KK Bosna Royal

Bosna Royal
Nickname	Studenti (Students) Bordo-bijeli (Maroon-whites)
Leagues	Bosnian League
Founded	1951; 70 years ago (1951)
History	KK Bosna (1951–2014) KK Bosna Royal (2014–present)
Arena	Dvorana Mirza Delibašić (capacity: 6,500) Olympic Hall Zetra (capacity: 12,000)
Location	Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Team colors
Championships	3 Yugoslav Championships 2 Yugoslav Cups 4 Bosnian Championships 3 Bosnian Cups 1 EuroLeague
Website	kkbosna.ba
Home Away

KK Bosna Royal (Bosnian: Košarkaški klub Bosna Royal) is a professional basketball team based in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, which became European champion by winning the 1978–79 FIBA European Champions Cup. It is the most successful Bosnian club of all time. KK Bosna Royal competes in the Basketball Championship of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is part of the University Sport Society USD Bosna (Bosnian: Univerzitetsko sportsko društvo Bosna).

History[]

1951–1955: Formation and early years[]

The club was founded in 1951 as a member of the University Sports Society Bosna (Bosnian: Univerzitetsko sportsko društvo Bosna). The club's first chairman and coach was doctor Nedžad Brkić, with the roster composed mostly of students enrolled in the University of Sarajevo.^[1] The first four years of the club's existence were spent in the lower-tier Sarajevo city league, which the team went on to win in 1955, earning a promotion to the SR Bosnia and Herzegovina league. The team roster in these early years included the likes of Brkić, Marušić, Takač, Bise, Bjelica, Cindrić, Bilić, Đurasković, Fetahagić, Uzelac, Džapa, Pilav, Hofbauer, Lovrenović, Beganović and Dimitrijević.^[1]

1955–1972: Rise to the top[]

For the next 17 years the club competed in the regional SR Bosnia and Herzegovina league, steadily building a team with which it could enter the Yugoslav First League. On 28 April 1972 a decisive win against local city rivals KK Željezničar Sarajevo would promote the club to the top-tier of Yugoslav basketball where it would compete for the next 20 years.^[2] The architect of the club's historic triumf and later European glory was charismatic young coach Bogdan Tanjević. Players of this era included Terzić, Milavić, Čečur, Pavlić, Nadaždin, Dumić, Soče, Varajić, Pejović, Pešić, Krvavac and Đogić.^[2]

1972–1984: The glory years[]

The future European championship winning roster was completed with the arrival of legendary Mirza Delibašić in 1972. The first 6 seasons in the Yugoslav First League represented a coming of age process, with the team eventually going on to win its first title in 1978, led by star players Ratko Radovanović, Žarko Varajić and Mirza Delibašić. A year later KK Bosna became the first team, aside from CSKA Moscow, to win the European championship without a single foreign player on its roster. Namely, on April 5, 1979 the team, led by the late Delibašić and game MVP Varajić, defeated Italian Powerhouse Emerson Varese 96:93.^[3] The club started its EuroLeague season in the Quarterfinal group stage, finishing first in its group. Once in the Semifinals, the side sent a message to contenders by edging the defending champions Real Madrid 114:109 in overtime, in Sarajevo. KK Bosna would eventually win all of its home games and would advance to the title game by edging Greek side Olympiacos 83–88, in Piraeus. Bosna's opponent in the final would either be Emerson Varese or Real Madrid, who faced each other off in the final game of the round. The Italian side beat Madrid 82:83. The aforementioned game will be remembered for Prada's misses: Namely, Luis Maria Prada famously missed 3 consecutive free throws with no time on the clock, forever changing European basketball history. Once in the title game, KK Bosna downed mighty Emerson Varese 96:93 in front of 15,000 fans in the Palais des Sports, Grenoble, France. Varajić led the team in scoring with 45 points, while Delibašić followed with 30. The former is still the record holder for most points in a Euroleague final.^[4] Radovanović added 10 more points, while Americans Bob Morse and Charlie Yelverton scored 30 and 27 points respectively for Varese.^[5] In the next four seasons KK Bosna would go on to win two more Yugoslav championships (1979-80; 1982-83), as well as a silver medal in the 1980 FIBA Intercontinental Cup, which it hosted. A second Yugoslav Cup triumf followed a year later.^[6]

1984–1992: Pre-war years[]

After nearly a decade of continuous success, most of the star players transferred abroad in the mid-1980s. Namely, Delibašiš, Varajić, Radovanović, Đogić along with coach Bogdan Tanjević who took over Juventus Caserta moved to foreign clubs. As a result, the club management decided to transfer members of its talented youth department to the senior team, along with bringing in a handful of new players from other Yugoslav clubs. Nenad Marković, , and others all came in through the youth ranks but their time in the club was cut short by the start of the Bosnian War.

