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Krešimir Ćosić

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For the Croatian politician, see Krešimir Ćosić (politician).
Krešimir Ćosić
File:Novicky 1972.jpg
XX. Olympic games Munich 1972 – Krešimir Ćosić (nr.11) (Yugoslavia) vs. Petr Novický (Czechoslovakia)
Personal information
Born(1948-11-26)November 26, 1948
Zagreb, SR Croatia, FNR Yugoslavia
DiedMay 25, 1995(1995-05-25) (aged 46)
NationalityCroat[1]
Listed height6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
Career information
NBA draft1973: 84th overall
15th pick, 5th round[2]
Selected by the Los Angeles Lakers
Playing career1965–1983
Career highlights and awards
NABC Hall of Fame 2006
EuroBasket MVP Award 1971, 1975
1972 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans NABC, 4. team
1973 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans NABC, 4. team
Stats Edit this at Wikidata at Basketball-Reference.com
Krešimir Ćosić

Krešimir Ćosić bust at Mirogoj
Medal record
Men's Basketball
Representing  Yugoslavia
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1980 Moscow Team
Silver medal – second place 1968 Mexico City Team
Silver medal – second place 1976 Montreal Team
World Championship
Silver medal – second place 1967 Montevideo Team
Gold medal – first place 1970 Ljubljana Team
Silver medal – second place 1974 Puerto Rico Team
Gold medal – first place 1978 Philippines Team
European Championships
Silver medal – second place 1969 Italy Team
Silver medal – second place 1971 West Germany Team
Gold medal – first place 1973 Spain Team
Gold medal – first place 1975 Yugoslavia Team
Gold medal – first place 1977 Belgium Team
Bronze medal – third place 1979 Italy Team
Silver medal – second place 1981 Czechoslovakia Team
Mediterranean Games
Gold medal – first place 1971 Tuns Team

Krešimir Ćosić (November 26, 1948 – May 25, 1995) was a Croatian [3] [4] [5] professional basketball player who represented Yugoslavia internationally, a member of FIBA Hall of Fame and Basketball Hall of Fame. He was also a notable church leader and missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the deputy ambassador of Croatia to the U.S. in Washington, D.C.[6][7]


Basketball career

He was born in Zagreb and raised in Zadar, where he started his basketball career in 1965, playing for KK Zadar. He came to the United States to play college basketball at Brigham Young University from 1971 to 1973. In April 1972 at the 1972 NBA Draft he was picked by Portland Trail Blazers as the number 1 pick in the 10th round (144th overall). The following year at the 1973 NBA Draft he was picked by Los Angeles Lakers as the pick number 15 in the 5th round (84th overall).[8] He was the first foreign player to earn All-American honors from the United Press International, garnering them in 1972 and 1973. After his college career, he rejected several professional offers and returned home to Yugoslavia.

Ćosić played in four Olympic Games: 1968, 1972, 1976, and 1980 in Moscow when he led his team to the gold medal. He previously led Yugoslavia to a pair of World Championship gold medals in 1970 and 1978.

Coaching

Following his playing days, he turned to coaching, and led the former Yugoslav team to a silver medal in the 1988 Olympics in Seoul and two bronze medals at the 1986 FIBA World Championship and 1987 EuroBasket. In 1996 Ćosić became only the third international player ever elected to the world's Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts, the birthplace of basketball.

Church life

During his time at the Brigham Young University, he converted to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and later served as the LDS presiding priesthood holder in post-communist Croatia. He was baptized by Hugh Nibley, one of the LDS church's most celebrated scholars. Ćosić also introduced the LDS Church to Yugoslavia. He translated the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants into Croatian.

Death

In the years following basketball he worked in the USA as a Croatian diplomat at the embassy in Washington, D.C., having helped secure the land where the embassy now stands. Ćosić died in Baltimore, Maryland in 1995 of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Honors

References

  1. ^ "Kresimir Cosic". www.croatianhistory.net.
  2. ^ Lakersweb Draft
  3. ^ "Croatian Basketball Hall of Fame". www.eurobasket.com.
  4. ^ "The Krešimir Ćosić Hall". www.dalekovod.hr.
  5. ^ "Famous people born in Zadar / Krešimir Ćosić". www.tzzadar.hr.
  6. ^ "A Dalmatian Sensation". www.sportsillustrated.cnn.com.
  7. ^ "National Hero". www.ldschurchnews.com.
  8. ^ Lakersweb Draft

Template:Yugoslavia Squad EuroBasket 1967


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