Velimir Perasovic
Encyclopedia
Velimir Perasović is a basketball
coach and former player from Croatia
.
Perasović was born in Split
, in the former Yugoslavia
, and grew up in the nearby Stobreč
. He started playing basketball at the age of 14, and was soon recruited by KK Split
, then named Jugoplastika, in 1981.
Perasović was member of the Yugoslav junior national basketball team which won the silver medal in the junior European championship in Bulgaria in 1982, and the bronze medal in Sweden in 1984.
His club 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 basketball championship. In 1990 and 1991 they won the Yugoslav basketball cup, and in 1992 the Croatian basketball cup (that time as "Slobodna Dalmacija
").
Perasović was part of the Yugoslav team that won the world championship in Argentina in 1990, and the European championship in Italy in 1991. He played for the Croatian national basketball team when they won the silver in the Barcelona Olympics in 1992, the European bronze medal in Germany in 1993 and Greece in 1995.
In 1992, Perasović moved to the Spanish club CB Breogán
and spent one season there before moving to Tau
in 1993. He won the 1995 Spanish basketball cup
with Tau.
In 1997 he moved to Fuenlabrada
where he played until 2002, then moved to Alicante
, and finally retired from his playing career in 2003. In his career in Spain, he won the award for the best scorer of the Spanish league several times, was once the best scorer of the Radivoj Korać
Cup, and participated in several ACB All Star games.
He became the manager of KK Split for a while, before moving back to Spain to become the manager of TAU Cerámica
. He led the team to the Euroleague
Final Four.
In the 2007-08 season he became the coach for CB Estudiantes, filling in for Mariano de Pablos, who had been fired due to negative results, and succeeded in keeping the team in the Spanish league.
He then moved to Zagreb
, Croatia
, to become the KK Cibona
coach in the seasons 2008-09 and 2009-10. In 2009 he led the team to the Adriatic League
final, winning the award for the best coach in the Adriatic League in 2008-09 season, and won the Croatian cup and championship, respectively. He again took Cibona to the Adriatic League and Croatian cup finals in 2010, and won the Croatian championship, making Cibona the first team in the Croatian championship history to overcome a 0-2 deficit in a best-of-five playoff series. He reached Euroleague
Top 16 phase in both seasons with Cibona.
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...
coach and former player from Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
.
Perasović was born in Split
Split (city)
Split is a Mediterranean city on the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea, centered around the ancient Roman Palace of the Emperor Diocletian and its wide port bay. With a population of 178,192 citizens, and a metropolitan area numbering up to 467,899, Split is by far the largest Dalmatian city and...
, in the former Yugoslavia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
, and grew up in the nearby Stobreč
Stobrec
Stobreč is a historical town, now village in Croatia located near Split and Solin. In modern times, Stobreč is considered a desirable vacation/camping spot located on a beautiful scenic peninsula ensconced between the Adriatic Sea and pine woods. Population: approximately 4,700...
. He started playing basketball at the age of 14, and was soon recruited by KK Split
KK Split
KK Split , KK Split CO for sponsorship relations is a basketball club from Split, Croatia. Currently, KK Split competes in the A-1 Liga and Krešimir Ćosić Cup.-History:...
, then named Jugoplastika, in 1981.
Perasović was member of the Yugoslav junior national basketball team which won the silver medal in the junior European championship in Bulgaria in 1982, and the bronze medal in Sweden in 1984.
His club went on to win three 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...
Championships, in 1989 and 1990 as "Jugoplastika" and in 1991 as "Pop 84". In 1988, 1989, 1990 and 1991 they also won the Yugoslav basketball championship. In 1990 and 1991 they won the Yugoslav basketball cup, and in 1992 the Croatian basketball cup (that time as "Slobodna Dalmacija
KK Split
KK Split , KK Split CO for sponsorship relations is a basketball club from Split, Croatia. Currently, KK Split competes in the A-1 Liga and Krešimir Ćosić Cup.-History:...
").
Perasović was part of the Yugoslav team that won the world championship in Argentina in 1990, and the European championship in Italy in 1991. He played for the Croatian national basketball team when they won the silver in the Barcelona Olympics in 1992, the European bronze medal in Germany in 1993 and Greece in 1995.
In 1992, Perasović moved to the Spanish club CB Breogán
CB Breogan
Club Baloncesto Breogán, S.A.D. is a professional Basketball team based in Lugo, Galicia. The team currently plays in league LEB.-Roster:-Trophies:*2nd division championships: ** 2ª División: 1975** 1ª División B: 1984, 1988...
and spent one season there before moving to Tau
Saski Baskonia
Saski Baskonia, S.A.D., known as Caja Laboral for sponsorship reasons, is a Spanish professional basketball club from the Basque city of Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain...
in 1993. He won the 1995 Spanish basketball cup
Copa del Rey de Baloncesto
The 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...
with Tau.
In 1997 he moved to Fuenlabrada
Baloncesto Fuenlabrada
Baloncesto Fuenlabrada, S.A.D. is a professional basketball team based in Fuenlabrada, Madrid, Spain, currently playing in the Liga ACB. The club was founded in 1981 as C.B. Fuenlabrada, and promoted to the Spanish Top Division in 1996...
where he played until 2002, then moved to Alicante
CB Lucentum Alicante
Club Baloncesto Lucentum Alicante is a professional basketball team based in Alicante, Valencian Community. Lucentum Alicante is member of the Asociación de Clubs de Baloncesto .-Sponsorship naming:...
, and finally retired from his playing career in 2003. In his career in Spain, he won the award for the best scorer of the Spanish league several times, was once the best scorer of the Radivoj Korać
Radivoj Korac
Radivoj Korać , sometimes also Radivoje, was a successful Serbian basketball player from Yugoslavia....
Cup, and participated in several ACB All Star games.
He became the manager of KK Split for a while, before moving back to Spain to become the manager of TAU Cerámica
Saski Baskonia
Saski Baskonia, S.A.D., known as Caja Laboral for sponsorship reasons, is a Spanish professional basketball club from the Basque city of Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain...
. He led the team to 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...
Final Four.
In the 2007-08 season he became the coach for CB Estudiantes, filling in for Mariano de Pablos, who had been fired due to negative results, and succeeded in keeping the team in the Spanish league.
He then moved to Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
, Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
, to become the KK Cibona
KK Cibona
Košarkaški klub Cibona is a professional basketball club based in Zagreb, Croatia. It competes in the Croatian League and the Adriatic League.-History:The club was founded in 1946 under the name Sloboda...
coach in the seasons 2008-09 and 2009-10. In 2009 he led the team to the Adriatic League
NLB League
Liga ABA, also known as Adriatic League, until September 2011 known as the NLB Liga ABA for sponsorship reasons, is a top-level regional basketball league, featuring teams from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Israel, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia.The league exists alongside scaled-down national...
final, winning the award for the best coach in the Adriatic League in 2008-09 season, and won the Croatian cup and championship, respectively. He again took Cibona to the Adriatic League and Croatian cup finals in 2010, and won the Croatian championship, making Cibona the first team in the Croatian championship history to overcome a 0-2 deficit in a best-of-five playoff series. He reached 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...
Top 16 phase in both seasons with Cibona.