1992–1997: Hardest of times[]

With the start of the Bosnian War in 1992 competitive basketball was halted in the newly independent country for nearly four years. A talented generation on the verge of success was forced to transfer to foreign sides, and in doing so the club was forced to fight for bare survival. The side's star prospect, Nenad Marković, joined Italian side Stefanel Trieste, while the likes of Avdić, Firić and others left to Spain, Italy and Turkey. At the end of the 1997–98 season, a play-off for the national title was organized. KK Bosna lost 2–1 to HKK Široki in the final series. A year later the maroon-whites, brandishing a roster that included Mirković, Terzić, Subašić, Konaković, Kurtagić, Halimić, Lerić, Isaković, Bukva, Džuho and Radović, coached by former European championship-winning team member, Sabit Hadžić won the national title after a play-off victory.

Famous members[]

The club remembrance has gathered all players, coach Tanjević, assistant coaches Prodanović, Krehić, first club's coach Halilović and all the club members who helped Bosna achieve a great success, such as the winning of the European title. Unfortunately, two key members of Bosna championship team are not alive anymore. Mirza Delibašić and Sabahudin Bilalović have died, but they will be remembered by the club and fans forever. Many great players and coaches from the region joined the remembrance in memory to one great generation of Bosna players and their accomplishments.

2014–present: Change of name[]

In October 2014, the club decided to continue under the new name, Bosna Royal.^[7][8]

Supporters[]

KK Bosna traditionally garnered a majority of its fan base from supporters of FK Sarajevo, and more specifically the latter's ultras firm, Horde zla, given the fact that both clubs share unique maroon and white team colours.

Through time the two sides became colloquially interchangeable, as Horde zla equally followed both, with the two clubs forming an unofficial, so-called Maroon Family. On 29 August 2013 FK Sarajevo and KK Bosna's handball sister club, RK Bosna, signed a cooperation agreement based on the principle of strengthening ties between the aforementioned family members.^[9] On 6 November 2013 the same was done between FK Sarajevo and KK Bosna Royal, by which the forty-year-old relationship was officialized.^[10]

Home venues[]

KK Bosna Royal play their home fixtures at the Skenderija Sports Center, located in the Centar Municipality of Sarajevo. It was constructed in 1969 as a cultural and sport center, but was later revitalized and expanded for the 1984 Winter Olympic Games. Below the structure is a shopping mall. It sustained minor damage during the war, but is decaying due to lack of upkeep, it is revitalized since 2007. On 12 February 2012, after a record snowfall in Sarajevo, the roof of one of the halls fell in making that building unusable. The damage after this is said to be 'huge' and is yet unknown if that building will be rebuilt.^[11]

In 1977, when Sarajevo was voted to host the 1984 Winter Olympics, they discovered that they needed more than only the brand-new building Zetra to host every figure skating and ice hockey event. So they started to reconstruct and expand the Skenderija into a real state-of-the-art ice-sports centre. It was also chosen as the centre for the representatives and press-reporters.^[12]

KK Bosna Royal occasionally hosts games in the Olympic Hall Juan Antonio Samaranch, previously known as Zetra Olympic Hall. The arena was constructed specifically for the 1984 Winter Olympics, hosted in Sarajevo, and was completed in 1983. Its first major event was the 1983 World Junior Speed Skating Championships. It was described as an "ultramodern, angular edifice"^[13] with a copper roof.

