Gazmend Sinani
{{Short description|Kosovo Albanian basketball player}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Gazmend Sinani
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 9
| weight_lb =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1991|6|22|df=y}}
| birth_place = Pristina, SR Serbia, SFR Yugoslavia
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2018|6|23|1991|6|22|df=y}}
| death_place = Gjakova, Kosovo
| nationality = Kosovan
| high_school =
| college =
| draft_year = 2013
| draft_team =
| career_start = 2008
| career_end = 2018
| career_position = Center
| career_number = 15
| years1 = 2008–2011
| team1 = Fenerbahçe
| years2 = 2011
| team2 = Sigal Prishtina
| years3 = 2011–2012
| team3 = Malbas
| years4 = 2012–2015
| team4 = Helsingborg
| years5 = 2015–2016
| team5 = Sigal Prishtina
| years6 = 2016
| team6 = Bashkimi Prizren
| years7 = 2016–2017
| team7 = Muğla Ormanspor
| years8 = 2017–2018
| team8 = Rahoveci
| years9 = 2018
| team9 = Leeds Force
| highlights =
- Kosovo Superleague champion (2016)
- Kosovo Cup winner (2016)
- Balkan League champion (2016)
}}
Gazmend Sinani ({{langx|tr|Aydın Okçu}}; 22 June 1991 – 23 June 2018) was a Kosovan professional basketball player who last played as a center for Leeds Force and the Kosovo national team.
Early life
Sinani was born in Pristina, SFR Yugoslavia to Kosovo Albanian parents from Podujevë and he carried Kosovan and Turkish passports.{{cite web|url=http://www.botasot.info/basketboll-sporti/609326/sinani-ne-kosove-te-huajt-vec-i-marrin-leket-dhe-ikin/|title=Sinani: Në Kosovë të huajt veç i marrin lekët dhe ikin!|trans-title=Sinani: In Kosovo, foreigners are taking the money and escaping!|quote=Gazmend Sinani: Synimi im është me kaluar sezon të mirë dhe me vazhduar në ekipet e mëdha të Turqisë, pse jo edhe aty ku e kam nisur karrierën, në Fenerbahce, edhe pse është më lehtë për mua mbase e kam edhe nënshtetësinë turke|publisher=Bota Sot|language=Albanian|date=18 November 2016}}
Professional career
=Return to Sigal Prishtina=
Last season with Kosovo Basketball Superleague club Sigal Prishtina, where he won three trophies as winner of Kosovo Basketball Superleague, winner of Kosovo Cup and the winner of Balkan League. In the local league he averaged 6.0 points and 5.6 rebounds while in BIBL he had 1.3 points and 2.3 rebounds.
=Bashkimi Prizren=
On 11 September 2016, Sinani joined Kosovo Basketball Superleague side Bashkimi Prizren.{{cite web|url=https://telegrafi.com/gazmend-sinani-kalon-te-bashkimi/|title=Gazmend Sinani kalon te Bashkimi|trans-title=Gazmend Sinani passes to Bashkimi|publisher=Telegrafi|date=9 September 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://www.balkanleague.net/en/news.php?id=18497|title=Gazmend Sinani joins Bashkimi|publisher=Balkan International Basketball League|date=11 September 2016}}
=Muğla Ormanspor=
On 3 November 2016, Sinani joined Turkish Basketball First League side Muğla Ormanspor.{{cite web|url=http://basketfaul.com/haber?haber=57749|title=Gazmend Sinani (Aydın Okçu) Muğla Ormanspor'da|trans-title=Gazmend Sinani (Aydın Okçu) in Muğla Ormanspor|quote=Muğla Ormanspor, Kosova Milli Takımı'nda da oynayan Gazmend Sinani'yi renklerine bağladı. Türk pasaportu da bulunan ve Aydın Okçu ismiyle Fenerbahçe altyapısından yetişen Sinani 1991 doğumlu ve 2.07 m boyunda. Sinani (Aydın Okçu) Türkiye Genç Milli Takım'ın da formasını giymişti|website=BasketFaul|date=3 November 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://zeri.info/sport/115275/sinani-nenshkruan-me-mugla-ormanspor/|title=Sinani nënshkruan me Mugla Ormanspor|trans-title=Sinani signed with Mugla Ormanspor|quote=Basketbollisti i Përfaqësueses së Kosovës, Gazmend Sinani, është transferuar në Turqi shkruan Zëri. Ish-basketbollisti i Sigal Prishtinës dhe së fundi Bashkimit, ka nënshkruar kontratë një-vjeçare me skuadrën turke Mugla Ormanspor shkruan faqja zyrtare e klubit|website=Zeri|language=Albanian|date=3 November 2016}}
=Rahoveci=
On 29 November 2017, Sinani joined Kosovo Basketball Superleague side Rahoveci.{{cite web|url=https://telegrafi.com/zyrtare-gazmend-sinani-kaloi-te-kb-rahoveci/|title=Zyrtare: Gazmend Sinani kaloi te KB Rahoveci|trans-title=Official: Gazmend Sinani passes to BC Rahoveci|publisher=Telegrafi|language=Albanian|date=29 November 2017}}
=Leeds Force=
