Velimir Perasović

{{Infobox basketball biography

| name = Velimir Perasović

| image = Velimir Perasović Anadolu Efes 20171027.jpg

| caption = Perasović with Anadolu Efes in 2017

| league = VTB United League
EuroLeague

| team = UNICS Kazan

| position = Head coach

| nationality = Croatian

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1965|2|9|df=y}}

| birth_place = Stobreč, SR Croatia, SFR Yugoslavia

| height_m = 1.96

| weight_kg = 94

| draft_year = 1987

| career_start = 1985

| career_end = 2003

| career_position = Shooting guard

| career_number =

| coach_start = 2003

| coach_end =

| years1 = 1985–1992 | team1 = Jugoplastika / Pop 84

| years2 = 1992–1993 | team2 = Breogán

| years3 = 1993–1997 | team3 = Baskonia

| years4 = 1997–2002 | team4 = Fuenlabrada

| years5 = 2002–2003 | team5 = Alicante

| cyears1 = 2003–2004 | cteam1 = Split

| cyears2 = 2004–2005 | cteam2 = Sevilla

| cyears3 = 2005–2007 | cteam3 = Tau Cerámica

| cyears4 = 2007–2008 | cteam4 = Estudiantes

| cyears5 = 2008–2010 | cteam5 = Cibona

| cyears6 = 2010–2011 | cteam6 = Efes Pilsen

| cyears7 = 2012–2015 | cteam7 = Valencia

| cyears8 = 2015 | cteam8 = Croatia

| cyears9 = 2015–2016 | cteam9 = Baskonia

| cyears10 = 2016–2017 | cteam10 = Anadolu Efes

| cyears11 = 2018–2019 | cteam11= Baskonia

| cyears12 = 2021–present | cteam12= UNICS Kazan

| highlights =

As player:

3× EuroLeague champion (1989–1991)
FIBA Saporta Cup winner (1996)
4× Yugoslav League champion (1988–1991)
2× Yugoslav Cup winner (1991, 1992)
Croatian Cup winner (1992)
Spanish Cup winner (1995)
Spanish Cup MVP (1994)
5× Spanish League Top Scorer (1993, 1999, 2000–2002)
5× Spanish League All-Star (1992, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001)

As head coach:

EuroCup champion (2014)
VTB United League champion (2023)
2× Croatian League champion (2009, 2010)
Spanish Cup winner (2006)
Spanish Supercup winner (2006)
Croatian Cup winner (2009)
Turkish Cup winner (2010)
AEEB Spanish Coach of the Year (2014)
Award for the best coach in the Adriatic League (2009)

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry|{{bk|YUG}}}}

{{MedalCountry|{{bk|CRO}}}}

}}

Velimir Perasović ({{IPA|sh|vèlimir pèrȃsovitɕ|pron}}; born 9 February 1965) is a Croatian professional basketball coach and former player. He is serving as the head coach for the Russian team UNICS Kazan of the VTB United League.

Early life

Perasović was born in Stobreč, at that time in the SFR Yugoslavia, to parents Gašpar and Vica Perasović. He started playing basketball at age 14.{{fact|date=March 2022}}

Perasović was member of the junior men's Yugoslavia national team which won the silver medal at the 1982 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship in Bulgaria, and the bronze medal at the 1984 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship in Sweden.{{fact|date=March 2022}}

Professional career

File:Velimir Perasovic.JPG in January 2002.]]

Perasović's club, KK Split, went on to win three EuroLeague championships, in 1989 and 1990 as "Jugoplastika", and in 1991 as "Pop 84". In 1988, 1989, 1990, and 1991, they also won the Yugoslav League championship. In 1990 and 1991, they also won the Yugoslav Cup, and in 1992, the Croatian Cup.{{fact|date=March 2022}}

In 1992 Perasović moved to the Spanish club Breogán, and spent one season there, before moving to Taugrés, in 1993. He won the 1995 Spanish King's Cup, and in 1996, he won the Saporta Cup.{{fact|date=March 2022}}

In 1997 he moved to the Spanish club Fuenlabrada, where he played until 2002. He then moved to the Spanish club Alicante, and retired from his basketball playing career in 2003. During his playing career in Spain, he won the Spanish ACB League Top Scorer award five times. He was also once the best scorer of the Radivoj Korać Cup, and he participated in Liga ACB All Star games.{{fact|date=March 2022}}

