Aleksandar Nikolić

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Aleksandar Nikolić (Serbian: Александар Николић; October 28, 1924 – March 12, 2000) was a renowned basketball player and coach from Yugoslavia. He is considered to be so instrumental and important to the game's development in the country that he is often referred to as the Father of Yugoslav basketball.

Nikolić was born in Sarajevo, Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, but moved to the capital Belgrade at a young age. He studied medicine and law at the University of Belgrade, graduating in 1946.

However, Nikolić had a real passion for basketball. As a player, he competed for Partizan Belgrade (1945-1946), Red Star Belgrade (1947-1949), Železničar Čačak (1949-1950) and BSK Belgrade (1950-1951). He won the Yugoslav league in 1947, 1948 and 1949. Nikolić was a member of the Yugoslav national basketball team during the late 1940s, playing 10 games.

After his playing career was over, he became involved with coaching, both with Serbia-based clubs and those in Italy, notably Pallacanestro Varese. Nikolić was head coach of the Yugoslav national squad between 1951 and 1965, and later between 1977 and 1978. During this time, he coached two future Hall of Famers in Borislav Stanković and Krešimir Ćosić. Under his leadership, Yugoslavia won the 1978 World Championship and 1977 European Championship; silver medals in the 1963 World Championship, 1961 European Championship and 1965 European Championship and bronze medals in the 1963 European Championship.

Aleksandar Nikolić has died on March 12, 2000 in Belgrade.

Nikolić was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1998 and FIBA Hall of Fame in 2007.

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Flag of Yugoslavia Yugoslavia squad - 1963 FIBA World Championship Finalists - Silver medal Flag of Yugoslavia
4 Gordić | 5 Korać | 6 Rajković | 7 Kovačević | 8 Gjergja | 9 Ražnatović | 10 Daneu | 11 Petričević | 12 Eiselt | 13 Cvetković | 14 Đurić | 15 Nikolić | Coach: Nikolić
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Flag of Yugoslavia Yugoslavia squad - 1978 FIBA World Championship Champions - Gold medal Flag of Yugoslavia
4 Vilfan | 5 Kićanović | 6 Žižić | 7 Knego | 8 Jerkov | 9 Skroče | 10 Slavnić | 11 Ćosić | 12 Radovanović | 13 Krstulović | 14 Dalipagić | 15 Delibašić | Coach: Nikolić
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Euroleague's 50 Greatest Contributors List
Players

Fragiskos Alvertis • Sergei Belov • Miki Berkovich • Dejan Bodiroga • Wayne Brabender • Juan Antonio Corbalan • Krešimir Ćosić • Mike D'Antoni • Dražen Dalipagić • Predrag Danilović • Mirza Delibašić • Vlade Divac • Aleksandar Đorđević • Nikos Galis • Manu Ginóbili • Saras Jasikevičius • Radivoj Korać • Toni Kukoč • Clifford Luyk • Pierluigi Marzorati • Bob McAdoo • Dino Meneghin • Bob Morse • Aldo Ossola • Theo Papaloukas • Anthony Parker • Dražen Petrović • Dino Rađa • Manolo Raga • Antonello Riva • Emiliano Rodríguez • Arvydas Sabonis • J.A. San Epifanio • Walter Szczerbiak • Panagiotis Yannakis
Coaches
Pedro Ferrándiz • Pini Gershon • Alexandar Gomelskiy • Dušan Ivković • Božidar Maljković • Ettore Messina • Aca Nikolić • Željko Obradović • Dan Peterson • Lolo Sainz
Referees
Artenik Aradabjian • Mikhail Davidov • Lubomir Kotleba • Ivan Mainini • Costas Rigas
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Ignis Varese 1969-70 Euroleague Champions

Meneghin | Raga | Jones | Ossola | Vittori | Rusconi | Flaborea | Bulgheroni | Paschini | Malagoli | Coach Nikolić
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Ignis Varese 1971-72 Euroleague Champions

Meneghin | Raga | Ossola | Gennari | Flaborea | Rusconi | Vittori | Bisson | Zanatta | Malachin | Vigna | Coach Nikolić
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Ignis Varese 1972-73 Euroleague Champions

Morse | Meneghin | Raga | Ossola | Bisson | Flaborea | Zanatta | Rusconi | Polzot | Lucarelli | Bertolucci | Chiarini | Coach Nikolić