 Petrović coachingLietuvos rytas in 2014 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1959-02-16)16 February 1959 (age 66) |
| Nationality | Croatian |
| Listed height | 1.94 m (6 ft 4 in) |
| Listed weight | 86 kg (190 lb) |
| Career information | |
| Playing career | 1974–1991 |
| Position | Point guard /shooting guard |
| Coaching career | 1991–present |
| Career history | |
Playing | |
| 1974–1976 | Šibenka |
| 1976–1987 | Cibona |
| 1987–1988 | VL Pesaro |
| 1988–1989 | Cibona |
| 1989–1990 | Novi Zagreb |
| 1990–1991 | Racing Luxembourg |
Coaching | |
| 1991–1995 | Cibona |
| 1995 | Croatia |
| 1995–1997 | Sevilla |
| 1997–1999 | Cibona |
| 1999–2001 | Croatia |
| 2001–2002 | Włocławek |
| 2004–2005 | Lleida |
| 2006 | Scafati |
| 2007–2008 | Zadar |
| 2010–2011 | Cedevita Zagreb |
| 2012–2013 | Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| 2012–2013 | Cedevita Zagreb |
| 2013–2014 | Lietuvos rytas |
| 2016–2017 | Croatia |
| 2017–2021 | Brazil |
| 2021 | VL Pesaro |
| 2022–2023 | Croatia |
| 2024–present | Brazil |
| Career highlights | |
As player
As head coach
| |
Medals | |
Aleksandar "Aco"Petrović (pronounced[aleksǎːndarat͡sopětroʋitɕ]; born 16 February 1959)[1][2][3] is a Croatian professionalbasketball coach and former player who is currently the head coach of theBrazil men's national team.
Apoint guard andshooting guard, Petrović achieved prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s. The pro clubs he played for includedŠibenka,Cibona,Scavolini Pesaro,Novi Zagreb, andRacing Luxembourg. He was among the 105 player nominated for the50 Greatest EuroLeague Contributors list.
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Petrović started hisclubhead coaching career withCibona in 1991. Between 1995 and 1997, he coached theSpanish ACB League teamCaja San Fernando, before returning to Cibona for the 1997–98 season.
In the 2001–02 season, he went to Poland to coachAnwil Włocławek. In 2004 he was again as head coach in Spain, that time withCaprabo Lleida. In 2006 he took over theItalian Serie A teamCarifac Fabriano, before switching toEurorida Scafati. In the 2007–08 season, he took over theCroatian A-1 Liga teamZadar. He then became head coach ofCedevita. He was named theEuroCup Coach of the Year in 2011.[4]
Following the departure ofBožidar Maljković, Petrović once again took charge over Cedevita on 26 November 2012.[5] After Cedevita was eliminated from theEuroLeague andnational cup and left without any chance of qualifying for theABA League final four, Petrović offered his resignation to the club, which was accepted on 3 March 2013.[6]
On 16 December 2013, Petrović was named head coach of the Lithuanian teamLietuvos rytas.[7] Following a 91–92national cup final game loss toPrienai, he was sacked on 31 March 2014.[8]
On 16 July 2021, Petrović was named head coach forVictoria Libertas Pesaro of the Italian Serie A.[9]
In February 2012, Petrović was appointed head coach of the senior men'sBosnia and Herzegovina national team,[10] guiding them at the2013 EuroBasket in Slovenia. In November 2013, theBasketball Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina sacked him.[11]
Petrović had coached theCroatia men's national basketball team on three occasions; in 1995, when Croatia finished third inEuroBasket, from 1999 to 2001, when they finished seventh in the2001 EuroBasket and from 2016 to 2017.
On 23 March 2016, Petrović was named head coach of the senior men's Croatia national team for the third time in his head coaching career.[12] In August 2016, Croatia managed to reach the2016 Summer Olympics tournament surprisingly winningqualifying tournament inTurin. At the Olympic finals, Croatia lost in the quarterfinal game of the tournament fromSerbia. On 15 September 2017, following a defeat to hostRussia in the round of 16 atEuroBasket, Petrović resigned from Croatia bench.[13]
In October 2017, a month after leaving Croatia, Petrović was named head coach of theBrazil men's national basketball team,[14] which he led at the2019 World Cup in China, but failed to qualify for the2020 Summer Olympics tournament through thequalifying tournament inSplit.[15]
On 24 October 2022, Petrović was named interim head coach of the Croatia men's national team, being appointed to that role for the fourth time in his coaching career.[16]
Aleksandar Petrović was born inŠibenik as the first child of mother Biserka (née Mikulandra),[1][2] and father Jovan "Jole" Petrović.[17] His father, ofSerb ethnicity, was born in 1927 inTrebinje, Bosnia and Herzegovina.[17] His mother, ofCroat ethnicity, was born in 1941 in the village ofBilice, Croatia, a municipality based a few kilometres west from Aleksandar's hometown of Šibenik.[1][2] His younger brother,Dražen, who died in a June 1993 car accident, was also a professionalbasketball player.[17][18]
Petrović's cousin is the Serbian former basketball player and current executiveDejan Bodiroga. Aleksandar's paternal grandfather Jovan and Dejan's paternal grandmother Gospava were siblings.[19] Petrović's wife is Jadranka, whom he married in 1985.[20] The couple have two children: a daughter Lina and son Marko, who is also a professional basketball player.[21]
Aleksandar's father, Jovan, died in April 2021 after a long illness.[22][17]
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