National team career

Perasović was also a part of the senior men's national team of Yugoslavia, that won the 1990 FIBA World Championship in Argentina, and EuroBasket 1991 in Italy. He then played with the Croatia national team when they won the silver medal in the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympics, the bronze medal at the 1994 FIBA World Championship in Canada, and the bronze medal at EuroBasket 1993 in Germany, and EuroBasket 1995 in Greece.{{fact|date=March 2022}}

Coaching career

Perasović became the head coach of Split CO, before moving back to Spain, to become the head coach of Tau Cerámica. He led the team to the EuroLeague Final Four.{{fact|date=March 2022}}

In the 2007–08 season, Perasović was appointed the head coach for Estudiantes, filling in for Mariano de Pablos, who had been fired due to negative results.{{fact|date=March 2022}}

He then moved to Zagreb, to become the head coach for Cibona. In 2009 he led the team to the Adriatic League final, winning the award for the best coach in the Adriatic League in that season, and won the Croatian Cup and Croatian League championship, respectively. He again took Cibona to the Adriatic League and Croatian Cup finals in 2010. He also won the Croatian League championship.{{fact|date=March 2022}}

In January 2012, he came back to Spain to coach Valencia. Perasović won the 2013–14 EuroCup, and left the club in January 2015.[https://web.archive.org/web/20150122151923/http://www.eurocupbasketball.com/eurocup/news/i/5pcnj7hsusw3bdvc Valencia, Coach Perasovic part ways]; Eurocup Basketball, 22 January 2015 In March 2015, Perasović took over the senior Croatian men's national team.{{cite news |url=https://www.jutarnji.hr/sport/kosarka/velimir-perasovic-novi-izbornik-hoce-li-hrvatskoj-donijeti-medalju-nakon-dvadeset-godina-481702 |title=VELIMIR PERASOVIĆ NOVI IZBORNIK Hoće li Hrvatskoj donijeti medalju nakon dvadeset godina? |website=jutarnji.hr |date=1 March 2015 |access-date=31 August 2020}}{{cite news|title=Perasović o reprezentaciji: 'Uvest ću igrače koji mogu unaprijediti našu igru'|url=http://sportske.jutarnji.hr/perasovic-preuzeo-reprezentaciju---uvest-cu--nove-igrace-koji-mogu-unaprijediti-nasu-igru-/1306059/|access-date=7 September 2015|work=Sportske novovsti|issue=2 March 2015|language=hr}} After a disappointing EuroBasket 2015 tournament, in which Croatia was defeated in the round of 16, Perasović and Croatia parted ways.{{fact|date=March 2022}}

In June 2015, he came back to Spain to coach Laboral Kutxa,{{cite web|url=http://www.baskonia.com/en/velimir-perasovic-nuevo-entrenador-de-laboral-kutxa-baskonia/|title=Velimir Perasovic, new Laboral Kutxa Baskonia Head Coach|work=baskonia.com|date=June 6, 2015}} while in February 2016, he extended his contract with Baskonia through the 2016–17 season.{{cite web|url=http://www.acb.com/redaccion.php?id=120582|title=Perasovic continuará en el banquillo del Laboral Kutxa Baskonia|work=acb.com|language=es|date=February 24, 2016}} After being a semifinalist of the three competitions Baskonia played (EuroLeague, Copa del Rey, and Liga ACB), Perasović left the club and went back to coach Anadolu Efes.{{cite web|url=http://www.acb.com/redaccion.php?id=123505|title=Velimir Perasovic abandona el Laboral Kutxa rumbo al Anadolu Efes|publisher=ACB.com|language=es|date=14 June 2016}} On 16 December 2017, Anadolu Efes parted ways with him.{{cite news|title=Efes parts ways with coach Perasovic|url=http://www.euroleague.net/news/i/8ejfib8pldifgkyj|access-date=16 December 2017|work=EuroLeague.net|date=16 December 2017}}

On 16 November 2018, he came back to Spain to the third time to coach Kirolbet Baskonia until the end of 2019–20 season to replace Pedro Martínez.{{cite news |title=Martinez out, Perasovic back on Baskonia bench |url=http://www.euroleague.net/news/i/99iw6e3vnxkmnb3y |access-date=16 November 2018 |work=EuroLeague.net |date=16 November 2018}} On 20 December 2019, following a loss to Real Madrid, Perasović was fired from Baskonia.{{cite news |url=https://slobodnadalmacija.hr/sport/kosarka/perasovic-vise-nije-trener-baskonije-presudio-mu-poraz-od-reala-639415 |title=Perasović više nije trener Baskonije, presudio mu poraz od Reala |website=slobodnadalmacija.hr |date=20 December 2019 |access-date=31 August 2020}}