Players[]

Current roster[]

Bosna Royal roster
Players	Coaches
Pos. No. Nat. Name Ht. Age CG 4 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) 26 – (1995-03-30)30 March 1995 SG 5 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) 21 – (2000-03-09)9 March 2000 SG 6 1.94 m (6 ft 4 in) 21 – (2000-07-14)14 July 2000 SF 7 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) 25 – (1995-10-27)27 October 1995 PF 8 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) 24 – (1997-02-23)23 February 1997 C 9 2.07 m (6 ft 9 in) 20 – (2001-05-10)10 May 2001 SF 10 Popović, Matija 2.00 m (6 ft 7 in) 24 – (1996-10-14)14 October 1996 PG 11 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in) 23 – (1998-05-03)3 May 1998 CG 13 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) 21 – (2000-03-10)10 March 2000 SF 14 Popović, Aleksa 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) 34 – (1987-07-31)31 July 1987 SF 15 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) 29 – (1992-09-21)21 September 1992 PF 16 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) 23 – (1998-04-18)18 April 1998 PF/C 17 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) 32 – (1989-04-03)3 April 1989	Head coach Assistant coach(es) Legend (C) Team captain Injured

Notable players[]

showCriteria
To appear in this section a player must have either: Set a club record or won an individual award while at the club. Played at least one official international match for their national team at any time. Played at least one official NBA match at any time.

Honours[]

Total titles: 13

Domestic competitions[]

• Bosnia and Herzegovina League

Winners (4): 1998–99, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2007–08

• Cup of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Winners (3): 2004–05, 2008–09, 2009–10

Former domestic competitions[]

• Yugoslav League (defunct)

Winners (3): 1977–78, 1979–80, 1982–83

Runners-up (1): 1976–77

• Yugoslav Cup (defunct)

Winners (2): 1977–78, 1983–84

Runners-up (3): 1979-80, 1985–86, 1991–92

European competitions[]

• EuroLeague

Winners (1): 1978–79

3rd place (1): 1979–80

4th place (2): 1980–81, 1983–84

• FIBA Korać Cup (defunct)

Runners-up (1): 1977–78

Semifinalist (1): 1989–90

Worldwide competitions[]

• FIBA Intercontinental Cup
• Runners-up (1): 1979
• 3rd (1): 1980

International record[]

Season	Achievement	Notes
EuroLeague
1978–79	Champions	defeated Emerson Varese, 96–93 in the final of European Champions Cup in Grenoble
1979–80	Semi-final group stage	3rd place in a group with Maccabi Elite Tel Aviv, Real Madrid, Sinudyne Bologna, Nashua EBBC and Partizan
1980–81	Semi-final group stage	4th place in a group with Sinudyne Bologna, Maccabi Elite Tel Aviv, Nashua EBBC, Real Madrid and CSKA Moscow
1983–84	Semi-final group stage	4th place in a group with FC Barcelona, Banco di Roma Virtus, Jollycolombani Cantù, Maccabi Elite Tel Aviv and Limoges CSP
FIBA Korać Cup
1977–78	Final	lost to Partizan, 110–117 in the final (Banja Luka)
1989–90	Semi-finals	eliminated by Ram Joventut, 90-90 (D) in Sarajevo and 72-94 (L) in Badalona
FIBA Intercontinental Cup
1979	2nd	2nd place in a league with Sírio, Emerson Varese, Piratas de Quebradillas and Mo-Kan NCAA Stars
1980	3rd	3rd place in a league with Maccabi Elite Tel Aviv, Atlética Francana, Real Madrid and Kansas NCAA All-Stars

In European and worldwide competitions[]

Records[]

2012–2019[]

Club management[]

As of 23 February 2016^[14]

Current staff

Vice-chairman: Almir Bradić Member: Emir Avdagić

List of club presidents[]

List of directors[]

Svetislav Pešić 1981-1982 1989- 2001–2002 Elmedin Konaković (5.2003–2008) Admir Bukva (2008–2014) Damir Krupalija 29.5.2015–11.11.2016 26.10.2017–8.12.2017

List of sporting directors[]

Samir Avdić (2004–2008) Goran Terzić (2014–2016) Damir Krupalija 26.10.2017-5.1.2018 Aleksandar Damjanović 5.1.2018-

Coaching history[]

Below is a list of KK Bosna Royal coaches from 1951 until the present day.