Zoran Slavnić

Zoran "Moka" Slavnić (born October 26, 1949) is a Serbian retired basketball player and coach. He played with Crvena zvezda for 10 senior seasons. One of the best European point guards of all time, he was named one of FIBA's 50 Greatest Players in 1991.

With Crvena zvezda, he won two National Championships, three National Cups and one European Cup Winner's Cup. He also won the Spanish Championship with Joventut Badalona. During his basketball career he played for Crvena zvezda (1967–1977), Joventut Badalona (1977–1979), Šibenka (1979–1981) and Partizan (1981–1982). His coaches Ranko Žeravica, Zdravko Kubat and Mirko Novosel. His son Zvezdan Slavnić.

Slavnić was one of the rare players who won everything he could in a career with his national team: 3 European Championships (1973, 1975, 1977), World Championship (1978) and Olympic Gold (1980).

Slavnic's biggest successes were achieved in BC Red Star jersey, as during 1963 - 1977 period he won two titles in former Yugoslavia, three Cups and European Cup Winner's Cup. Together with Dragan Kapicic, Ljubodrag "Duci" Simonovic and Vladimir Cvetkovic, he was member of one of greatest team in Red Star's history. While playing for Joventut, he helped Spanish side to become country's champions in 1978, for the second time in club's history. After that, he came back in Yugoslav basket, playing for Sibenka, and after that in Italian Caserta. He finished his playing career in that club, but after short period in Red Star's biggest rivals, Partizan Belgrade. Together with legendary Yugoslav coach, professor Aleksandar Nikolic, he's the only one who both, played and coached Red Star and Partizan.

Slavnic played 179 games for Yugoslavia and scored 1,465 points. He's one of rare players with golds from Olympic games, FIBA World Cup and FIBA European Championship. He won three Eurobasket titles, 1973 in Barcelona, 1975 in Belgrade and 1977. in Liege. He won gold at World championship, now FIBA World Cup, in Manila in 1978, and Olympic gold in Moscow in 1980.

Zoran "Moka" Slavnic coached Sibenka, Partizan, Jugoplastika, Malaga, Red Star, Daphne, Joventut, Iraklis, Bamberg and Atlas. Unanimously, Executive board of national basketball federation decided on May 29, 2007 that Slavnic should be head coach of first national team of Serbia, after joint state with Montenegro ceased to exist. After numerous "thanks, but no thanks" decisions of experienced players who didn't want to participate at Eurobasket 2007, he took Milan Gurovic, Marko Jaric, Darko Milicic and nine debutants, who later became standard members of Serbian national team. But, due to defeats of Russia, who went on and took the title, than Greece, who were defending European crown and won in overtime, and Israel, Serbia were eliminated in the first phase of continental championship. Serbian basketball federation decided on September 26, 2007 to look for new head coach. Остало[уреди]

Together with his dribbling, Zoran Slavnic had three moves that were highlights of his career:

1975 - He scored over his own head against Spain at Eurobasket in Belgrade

1976 - He scored one second before the time against Italy and won the game that sent Yugoslavia to semi-finals of Olympics in Montreal

1977 - He passed the ball like volleyball players do, with Dragan Kicanovic, against Soviet Union in the finals of Eurobasket in Liege

Spaniards called him "eccentric genius" due to his original style of play, but his motto was "This is all just a game"

1991 - FIBA announced that Zoran Slavnic is among 50 best players of all time

2007 - Serbian authorities announced that Zoran Slavnic is among those who will receive "national sports recognition for his contribution for development and affirmation of sport"

2013 - FIBA introduced him as a member of Hall of Fame. It was announced that, together with his achievements as player, he very much contributed as coach, as he trained youngsters who became aces in following years, like Drazen Petrovic, Aleksandar Djordjevic, Sasha Obradovic, Toni Kukoc and Dino Radja.