Zmago Sagadin (; born 1 November 1952 in

Celje ) , pushpin_map = Slovenia , pushpin_label_position = left , pushpin_map_caption = Location of the city of Celje in Slovenia , coordinates = , subdivision_type = Cou ...

) is widely considered as the most successful

Slovenia Slovenia ( ; sl, Slovenija ), officially the Republic of Slovenia (Slovene: , abbr.: ''RS''), is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the southeast, and ...

n and top European

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...

coach with 25 championship titles both on a national and international level, recognized 9 times as Slovenian Top Coach of the Year and recipient of many other honorary awards. Zmago is known for his outstanding work with young players, which resulted in 11 of his players to move on to compete in NBA – developing more NBA players than any other coach in Europe – and helped numerous others to achieve the highest European level. Zmago last worked as head coach of MZT Skopje in 2014/2015 season, but has been active as a sports commentator, basketball strategy consultant and mentor. From 2011 to 2014, Sagadin was head of staff at KK Helios Domžale, where he formed a center for development of young basketball talents, including

Klemen Prepelič Klemen Prepelič (born 20 October 1992) is a Slovenian professional basketball player for Valencia of the Spanish Liga ACB and the EuroLeague. He also represents the Slovenia national basketball team, Slovenian national basketball team internatio ...

Gregor Hrovat Gregor Hrovat (born August 18, 1994) is a Slovenian professional basketball player for JDA Dijon of the LNB Pro A and the Basketball Champions League. With his 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) he plays as a swingman. He also represents the Slovenian national ...

Blaž Mahkovic Blaž Mahkovic (born March 21, 1990) is a Slovenian professional basketball player for Helios Suns of the Slovenian League. He is a 2.01 m tall forward. International career Mahkovic made his debut for the Slovenian national team on November ...

and Matic Rebec. Sagadin is known for his development of players who compete internationally and in NBA. Success of

Union Olimpija Košarkarski klub Olimpija ( en, Olimpija Basketball Club) was a men's professional basketball club based in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Olimpija has won 23 National League championships, including eight consecutive titles between 1992 and 1999. They ...

Ljubljana (formerly Smelt Olimpija), during his time coaching the team, contributed to establishing basketball as part of Slovenian sport culture and recognition of Union Olimpija as a reputable European club. Zmago is also the founder of Slovenia's first national basketball team and co-founder of the Adriatic Basketball League, author of basketball-related articles, served eight years as a President of Slovenian Basketball Coaches Association, and lectures for KZS,

FIBA The International Basketball Federation (FIBA ; French: ) is an association of national organizations which governs the sport of basketball worldwide. Originally known as the (hence FIBA), in 1989 it dropped the word ''amateur'' from its nam ...

and

ULEB Union of European Leagues of Basketball (ULEB; french: Union des Ligues Européennes de Basket-Ball) is a sports organization within basketball created for growth of professional basketball in Europe.FIBA European Cup The FIBA Saporta Cup was the name of the second-tier level European-wide professional club basketball competition, where the domestic National Cup winners, from all over Europe, played against each other. The competition was organized by FIBA E ...

winner: 1 (with Olimpija: 1993–94) *

Adriatic League The ABA League, renamed to the ABA League First Division in 2017, is the 1st-tier regional men's professional basketball league that originally featured clubs from the former Yugoslavia (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, North M ...

champion: 1 (with Olimpija: 2001–02) * Slovenian League champion: 10 (with Olimpija: 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2005–06) *

Slovenian Cup Slovene or Slovenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Slovenia, a country in Central Europe * Slovene language, a South Slavic language mainly spoken in Slovenia * Slovenes, an ethno-linguistic group mainly living in Slovenia * Sl ...

winner: 11 (with Olimpija: 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99, 1999–00, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2005–06) * Serbia & Montenegro Cup winner: 1 (with

Crvena zvezda Fudbalski klub Crvena zvezda ( sr-Cyrl, Фудбалски клуб Црвена звезда, lit=Red Star Football Club, ), commonly known as Red Star Belgrade in English-language media, is a Serbian professional Association football, foot ...

