Krešimir Ćosić
File:Novicky 1972.jpg XX. Olympic games Munich 1972 – Krešimir Ćosić (nr.11) (Yugoslavia) vs. Petr Novický (Czechoslovakia) | |
Personal information | |
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Born | Zagreb, SR Croatia, FNR Yugoslavia | November 26, 1948
Died | May 25, 1995 | (aged 46)
Nationality | Croat[1] |
Listed height | 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) |
Career information | |
NBA draft | 1973: 84th overall 15th pick, 5th round[2] |
Selected by the Los Angeles Lakers | |
Playing career | 1965–1983 |
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 at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Krešimir Ćosić bust at Mirogoj | ||
Medal record | ||
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Men's Basketball | ||
Representing ![]() | ||
Olympic Games | ||
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1980 Moscow | Team |
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1968 Mexico City | Team |
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1976 Montreal | Team |
World Championship | ||
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1967 Montevideo | Team |
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1970 Ljubljana | Team |
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1974 Puerto Rico | Team |
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1978 Philippines | Team |
European Championships | ||
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1969 Italy | Team |
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1971 West Germany | Team |
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1973 Spain | Team |
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1975 Yugoslavia | Team |
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1977 Belgium | Team |
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1979 Italy | Team |
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1981 Czechoslovakia | Team |
Mediterranean Games | ||
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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
- On March 4, 2006, Ćosić became just the second men's basketball player to have his jersey retired by BYU (the other was Danny Ainge).
- In 2007, he was enshrined in the FIBA Hall of Fame.
- The Croatian landmark formerly known as Califfi Castle now carries the name of this basketball superstar and Churchman.
- There is a square in Zagreb, Croatia that bears his name (Trg Krešimira Čosića).
- KK Zadar home arena is named after him.
- One of top medalists of FIBA's World Championships (4 medals)
- multiple participant of FIBA All-Star Games, playing on the side of European Selection roster
- FIBA's 50 Greatest Players (1991)
References
- "Former BYU All-American's Jersey Retired", Todd Bluth, The Daily Universe, March 6, 2006
- ^ "Kresimir Cosic". www.croatianhistory.net.
- ^ Lakersweb Draft
- ^ "Croatian Basketball Hall of Fame". www.eurobasket.com.
- ^ "The Krešimir Ćosić Hall". www.dalekovod.hr.
- ^ "Famous people born in Zadar / Krešimir Ćosić". www.tzzadar.hr.
- ^ "A Dalmatian Sensation". www.sportsillustrated.cnn.com.
- ^ "National Hero". www.ldschurchnews.com.
- ^ Lakersweb Draft
External links
- Basketball Hall of Fame profile
- Euroleague.net profile
- Fibaeurope.com profile
- Kresimir Cosic Player Profile (InterBasket)
- FIBA Hall of Fame page on Cosic
- Career basketpedya.com
- Krešimir Ćosić: An Off-Court Story (Documentary - byu.tv)
- 1948 births
- 1995 deaths
- Sportspeople from Zagreb
- Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductees
- FIBA Hall of Fame inductees
- Croatian basketball coaches
- Croatian basketball players
- Yugoslav basketball players
- Olympic basketball players of Yugoslavia
- Basketball players at the 1968 Summer Olympics
- Basketball players at the 1972 Summer Olympics
- Basketball players at the 1976 Summer Olympics
- Basketball players at the 1980 Summer Olympics
- Olympic gold medalists for Yugoslavia
- Olympic silver medalists for Yugoslavia
- BYU Cougars men's basketball players
- Los Angeles Lakers draft picks
- Portland Trail Blazers draft picks
- KK Cibona players
- KK Zadar players
- Croatian translators
- English–Croatian translators
- Croatian diplomats
- Centers (basketball)
- Virtus Pallacanestro Bologna players
- Converts to Mormonism
- Croatian Latter Day Saints
- Eurobasket-winning players
- Franjo Bučar Award winners
- Burials at Mirogoj Cemetery
- Cancer deaths in Maryland
- National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame inductees
- Olympic medalists in basketball