer Olympics (1996 Olympic Basketball
Basketball at the 1996 Summer Olympics
Basketball contests at the 1996 Olympic Games were held from July 20, 1996 to August 4, 1996. Games took place at the Morehouse College Gymnasium and the Georgia Dome. For the second straight Olympic games, the American men's team composed almost entirely of NBA players won the gold medal...
, 2000 Olympic Basketball
Basketball at the 2000 Summer Olympics
-Group B:-Championship bracket:-Classification matches:-Preliminary round:The four best teams from each group advanced to the quarterfinal round.-Group A:-Group B:-Championship bracket:...
, 2004 Olympic Basketball
Basketball at the 2004 Summer Olympics
Basketball at the 2004 Summer Olympics took place at the Helliniko Olympic Indoor Arena in Athens, Greece for the preliminary rounds, with the latter stages being held in the Olympic Indoor Hall at the Athens Olympic Sports Complex....
), two FIBA World Championship
FIBA World Championship
The FIBA World Championship is an international basketball competition contested by the men's national teams of the members of the International Basketball Federation , the sport's global governing body...
s (1998 FIBA World Championship
1998 FIBA World Championship
The 1998 FIBA World Championship was the 13th FIBA World Championship, an international basketball tournament held by the International Basketball Federation and hosted in Athens, Greece from July 29 to August 9, 1998...
and 2002 FIBA World Championship
2002 FIBA World Championship
The 2002 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball tournament held by the International Basketball Federation in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA from August 29 to September 8, 2002.-Venues:-Squads:...
) and five 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...
(EuroBasket 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...
, EuroBasket 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:...
, EuroBasket 1999
EuroBasket 1999
-Group B:-Group C:-Group D:-Second round:- Group E :- Group F :-Championship bracket:-5th place bracket:- Quarterfinals :-Classification rounds:- Semifinals :- Third place game:- Final :...
, EuroBasket 2001
EuroBasket 2001
The EuroBasket 2001 was the 32nd EuroBasket, the biennial regional basketball championship contested by European nations and held by FIBA Europe. The tournament, which was hosted by Turkey, began on 31 August 2001 and concluded with the final on 9 September 2001. Yugoslavia won the gold medal,...
, and EuroBasket 2005
Eurobasket 2005
The EuroBasket 2005 was held in Serbia and Montenegro between 16 September and 25 September 2005. Greece won the gold medal by defeating Germany, while France won the bronze medal over Spain...
).
Bodiroga retired from the national team after the EuroBasket 2005
Eurobasket 2005
The EuroBasket 2005 was held in Serbia and Montenegro between 16 September and 25 September 2005. Greece won the gold medal by defeating Germany, while France won the bronze medal over Spain...
fiasco, in which his team, one of the tournament's favorites, was relegated as early as the first elimination round by the French national team
France national basketball team
The French national basketball team is the national basketball team representing France. It is administrated by the Fédération Française de Basket-Ball . The team has been competitive, but has yet to win a major international tournament...
on their own home court, in a tournament that ended with fierce allegations from head coach Željko Obradović
Željko Obradovic
Želimir “Željko” Obradović is a Serbian professional basketball coach and a former professional basketball player...
of numerous fights between many of the players http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-4-54/Serbia-and-Montenegro-Coach-Resigns-After-Fracas.html. Bodiroga was reduced to tears as he was leaving the court for his last international game.
Club
- 1995-96: Olimpia MilanoOlimpia MilanoOlimpia Milano is a Lega Basket Italian professional basketball team, based in Milan, Italy, founded in 1936 by Milan businessman Adolfo Bogoncelli. Its colors are red and white, and the team is sometimes referred as "Scarpette Rosse" because team officials imported from the United States red...
- Italian LeagueSerie A (basketball)Lega Basket Serie A is the highest level club competition in Italian professional basketball where play determines the national champion. The season consists of a home-and-away schedule of 30 games, followed by an eight-team playoff round. Quarterfinals and semifinals series are best-of-five, and...
, Italian Cup - 1996-97: Real MadridReal Madrid BaloncestoReal Madrid Baloncesto is a Spanish professional basketball team founded in 1932 as a division of the Real Madrid club. They play in the Asociación de Clubes de Baloncesto ....
- European CupSaporta CupSaporta Cup was the name of the second-tier level European professional club basketball competition, where the National Cup winners from all over Europe played against each other. The competition was organized by FIBA Europe... - 1998-99: Panathinaikos - Greek LeagueA1 EthnikiThe Greek Basket League , commonly referred to as the Greek Basketball League or Greek Basketball Championship, is the highest professional basketball league in Greece. It is run by HEBA...
- 1999-00: Panathinaikos - EuroleagueEuroleagueEuroleague Basketball, commonly known as the Euroleague, is the highest level tier and most important professional club basketball competition in Europe, with teams from up to 18 different countries, members of FIBA Europe. For sponsorship reasons, for five seasons starting with 2010–2011, it is...