: 2003–04) and *

Euroleague Final Four The EuroLeague Final Four is the final four format championship of the European-wide top-tier level EuroLeague professional club basketball competition. The Euroleague Basketball Company used the final four format for the first time in 2002, f ...

– 3rd place with Olimpija: 1996–97

Awards

*Slovenian Coach of the Year"ZKTS Awards"
, kzs-zveza.si, retrieved 2007-12-15. – 1992/93, 1993/94, 1994/95, 1996/97, 1997/98, 1998/99, 1999/00, 2000/01, 2001/02

Players

He developed many great basketball players:

Beno Udrih Beno Udrih (born July 5, 1982) is a Slovenian former professional basketball player who serves as a player development coach for the New Orleans Pelicans. He previously played in the NBA for the San Antonio Spurs, Sacramento Kings, Milwaukee Bucks ...

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Boštjan Nachbar Boštjan "Boki" Nachbar (born July 3, 1980) is a Slovenian former professional basketball player. A 2.06 m forward, he spent most of his career between the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the EuroLeague. Nachbar helped lead the Slovenia ...

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Marko Milič Marko Milič (born May 7, 1977) is a Slovenian former professional basketball player. He represented the senior Slovenian national basketball team. Professional career After being selected by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1997 NBA draft (34th pic ...

, Vladimir Stepania, Soumaila Samake,

Radisav Ćurčić Radisav Ćurčić ( sr, Радисав Ћурчић, , he, ראדיסאב צ'ורצ'יץ'; born September 26, 1965) is a Serbian-Israeli former professional basketball player. Standing at and weighing , he played center position. He represented ...

(former NBA),

Vladimir Boisa Vladimir Boisa or Vladimer Boisa (born July 4, 1981) is a Georgian former professional basketball player. Since 2013 he is the vice-president of Georgian Basketball Federation. Professional career Boisa has spent the most successful years of hi ...

, Sani Bečirovič,

Nikola Vujčić Nikola Vujčić (born 14 June 1978) is a Croatian former professional basketball player, and the current team manager of the Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv. During his playing career, at a height of 2.11 m (6' 11") tall, he played at both the cen ...

Vlado Ilievski Vlado Ilievski ( mk, Владо Илиевски; born 19 January 1980) is a former Macedonian professional basketball. Standing at , he played at the point guard position. Professional career During his career, Ilievski played for KK Nemetali Og ...

Gregor Fučka Gregor Fučka (; born 7 August 1971) is a Slovenian-Italian retired professional basketball player and coach. A 215 cm (7' ") forward-center, he was a both a Mister Europa and Euroscar laureate in 2000. Professional career Fučka playe ...

Jurica Golemac Jurica Golemac (born May 29, 1977) is a Croatian-born Slovenian professional basketball coach and former player. He currently serves as the head coach for Cedevita Olimpija of the Slovenian League, ABA League and the EuroCup. He is 2.09 m ...

Ariel McDonald Ariel Rene McDonald (born January 5, 1972) is an American-Slovenian retired professional basketball player. He played at the point guard position. A high quality floor general who was the 2000 Israeli Basketball Premier League MVP, FIBA SuproLeagu ...

, Marko Tušek, Boris Gorenc,

Jasmin Hukić Jasmin Hukić (born August 15, 1979) is a Bosnian retired professional basketball player who last played for Ilirija of the Slovenian League. He also represented the Bosnia and Herzegovina national basketball team. Standing at , he plays at the ...

Ivica Jurković Ivica Jurković (born March 26, 1973) is Slovenian former professional basketball player. Professional career Jurković played for Rogaška Donat, Union Olimpija, Türk Telekom, PAOK, Olympiacos, Lokomotiv Rostov, Kaveh Tehran, Kordestan an ...

, Gregor Hafner,

. He helped the career of Igor Rakočević,

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, Mindaugas Žukauskas,

Sandro Nicević Sandro Nicević (born June 16, 1976 in Pula, SR Croatia, SFR Yugoslavia) is a retired Croatian professional basketball player, who last played for Orlandina Basket in the Italian Serie A. Professional career Nicević started playing basketball ...

Yotam Halperin Yotam Halperin ( he, יותם הלפרין; born January 24, 1984) is an Israeli former professional basketball player. He is currently the sporting director for Hapoel Jerusalem of the Israeli Premier League and the Champions League. He is a 1. ...

