By Stefan Djordjevic/ info@eurohoops.net
The legendary Serbian player and now coach Aleksandar ‘Sasa’ Djordjevic took over Segafredo Virtus Bologna in front of one of the most important games for the club this season, against Le Mans in Basketball Champions League playoffs.
It was Game 2 of Round of 16 and winning it was a must in order to advance to quarterfinals since Game 1, in France, ended in a tie (74-74). And the Italian squad delivered with a huge 81-58 win in front of the home crowd. Djordjevic may not have had time to change much but it seems his presence gave the players much needed boost in motivation and focus.
And it doesn’t come as a surprise. After all, everybody wants to impress the coach, especially when he is also one of the best guards to ever play in Europe and left his mark all over the ‘old continent’.
From untalented to legendary
It may be hard to believe from today’s perspective after his 20-year-long title-rich career but Aleksandar Djordjevic was thought of as untalented when he first started out as a ten-year-old in Crvena Zvezda (1977). However, he kept going and six years later joined Partizan. He stayed there until 1992 and that last season was where legends and the legend was born.
The early ’90s were tough years for former Yugoslavia which was torn with civil wars. That also affected basketball as not all games could be played regularly, especially those between teams from different countries. In fact, Partizan had to play all 1991-1992 FIBA European League (now EuroLeague) games in Fuenlabrada, Spain. Despite all that, the squad coached by young Zeljko Obradovic (current Fenerbahce coach) went all the way becoming the European champions and Djordjevic delivered it with one of the most historic ‘daggers’.
On April 16, 1992, in Istanbul’s Abdi Ipekci Arena (demolished in 2018), Partizan and Joventut clashed in the Final. Spaniards scored a tough layup to go ahead 70-68 with eight seconds left but Djordjevic had the final say. He took the ball, drove coast-to-coast near the right sideline, stopped at the three-point line and soared up for a jump-shot which gave Partizan the only EuroLeague title in club history.
In 1997, Djordjevic made the same shot once again but this time for the national team. Yugoslavia clashed with Croatia (first game between the two since countries’ separation) in EuroBasket and the latter was ahead 62-61 with four seconds remaining. However, Djordjevic spoiled their celebrations.
And that shot became his ‘signature move’. Djordjevic won 11 trophies with his clubs and six medals with the national team along with various individual honors along the way as he even broke records but, one could argue, those three-pointers made him a legend. He retired in 2005 with an exhibition game in Belgrade after which, Djordjevic repeated the shot which made him famous one last time nailing it in the first attempt, saying goodbye the best possible way.