On June 29, 2021, he has signed with UNICS Kazan of the VTB United League.{{Cite web|url=https://sportando.basketball/en/unics-kazan-velimir-perasovic-is-the-new-head-coach/|title=UNICS Kazan: Velimir Perasovic is the new head coach|last=|first=|date=June 29, 2021|website=|publisher=Sportando|language=En|access-date=June 30, 2021}}

Coaching record

=EuroLeague=

| align="left" rowspan=2|Baskonia

| align="left"|2005–06

|21||15||6||{{Winning percentage|15|6}}|| align="center"|Won in 3rd place game

| align="left"|2006–07

|24||20||4||{{Winning percentage|20|4}}|| align="center"|Lost in 3rd place game

| align="left" rowspan=2|Cibona

| align="left"|2008–09

|17||8||9||{{Winning percentage|8|9}}|| align="center"|Eliminated in Top 16 stage

| align="left"|2009–10

|16||4||12||{{Winning percentage|4|12}}|| align="center"|Eliminated in Top 16 stage

| align="left"|Efes

| align="left"|2010–11

|16||7||9||{{Winning percentage|7|9}}|| align="center"|Eliminated in Top 16 stage

| align="left"|Valencia

| align="left"|2014–15

|10||3||7||{{Winning percentage|3|7}}|| align="center" |Eliminated in group stage

| align="left"|Baskonia

| align="left"|2015–16

|29||18||11||{{Winning percentage|18|11}}|| align="center" |Lost in 3rd place game

| align="left" rowspan=2|Anadolu Efes

| align="left"|2016–17

|35||19||16||{{Winning percentage|19|16}}|| align="center" |Eliminated in quarterfinals

| align="left"|2017–18

|12||3||9||{{Winning percentage|3|9}}|| align="center" |Fired

| align="left" rowspan=1|Baskonia

| align="left"|2018–19

|30||16||18||{{Winning percentage|16|18}}|| align="center" |Eliminated in quarterfinals

|-class="sortbottom"

| align="center" colspan=2|Career||214||113||101||{{Winning percentage|113|101}}||

Personal life

Perasović married his wife Dubravka in 1991, and the couple have two sons: Vicko and Ivan.{{cite news |url=https://slobodnadalmacija.hr/sport/kosarka/glavni-glumac-iz-sjene-na-putu-za-klupu-barce-reala-reprezentacije-hrvatske-234567 |title=Glavni glumac iz sjene na putu za klupu Barce, Reala, reprezentacije Hrvatske... |website=slobodnadalmacija.hr |date=12 May 2014 |access-date=31 August 2020}}

His younger son Ivan is also a professional basketball player currently plays with BC Labas Gas, who won the gold medal as a part of the Croatia national under-16 team at the 2018 FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship in Serbia.{{cite news |url=https://www.fiba.basketball/europe/u16/2018/player/Ivan-Perasovic |title=Ivan PERASOVIC |website=fiba.basketball |access-date=31 August 2020}}{{cite news |url=https://sport.hrt.hr/457790/ivan-perasovic-zelim-biti-bolji-od-oca |title=Ivan Perasović: Želim biti bolji od oca |website=sport.hrt.hr |author=HINA |author-link=Croatian News Agency |date=21 August 2018 |access-date=31 August 2020}}{{cite news |url=https://dubrovacki.slobodnadalmacija.hr/sport/kosarka/sin-velikog-kosarkasa-zutih-otac-mi-je-imao-ruku-volio-bih-imati-takav-sut-575065 |title=Sin velikog košarkaša Žutih: Otac mi je 'imao ruku', volio bih imati takav šut |website=dubrovacki.slobodnadalmacija.hr |author=Frane Vulas |date=15 November 2018 |access-date=31 August 2020}}

References

External links

[http://www.acb.com/entrenador.php?id=AYZ Velimir Perasović] at acb.com {{in lang|es}}
[http://www.euroleague.net/competition/coaches/showcoach?pcode=LAF Velimir Perasović] at euroleague.net

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