By Stelios Toromanidis/ info@eurohoops.net
If there is one coach whose name can be linked to the Final Four institution, that’s no other than Zeljko Obradovic. Eurohoops looks back at Zoc’s more than a few doings in the major appointments of the Euroleague, highlighting his biggest achievements.
He has been nicknamed the “Lord of the Rings” and not without reason. After all, we’re talking about the man who has lifted the Euroleague trophy eight times, and has reached the Final Four 15 times (including this year’s qualification)!
In fact, in nine of the 14 appearances in the Final Four to date, he led his team to the final (a success rate of 64,3%). Regarding the games that decide the title, he’s almost… unbeatable. The only time he has left the court a loser was in the 2000-01 season, in the only Final Four of the Suproleague.
To Zoc’s significant achievements, add the fact that he remains the only one to have won a triple crown in just his first year as coach (!), while he has won a European title in every club he’s worked in so far, a record that he would like to expand with Fenerbahce.
What he does against Spaniards in the semifinals
In Friday’s semifinal (13/05) he will come up against Laboral Kutxa. Obradovic counts two wins and two defeats against Spanish teams.
Euroleague semifinals Obradovic vs Spanish team (2-2 record)
| YEAR | FINAL FOUR | SEMIFINAL | FINAL
RANKING |
| 1994 | Tel Aviv | Badalona-Barcelona 79-65 | Winners |
| 1996 | Paris | Real Madrid-Barcelona 66-76 | 4th place |
| 2007 | Athens | Panathinaikos-Tau Ceramica 67-53 | Winners |
| 2015 | Madrid | Fenerbahce–Real Madrid 87-96 | 4th place |
A look back at the 14 Final Fours and the 8 titles!
Just before the very experienced Serbian coach’s 15th participation in a Euroleague Final Four, Eurohoops collected all the previous ones and presents them to you in a list that will take you back in time and remind you of the greatest moments of the most successful coach in the history of the competition.
Start the countdown…
Final Four: Istanbul (14-16/04/1992)
Team: Partizan
Semifinal: Partizan – Philips Milan 82-75
Final: Partizan – Badalona 71-70
Place: 1st
In his maiden appearance in a Final Four, Obradovic won the Euroleague in Istanbul in perhaps the most… epic way. He led the ultimate outsiders, Partizan, to the title, relying on a youthful team from which Djordjevic and Danilovic stood out. In the semifinal the Serbs overcame the hurdle of Philips Milan and in the final they came up against Badalona. The Catalans were ahead 70-68 a few seconds before the end, but Sasa Djordjevic’s three-pointer as the game expired gave Partizan their only Euroleague title.