On 26 January 2018, Sinani moved for the first time outside the Balkans and joined British Basketball League side Leeds Force and signed a contract to end of 2017–18 season.{{cite web|url=https://telegrafi.com/gazmend-sinani-ne-leeds-force/|title=Gazmend Sinani në Leeds Force|trans-title=Gazmend Sinani in Leeds Force|quote=Leeds Force është ekipi i ri i Sinanit, ndërsa qendra 27 vjeçare, i cili ka përvojë edhe në reprezentacionin e Kosovës, ka nënshkruar kontratë deri në fund të stinorit me këtë ekip|publisher=Telegrafi|language=Albanian|date=26 January 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.eurobasket.com/Kosovo/news/521746/Gazmend-Sinani-(ex-Rahoveci)-agreed-terms-with-Leeds-Force|title=Gazmend Sinani (ex Rahoveci) agreed terms with Leeds Force|quote=Leeds Force (BBL) strengthened their roster with addition of 26-year old Kosovan international center Gazmend Sinani (205-91)|website=EuroBasket|date=5 February 2018}}
International career
Sinani was one of the first players of Kosovo. On 31 August 2016, he made his official debut with Kosovo in a EuroBasket 2017 qualification match against Slovenia.{{cite web|url=http://www.eurobasket.com/boxScores/European%20Championships/2016/0831_SLO_KOS.asp|title=Slovenia (113–68) Kosovo|website=EuroBasket|date=31 August 2016}}
Death
On 23 June 2018, one day after his 27th birthday, Sinani suffered serious injuries in a car accident in the early hours in Gjakova, which also injured three other players of Kosovo national team: Altin Morina, Fisnik Rugova and Granit Rugova, along with physiotherapist Kujtim Shala. Sinani died as a result of his injuries, but all others in the accident survived.{{cite web|url=http://basketbolli.com/sq/article/nderron-jete-reprezentuesi-i-kosoves-gazmend-sinani|title=Ndërron jetë reprezentuesi i Kosovës, Gazmend Sinani|trans-title=Dies the representative of Kosovo, Gazmend Sinani|quote=Federata e Basketbollit e Kosovës me pikëllim të thellë njofton opinionin për një ngjarje tragjike që ka ndodhur në orët e hershme të mëngjesit të së shtunës. Në një aksident rrugor që ka ndodhur në Gjakovë, ka humbur jetën reprezentuesi i Kosovës, Gazmend Sinani. Në po të njëjtin aksident lëndime trupore kanë pësuar edhe Granit e Fisnik Rugova, Altin Morina dhe fizioterapeuti i reprezentacionit Kujtim Shala|publisher=Basketball Federation of Kosovo|language=Albanian|date=23 June 2018|access-date=23 June 2018|archive-date=3 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200203211026/http://www.basketbolli.com/sq/article/nderron-jete-reprezentuesi-i-kosoves-gazmend-sinani|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=https://telegrafi.com/aksident-tragjik-basketbollisteve-te-kosoves-nderron-jete-reprezentuesi-gazmend-sinani/|title=Aksident tragjik i basketbollistëve të Kosovës, ndërron jetë reprezentuesi Gazmend Sinani|trans-title=The tragic accident of basketballers of Kosovo, dies the representative Gazmend Sinani|quote=Basketbollisti i Përfaqësueses së Kosovës, Gazmend Sinani ka humbur jetën pas aksidentit rrugor. Në po të njëjtin aksident kanë qenë edhe pjesa tjetër e lojtarëve të Përfaqësueses së Kosovës si Granit e Fisnik Rugova, Altin Morina dhe fizioterapeuti Kujtim Shala kanë pësuar lëndime trupore|publisher=Telegrafi|language=Albanian|date=23 June 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/sporarena/eski-fenerbahceli-trafik-kazasinda-yasamini-yitirdi-40876094|title=Eski Fenerbahçeli trafik kazasında yaşamını yitirdi…|trans-title=The former Fenerbahçe lost his life in a traffic accident...|quote=Gazmend Sinani (Aydın Okçu) Kosova'da geçirdiği trafik kazasında vefat etti. 1991 doğumlu, 2.06 m boyundaki Arvnavut asıllı Okçu, Fenerbahçe tarafından Türkiye'ye getirilmiş, Türk vatandaşlığına geçtikten sonra Yıldız Milli Takımımızda da oynamıştı. Geçen sezon Muğla Ormanspor'da oynayan oyuncu Kosova'da geçirdiği trafik kazası sonucunda yaşamını yitirdi. Okçu'ya Allah'tan rahmet dileriz|publisher=Hürriyet|language=Turkish|date=23 June 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://www.fiba.basketball/news/basketball-mourns-loss-of-kosovo-international-gazmend-sinani|title=Basketball mourns loss of Kosovo international Gazmend Sinani|quote=It is with great sadness that FIBA on Saturday heard of the passing of Kosovo national team player Gazmend Sinani, 27, who was killed in a traffic accident which also injured players Granit and Fisnik Rugova and Altin Morina as well as physio Kujtim Shala|publisher=FIBA|date=23 June 2018}}
References
{{reflist|2}}
External links
- [https://basketball.eurobasket.com/player/Gazmend_Sinani/United-Kingdom/Leeds-Force/217886 Gazmend Sinani] at EuroBasket.com
- [http://basketliganherr.se/player/1704278/?seasonId=89053 Gazmend Sinani] at Basketligan
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sinani, Gazmend}}
Category:Basketball players from Pristina
Category:Fenerbahçe men's basketball players
Category:Bashkimi Prizren players
Category:Kosovan men's basketball players
Category:Road incident deaths in Kosovo
Category:Kosovan expatriate basketball people in Turkey
Category:Kosovan expatriate basketball people in Sweden
Category:Kosovan expatriate basketball people in England
{{Kosovo-basketball-bio-stub}}