By Stathis Trapezanlidis/ info@eurohoops.net
Great Players have been part of FIBA World Cup lore and their duels have been the stuff of legend. Eurohoops presents them to you, as many stars have crossed paths more than once on the “Mundobasket” courts.
Kresimir Cosic- Ubiratan Pereira, 1967 (Montevideo) – 1970 (Ljubljana) – 1974 (San Juan)
Kresimir Cosic and Ubiratan Pereira, two mythical figures of basketball, were longtime opponents with Yugoslavia and Brazil’s national teams in FIBA World Cup. The first time they met, it was back in 1967, when they played each other for the final phase. Ubiratan Pereira scored 14 points against Yugoslavia, while 19-year-old Cosic didn’t influence the game a 87-84 Yugoslavia win. Finally, Yugoslavia won the silver medal, while Brazil finished third.
In 1970 the two players were again opponents in the final phase, this time having both a key role in their teams. Yugoslavia, which at the end won the gold medal, beat easily Brazil 80-55. Ubiratan (15p) and Cosic (19p) were the most valuable players of their teams. Both were included in the all tournament team.
Four years later Yugoslavia and Brazil faced each other for the third consecutive tournament in the final phase. Yugoslavia won easily (84-60) once again. Ubiratan had 14 points, while Cosic had 6. Yugoslavia won the silver medal, while Brazil finished in sixth place.
Dragan Kicanovic- Sergei Belov, 1974 (San Juan) – 1978 (Filippines)
Dragan Kicanovic and Sergei Belov competed twice in World Cups for Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union respectively. In 1974, Yugoslavia defeated the Soviet Union 82-79 in the group phase of the tournament, but the Soviet Union won the gold. Dragan Kicanovic, who was the MVP of the tournament (18 ppg), scored 19 points, while Sergei Belov was also a member of the all tournament team.
In 1978 at Manila the two players were opponents in one of the most exciting World Cup finals ever. Yugoslavia won 82-81 in overtime, with Kicanovic having 17 points and Belov 12. The Yugoslavian star was once again included in the all tournament team.
Dražen Dalipagić – Anatoly Myshkin, 1978 (Manila) – 1982 (Cali)
Dalipagic and Myshkin was another great couple to watch back in the days of Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union’s clashes. In the final of Filippines (1978), Drazen Dalipagic was the man of the match with 17 points while Anatoly Myshkin scored 10 points. The Yugoslavian star was the MVP and the fourth scorer of the tournament with 20 ppg.
In 1982 at Colombia the two players faced each other again. The Soviet Union won with 99-94 in the quarterfinals, while Myshkin (20p) and Dalipagic (18p) were the pillars of the two opponents. The Soviet Union won the gold medal, while Yugoslavia the bronze one. Myshkin and Dalipagic were of course members of the all tournament team.
Drazen Petrovic – Oscar Schmidt, 1986 (Madrid) – 1990 (Buenos Aires)
Drazen Petrovic and Oscar Schmidt were two of the best scorers ever in FIBA World Cups. The two stars faced each other twice with Petrovic being the winner in both encounters.
In 1986 at Spain, Yugoslavia defeated Brazil in the third place game (117-91) and won the bronze medal. Petrovic scored 23 points, while Schmidt had 27. That season, the Brazilian star was the second leading scorer of the tournament – behind Greek Nick Galis – with 31 points per game, while Petrovic, who was the MVP of the tournament, was third with 24.8 points.
Four years later they were opponents again, this time in the second phase of the tournament. Yugoslavia won 105-86 with Petrovic having 27 points and Schmidt did his best with 34! Yugoslavia won the World Cup but Schmidt was the top scorer of the tournament with 34.6 points per game!
Dejan Bodiroga – Manu Ginobili, 1998 (Athens) – 2002 (Indianapolis)
Dejan Bodiroga and Manu Ginobili faced twice in a World Cup, both times in very important games. The Serbian star won both times (1998-2002) and led his country to gold.
In 1998 at Athens, Greece, Serbia beat Argentina in the quarter-finals with Bodiroga scoring 14 points. Zelimir Obradovic’s team won the gold medal and Bodiroga was the MVP of the tournament!
Four years later, the two players were opponents in the final, where Serbia won in overtime (84-77) after a thrilling match. Bodiroga with 27 points was the player who led Serbia to a come back win, while Ginobili who played just 12 minutes due to an injury, was a member of the all tournament team.
Pau Gasol – Dirk Nowitzki, 2002 (Indianapolis) – 2006 (Saitama)
Pau Gasol and Dirk Nowitzki also faced twice in a World Cup. In 2002 in the quarter-finals Germany thanks to its leader, Dirk Nowitzki, who scored 12 of his 20 points in the final period got the big win. The German forward, the MVP of the tournament that season, led his country to a bronze medal, their top achievement in a World Cup.
Pau Gasol, who that season was the NBA rookie of the year with Memphis, scored 14 points.
Four years later, the Spanish big man took his revenge, leading Spain to an easy quarter final victory (92-71) with 16 points, while Dirk Nowitzki scored 14 points. A few days later, Spain won the World Cup with Pau Gasol emerging as the most valuable player of the tournament.