Miroslav Pecarski
Quick Facts
Biography
Miroslav Pecarski (Cyrillic: Мирослав Пецарски; born March 21, 1967) is a Serbian former basketball player. He played professionally for Partizan, Aris, Panathinaikos, Panionios, Polti Cantù, Cholet and Cabitel Gijón. He also has Greek citizenship, under the name Miroslav Mylonas. His son Marko is also a basketball player.
Early career and college
Pecarski played college basketball at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York arriving there in 1984 to play under also newly arrived head coach Matt Furjanic. At the time, Pecarski was considered by some to be Europe's top 17-year-old player, but he got injured in the preseason, opening up an opportunity for Rik Smits.
The Red Foxes had a successful 1985-86 season, making the 64-team NCAA tournament for the first time in its history, but going out at the very first hurdle - losing versus Georgia Tech in the first round of the Southeast regional bracket, with Pecarski averaging 10.5 points per game and 5.9 rebounds per game. The following season, playing under new head coach Dave Magarity, Pecarski scored 12.4 points per game and led the team in rebound with 8.4 boards per game, as the Red Foxes repeated the feat of making the NCAA tournament, but were eliminated in the first round from Pittsburgh.
Pecarski didn't play for the Red Foxes in the 1987–88 season, in order to train with Yugoslavia for the 1988 Olympics. He returned to Marist for the 1988–89 season and averaged 19.5 points per game, 9.1 rebounds per game and 1.1 blocks per game, leading the school in all three categories.
Professional career
As a member of Partizan, Pecarski played at the 1988 Euroleague Final Four in Ghent, also won the Korać Cup in 1989. and national Cup in 1989.
Pecarski obtained a Greek passport, under the name Miroslav Mylonas (Μίροσλαβ Μυλωνάς), in order to obtain playing eligibility as a native. He won the Greek Cup in 1992 and the Saporta Cup in 1993 with Aris. With Panathinaikos, Pecarski won the Euroleague and the Greek Cup in 1996. He also played at the 1995 Euroleague Final Four in Zaragoza.