Sani Bečirovič

Sani Bečirović

Becirovic with Panathinaikos.
Personal information
Born (1981-05-19) 19 May 1981
Maribor, SR Slovenia, SFR Yugoslavia
Nationality Slovenian / Italian
Listed height 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Listed weight 210 lb (95 kg)
Career information
NBA draft 2003 / Round: 2 / Pick: 46th overall
Selected by the Denver Nuggets
Playing career 1995–2015
Position Point guard / Shooting guard
Number 7,10
Coaching career 2015–present
Career history
As player:
1995–1996 Bistrica
1996–1997 Maribor Ovni
1997–1999 Pivovarna Laško
1999–2001 Union Olimpija
2001–2002 Virtus Bologna
2003–2004 Krka Novo Mesto
2004–2005 Casti Group Varese
2005–2006 Climamio Bologna
2006–2008 Panathinaikos
2008–2009 Lottomatica Roma
2009 Union Olimpija
2010 Armani Jeans Milano
2010–2011 Türk Telekom
2011 CSKA Moscow
2011–2012 Benetton Treviso
2012–2013 Petrochimi Bandar Imam
2013 Dinamo Sassari
2013 Foolad Mahan Isfahan
2013–2014 Krka Novo Mesto
2014–2015 Fulgor Libertas Forlì
2015 Pallacanestro Piacentina
As coach:
2015–present Panathinaikos (assistant)
Career highlights and awards

Sani Bečirovič (Serbo-Croatian: Bećirović, born 19 May 1981) is a Slovenian former professional basketball player and current basketball coach. His father is Memi Bečirović, the former head coach coach of the senior men's Slovenian national team. He was selected in the second round (46th overall) of the 2003 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets.

Professional playing career

Bečirović played for the Slovenian youth squad teams of KK Bistrica, and he made his debut with their senior team during the 1995–96 season. He then moved to the Slovenian club Maribor Ovni for the 1996–97 season. He then moved to the Slovenian Premiere A League team Pivovarna Laško, where he played from 1997–99, and next to the Slovenian team Olimpija Ljubljana, where he played from 1999–01. With Olimpija Ljubljana, he won the 2001 Slovenian League Championship, and the 2000 and 2001 Slovenian Cups. He also played in Slovenia with Krka Novo Mesto, in the 2003–04 season.

He played in the Italian LBA league with Virtus Bologna, during the 2001–02 season, where he won the 2002 Italian Cup. He also played with the Italian clubs Casti Group Varese, in the 2004–05 season, and Climamio Bologna, in the 2005–06 season, where he won the 2005 Italian Super Cup.

Bečirović then moved to the Greek club Panathinaikos, where he won the Euroleague 2006–07 championship, two Greek Cups (2007, 2008), and two Greek League championships (2007, 2008).[1] He signed for AJ Milano on 15 January 2010.[2] In October 2010, he signed a two-year contract with Türk Telekom. In March 2011, he left Türk Telekom, by mutual agreement, and then signed with CSKA Moscow, until the end of the 2010–11 season.[3] In August 2011, he moved to Italian club Benetton Treviso for one season.[4]

In October 2012, he signed in Iran with Petrochimi Bandar Imam.[5] On 14 April 2013, Bečirović signed with Dinamo Sassari until the end of the season.[6] In August 2013, he returned to Iran, and signed a one-year deal with Foolad Mahan Isfahan.[7]

In December 2013, Bečirović returned to Slovenian club Krka Novo Mesto for the 2013–14 season.[8]

In August 2014, he signed with Fulgor Libertas Forlì of the Italian Second Division.[9] On January 4, 2015, he left Forli and signed with Pallacanestro Piacentina of the Italian 3rd Division.[10] On March 16, 2015, he parted ways with Piacentina.[11]

Professional coaching career

Right after retiring from being a professional basketball player, Bečirović returned to Panathinaikos as an assistant coach of Aleksandar Đorđević.[12]

Slovenian national team

Bečirović was a member of the senior men's Slovenian national basketball teams that competed at the EuroBasket 1999, the EuroBasket 2001, the EuroBasket 2005, and the 2006 FIBA World Championship. He also played at the 2008 FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament, and at the 2010 FIBA World Championship.

Personal

Bečirović is married to Italian Simona, and he also holds an Italian passport.[13] They have one daughter (Samija, born 2005) and one son (Kiam, born 2008). In 2013, he established the Sani Bečirovič Basketball Academy, of which he is currently the sports director.

His nickname is Sani Boy.[14]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sani Bečirović.
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