Coaches

Sagadin served as a mentor to many of his former assistant coaches and players who are now head coaches: * Sašo Filipovski (

CSKA Moscow CSKA Moscow (russian: ЦСКА Москва) is a Russian sports club based in Moscow. It was created in 1911 in the Russian Empire on base of OLLS (Skiing Society, founded 1901). Later, during the Soviet era, it was a central piece of the big So ...

Lottomatica Roma Pallacanestro Virtus Roma, commonly known as Virtus Roma, was an Italian professional basketball club based in Rome, Lazio. It competed in the first division of Italian basketball, the LBA, for the last time in the 2020–21 season. It was form ...

, Turow Zgorzelec,

), *

Tomo Mahorič Tomo Mahorič (born April 28, 1965) is a Slovenian basketball coach. He was a coach of Krško, Slovan, Union Olimpija, Lietuvos rytas, BC Kyiv, Vanoli Cremona Guerino Vanoli Basket, also known as Vanoli Cremona, is a professional basketball te ...

(

BC Kyiv BC Kyiv ( uk, БК "Київ") was a Ukrainian professional basketball club based in Kyiv. The club's home court for Ukrainian domestic league matches was the Meridian Sports Complex, which has a seating capacity of 1,500. Large attendance games ...

, Slask Wrocław,

Lietuvos Rytas ''Lietuvos rytas'' (lit. 'Morning of Lithuania') is a Lithuanian daily newspaper. History and profile "Lietuvos rytas" was established in 1990 on a basis of newspaper "Komjaunimo tiesa". The paper is printed in Vilnius Vilnius ( , ; see also ...

), *

Neven Spahija Neven Spahija (born 6 November 1962) is a Croatian professional basketball coach who was most recently the head coach for Bitci Baskonia of the Liga ACB. He spent four years in the NBA as an assistant coach with the Atlanta Hawks and Memphis Gri ...

(

Tau Ceramica Club Deportivo Saski-Baskonia, S.A.D., commonly known as Saski Baskonia (), also known as Cazoo Baskonia for sponsorship reasons, is a professional basketball team that is based in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain. The team plays in the Liga ACB and the ...

Maccabi Tel Aviv Maccabi Tel Aviv ( he, מכבי תל אביב) is one of the largest sports clubs in Israel, and a part of the Maccabi association. Many sports clubs and teams in Tel Aviv are in association with Maccabi and compete in a variety of sports, such ...

Lietuvos rytas ''Lietuvos rytas'' (lit. 'Morning of Lithuania') is a Lithuanian daily newspaper. History and profile "Lietuvos rytas" was established in 1990 on a basis of newspaper "Komjaunimo tiesa". The paper is printed in Vilnius Vilnius ( , ; see also ...

), * Aleksandar Trifunović, (

), *

Zoran Martič Zoran Martič is a Slovenian basketball coach. Best results * 1998 – 2nd place European U22 championship * 2000 – 1st place European U20 championship * 2001 – 6th place World U20 championship * 2003/04 – 5th place Goodyear – Adriat ...

(Union Olimpija, Domžale, Slovan, Pivovarna Laško), *

Jure Zdovc Jurij "Jure" Zdovc (born 13 December 1966) is a Slovenian former professional basketball player and coach Zdovc Returning to Helm of National Team.] As a player, he was a 1.98 m (6'6") tall point guard, who began his professional playing caree ...

(Union Olimpija, Bosna, Split, Iraklis, Panionios).

References

External links

FIBA Assist Magazine: Zmago Sagadin – Defense Is a Constant

Lietuvos Rytas: Drucker out, Sagadin in
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sagadin, Zmago 1952 births Living people ABA League-winning coaches Sportspeople from Celje Slovenian basketball coaches BC Rytas coaches KK Crvena zvezda assistant coaches KK Crvena zvezda head coaches KK Olimpija coaches KK Zadar coaches Slovenia national basketball team coaches Slovenian expatriate basketball people in Serbia KK Helios Domžale coaches

Awards

Players

Coaches

See also

About

Interviews

References

External links