| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1924-10-28)28 October 1924 |
| Died | 12 March 2000(2000-03-12) (aged 75) |
| Nationality | Serbian |
| Listed height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) |
| Career information | |
| Playing career | 1945–1951 |
| Position | Small forward |
| Number | 4 |
| Coaching career | 1951–1985 |
| Career history | |
Playing | |
| 1945 | Crvena zvezda |
| 1945 | Yugoslav Army |
| 1946 | Partizan |
| 1947–1949 | Crvena zvezda |
| 1950 | Železničar Čačak |
| 1951 | BSK Beograd |
Coaching | |
| 1951–1965 | Yugoslavia |
| 1959–1961 | Partizan |
| 1961–1963 | OKK Beograd |
| 1963–1965 | Petrarca Padova |
| 1965–1967 | OKK Beograd |
| 1969–1973 | Varese |
| 1973–1974 | Crvena zvezda |
| 1974–1976 | Fortitudo Bologna |
| 1977–1978 | Yugoslavia |
| 1978–1980 | Borac Čačak |
| 1981–1982 | Virtus Bologna |
| 1982–1983 | Reyer Venezia |
| 1983–1984 | Victoria Libertas |
| 1984–1985 | Udinese |
| Career highlights | |
As player:
As head coach:
| |
| Basketball Hall of Fame | |
| FIBA Hall of Fame | |
Aleksandar "Aca" Nikolić (Serbian Cyrillic:Александар "Аца" Николић; 28 October 1924 – 12 March 2000) was a Serbian professionalbasketball player andcoach. He was also aprofessor at theUniversity of Belgrade's Faculty of Sport and Physical Education.[1] He is often referred to as theFather of Yugoslav and Serbian Basketball.[1]
Nikolić acted as a mentor to many young basketball coaches in Yugoslavia, some of whom—such asBožidar Maljković,Dušan Ivković,Bogdan Tanjević, andŽeljko Obradović—would go on to great professional success in their own right. Nicknamed theProfessor andIron Sergeant, Nikolić was inducted into theBasketball Hall of Fameas a coach in 1998, and into theFIBA Hall of Fame in 2007. In 2008, he was named one of the50 Greatest EuroLeague Contributors.
Though his parents lived inBrčko, Nikolić was born inSarajevo,Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, due to his pregnant mother, Krista, suddenly going into labour while visiting her sister in Sarajevo.[2] Young Aleksandar enjoyed a privileged upbringing courtesy of his wealthy father, Đorđe Nikolić, who had him at the age of 62.[3] After spending the first few years of his life in Brčko, Nikolić moved with his family to the capitalBelgrade, where he would grow up.
Nikolić attended the Kralj Aleksandar Gymnasium at the Belgrade neighbourhood ofBanovo Brdo.[2] He then studied medicine and law at theUniversity of Belgrade, graduating in 1946.
Asmall forward, Nikolić played 7 seasons in theYugoslavia Federal League, from 1945 to 1951. During his playing days, he played for theYugoslav Army (1945),Partizan (1946),Crvena zvezda (1945,1947–1949),Železničar Čačak andBSK Beograd (1951). He won the Yugoslav Championships in 1945 with the Yugoslav Army and in 1947, 1948, and 1949, with Crvena Zvezda. He retired as a player with BSK Beograd in 1951.
Nikolić was a member of theYugoslavia national basketball team during the late 1940s, making in 10 appearances.[4]
After his playing career was over, Nikolić became involved withcoaching, both withSerbia-basedclubs, and those inItaly, notablyIgnis Varese.
Nikolić was also thehead coach of the seniorYugoslav national squad, between 1951 and 1965, and later between 1977 and 1978. During this time, he coached two futuremembers of theFIBA Hall of Fame, inBorislav Stanković andKrešimir Ćosić. Under his leadership, Yugoslavia won the gold medals at the1978 FIBA World Championship and the1977 EuroBasket; silver medals at the1963 FIBA World Championship,1961 EuroBasket, and1965 EuroBasket, and a bronze medal at the1963 EuroBasket.[4]
Nikolić died on 12 March 2000, inBelgrade. He is buried in theAlley of Distinguished Citizens at Belgrade'sNew Cemetery.
In February 2016, in Nikolić's honour, the name of the City of Belgrade-owned Hala Pionir was changed to theAleksandar Nikolić Hall.[5] Following the arena name change, Nikolić's daughter Dubravka Nikolić Rakočević wrote a letter to the Serbia Prime MinisterAleksandar Vučić, expressing gratitude on behalf of the late Nikolić's family.[6]
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