, Greek League - 2000-01: Panathinaikos - Greek League
- 2001-02: Panathinaikos - Euroleague
- 2002-03: FC Barcelona - Spanish League, Euroleague, Spanish CupCopa del Rey de BaloncestoThe Copa del Rey de Baloncesto is an annual cup competition for Spanish basketball teams organized by Spain's top professional league, Asociación de Clubes de Baloncesto. It was originally known as the Copa de España de Baloncesto and was first played in 1933. It was the first nationwide...
- 2003-04: FC Barcelona - Spanish League, Spanish SupercupSupercopa de España de BaloncestoThe Supercopa de España de Baloncesto is an annual preseason Spanish basketball competition. The teams that take part in this competition are:* The ACB league winner of the previous season....
Yugoslavian national team
- EurobasketEurobasketThe 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...
: 3 Gold medalGold medalA gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
s - Eurobasket 1995EuroBasket 1995EuroBasket 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...
, Eurobasket 1997EuroBasket 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:...
, Eurobasket 2001EuroBasket 2001The EuroBasket 2001 was the 32nd EuroBasket, the biennial regional basketball championship contested by European nations and held by FIBA Europe. The tournament, which was hosted by Turkey, began on 31 August 2001 and concluded with the final on 9 September 2001. Yugoslavia won the gold medal,... - EurobasketEurobasketThe 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...
: 1 Bronze medalBronze medalA bronze medal is a medal awarded to the third place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. The practice of awarding bronze third place medals began at the 1904 Olympic Games in St...
- Eurobasket 1999EuroBasket 1999-Group B:-Group C:-Group D:-Second round:- Group E :- Group F :-Championship bracket:-5th place bracket:- Quarterfinals :-Classification rounds:- Semifinals :- Third place game:- Final :... - FIBA World ChampionshipFIBA World ChampionshipThe FIBA World Championship is an international basketball competition contested by the men's national teams of the members of the International Basketball Federation , the sport's global governing body...
: 2 Gold medalGold medalA gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
s - 1998 FIBA World Championship1998 FIBA World ChampionshipThe 1998 FIBA World Championship was the 13th FIBA World Championship, an international basketball tournament held by the International Basketball Federation and hosted in Athens, Greece from July 29 to August 9, 1998...
, 2002 FIBA World Championship2002 FIBA World ChampionshipThe 2002 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball tournament held by the International Basketball Federation in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA from August 29 to September 8, 2002.-Venues:-Squads:... - 1996 Summer Olympics1996 Summer OlympicsThe 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....
: 1 Silver medalSilver medalA silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
- 1996 Olympic Basketball TournamentBasketball at the 1996 Summer OlympicsBasketball contests at the 1996 Olympic Games were held from July 20, 1996 to August 4, 1996. Games took place at the Morehouse College Gymnasium and the Georgia Dome. For the second straight Olympic games, the American men's team composed almost entirely of NBA players won the gold medal...
Individual Honours and Awards
- 1998 FIBA World Championship1998 FIBA World ChampionshipThe 1998 FIBA World Championship was the 13th FIBA World Championship, an international basketball tournament held by the International Basketball Federation and hosted in Athens, Greece from July 29 to August 9, 1998...
MVP: 1998 - Euroleague Top 16 MVP: Euroleague 2001-02Euroleague 2001-02The Euroleague is an international basketball club competition for elite clubs throughout Europe. The Euroleague season 2001-02 started on October 10, 2001 and ended with the championship final game on May 5, 2002, in PalaMalaguti, Bologna, Italy. 32 teams competed for the championship, which was...
- 2x Euroleague Final Four MVP: 2001–2002, and Euroleague 2002-03Euroleague 2002-03The Euroleague is an international basketball club competition for elite clubs throughout Europe. The 2002–2003 season featured 24 competing teams from 13 different countries...
- 3x All-Euroleague 1st Team choice: 2001-02, 2002–03, and Euroleague 2003-04Euroleague 2003-04The Euroleague is an international basketball club competition for elite clubs throughout Europe. The 2003–2004 season featured 24 competing teams from 13 different countries...
- 2x Yugoslavian Athlete of the Year: 1998, 2002
- 2x Yugoslav Olympic CommitteeYugoslav Olympic CommitteeThe Yugoslav Olympic Committee was the non-profit organization representing Yugoslavian athletes in the International Olympic Committee. The YOC organized Yugoslavia's representatives at the Summer and Winter Olympic Games...
Sportsman of the Year: 1998, 2002 - Spanish League MVPACB Most Valuable Player AwardThe Asociación de Clubes de Baloncesto first named a Most Valuable Player after the 1991-92 ACB season. Since then, four players have won the award more than once: Darryl Middleton , Arvydas Sabonis, Tanoka Beard and Luis Scola...
: 1997-98 - Greek LeagueA1 EthnikiThe Greek Basket League , commonly referred to as the Greek Basketball League or Greek Basketball Championship, is the highest professional basketball league in Greece. It is run by HEBA...
MVP: 1998-99 - Spanish Cup (Copa del Rey)Copa del Rey de BaloncestoThe Copa del Rey de Baloncesto is an annual cup competition for Spanish basketball teams organized by Spain's top professional league, Asociación de Clubes de Baloncesto. It was originally known as the Copa de España de Baloncesto and was first played in 1933. It was the first nationwide...
MVP: 2003 - Spanish SupercupSupercopa de España de BaloncestoThe Supercopa de España de Baloncesto is an annual preseason Spanish basketball competition. The teams that take part in this competition are:* The ACB league winner of the previous season....
MVP: 2004 - Spanish League Finals MVPACB Finals Most Valuable Player AwardThe Asociación de Clubes de Baloncesto first named an ACB Finals Most Valuable Player after the 1990-91 ACB season. Since then, only one player has won the award more than once: Arvydas Sabonis.-All-time award winners:...
: 2004 - Euroleague 2001-10 All-Decade Team: 2010
Post-playing career
After retiring from playing professional basketball in June 2007, Bodiroga became the general manager of Virtus Roma, thus continuing at the club where he finished his playing career. He ended his GM term in June 2009.In April 2010, Bodiroga along with fellow former player Željko Rebrača
Željko Rebraca
Željko Rebrača is a retired Serbian professional basketball player. Formerly in the NBA, he finished his career with the Spanish ACB League team Pamesa Valencia.-Europe:He began his professional career in 1991 with KK Partizan...
sued the Carmel, Indiana
Carmel, Indiana
Carmel is a city in Hamilton County, Indiana, United States located immediately north of Indianapolis, Indiana. The population was 79,191 at the 2010 census, and is one of the most affluent communities in the Midwest....
-based company Worldwide Associates LLC for investment fraud. They allege in their suit they each gave the company more than $4 million to manage, which the company used as venture capital in speculative startup companies instead of investing it in traditional securities.
Personal
The son of Vaso (Васо) and Milka (Милка) Bodiroga, Dejan is a devout Orthodox Christian. His father hails from the village of BodirogeBodiroge
Bodiroge is a village in the municipality of Trebinje, Bosnia and Herzegovina.-References:...
near Trebinje
Trebinje
Trebinje is the southernmost municipality and town in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is administratively part of the Republika Srpska entity and is located in southeastern Herzegovina, some from the Adriatic Sea....
and was among the wave of migrants from Herzegovina
Herzegovina
Herzegovina is the southern region of Bosnia and Herzegovina. While there is no official border distinguishing it from the Bosnian region, it is generally accepted that the borders of the region are Croatia to the west, Montenegro to the south, the canton boundaries of the Herzegovina-Neretva...
that moved northwards following World War II. On July 13, 2003, Bodiroga married his long-time fiancée Ivana Medić (Ивана Медић) in Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
's Saborna crkva (one of the most significant Serbian Orthodox Cathedrals). The couple's first child, a boy named Nikola (Никола), was born 23 July 2004.
He is a relative of another European basketball player - Dražen Petrović
Dražen Petrovic
Dražen Petrović was a Yugoslav and Croatian professional basketball player. A shooting guard, he initially achieved success playing professional basketball in Europe in the 1980s before joining the American NBA in 1989...
. His grandmother (on his father's side) and Petrović's grandfather (also on his father's side) are brother and sister, making Bodiroga and Petrović second cousins.
Though he never played for the club, Bodiroga is a declared fan of Partizan Belgrade
Partizan Belgrade
Jugoslovensko Sportsko Društvo Partizan, commonly abbreviated as JSD Partizan is a sports association from Belgrade, Serbia. Founded on 4th October 1945, it's an umbrella organization featuring 26 clubs in 26 sports.-Sports/Clubs:-History:...
and is often seen at their games. Bodiroga is one of the founding members of the Group Seven Children's Foundation
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...
.
He is one of few players who have won the Euroleague
Euroleague
Euroleague Basketball, commonly known as the Euroleague, is the highest level tier and most important professional club basketball competition in Europe, with teams from up to 18 different countries, members of FIBA Europe. For sponsorship reasons, for five seasons starting with 2010–2011, it is...
with clubs from two different countries, and he is also one of the few players to win each of the top 3 European national domestic leagues, the Italian League
Serie A (basketball)
Lega Basket Serie A is the highest level club competition in Italian professional basketball where play determines the national champion. The season consists of a home-and-away schedule of 30 games, followed by an eight-team playoff round. Quarterfinals and semifinals series are best-of-five, and...
, the Greek League
A1 Ethniki
The Greek Basket League , commonly referred to as the Greek Basketball League or Greek Basketball Championship, is the highest professional basketball league in Greece. It is run by HEBA...
, and the Spanish League.
Bodiroga is very highly regarded by fans of Panathinaikos BC for his known passion in games with Greek arch-rival Olympiacos B.C. and is considered by them as one of the most loved players of all time. In his home country of Serbia, he is idolized for his on-court prowess and also revered for his unassuming, humble and quiet way of going about matters off the court.