Krešimir Ćosić facts for kids

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Krešimir Ćosić

Ćosić with the Yugoslavian basketball team in 1970

Personal information

Born

26 November 1948
Zagreb, PR Croatia, FPR Yugoslavia

Nationality

Croatian

Died

25 May 1995 (aged 46)
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.

Listed height

6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)

Listed weight

212 lb (96 kg)

Career information

College

BYU (1970–1973)

NBA Draft

1973 / Round: 5 / Pick: 84th overall

Selected by the Los Angeles Lakers

Pro career

1964–1983

Coaching career

1976–1991

Career history

As player:

1964–1969;
1973–1976

Zadar

1976–1978

AŠK Olimpija

1978–1980

Sinudyne Bologna

1980–1983

Cibona

As coach:

1976–1978

AŠK Olimpija

1984–1985

Jugoplastika

1987–1988

Virtus Bologna

1988–1991

AEK Athens

Career highlights and awards

As player:

2× EuroBasket MVP (1971, 1975)
6× FIBA European Selection (1968, 1970–1974)
FIBA Saporta Cup champion (1982)
2× Italian League champion (1979, 1980)
6× Yugoslav League champion (1965, 1967, 1968, 1974, 1975, 1982)
3× Yugoslav Cup winner (1981–1983)
Croatian Sportsman of the Year (1980)
50 Greatest EuroLeague Contributors (2008)
Croatian Lifetime Achievement in Sport (2002)
FIBA Order of Merit (1994)
FIBA's 50 Greatest Players (1991)
Third-team All-American – UPI (1972)
2× Fourth-team All-American – NABC (1972, 1973)
3× First-team All-WAC (1971–1973)
No. 11 retired by BYU Cougars

Medals

Men's basketball

Representing Yugoslavia
Summer Olympic Games
Gold	1980 Moscow	Team
Silver	1968 Mexico City	Team
Silver	1976 Montreal	Team
FIBA World Cup
Gold	1970 Yugoslavia	Team
Gold	1978 Philippines	Team
Silver	1967 Uruguay	Team
Silver	1974 Puerto Rico	Team
FIBA Eurobasket
Gold	1973 Spain	Team
Gold	1975 Yugoslavia	Team
Gold	1977 Belgium	Team
Silver	1969 Italy	Team
Silver	1971 West Germany	Team
Silver	1981 Czechoslovakia	Team
Bronze	1979 Italy	Team
Mediterranean Games
Gold	1967 Tunis	Team
Gold	1971 Izmir	Team
European U-18 Championship
Silver	1966 Italy	Under-18

Ćosić statue at Višnjik Sports Centre in Zadar

Krešimir "Krešo" Ćosić was a famous Croatian basketball player and coach. He was born on November 26, 1948, and passed away on May 25, 1995. Standing at 6 feet 11 inches tall, he was known for being one of the first basketball players in the world who could play all five positions on the court. This made him a true game-changer!

Ćosić was a college star at Brigham Young University in the United States. He was so good that he became only the third international player ever to be chosen for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. This is a huge honor for basketball legends! He also joined the College Basketball Hall of Fame and the FIBA Hall of Fame.

In Croatia, he is remembered as one of the greatest athletes of the 20th century. The Croatian Basketball Cup and the home arena of the KK Zadar team are named after him. Besides basketball, Ćosić was also a leader in his church and even worked as a diplomat for Croatia in the U.S.

Early Basketball Days
College Life and NBA Dreams
- Playing for BYU
- NBA Draft Choices
Professional Basketball Career
Playing for His Country
Coaching Career
Life Beyond Basketball
- Diplomacy for Croatia
- His Faith and Writings
His Legacy and Passing
Honors and Awards
Landmarks Named After Him
See also

Early Basketball Days

Krešimir Ćosić was born in Zagreb, which was part of Yugoslavia at the time. He grew up in Zadar, a city known for its love of basketball. In 1965, when he was just 16, he started his club career with the local team, KK Zadar.

With Zadar, he quickly became a star. He helped his team win three Yugoslav League championships in 1965, 1967, and 1968. These early wins showed everyone how talented he was.

College Life and NBA Dreams

In 1968, Ćosić met a Finnish player named Veikko Vainio. Veikko was a student at Brigham Young University (BYU) in the United States. He told Ćosić about college life and invited him to play for the BYU Cougars team. Ćosić decided to go, moving to the U.S. in 1969.

Playing for BYU

During his first year at BYU, he played well, scoring about 17 points and grabbing 12 rebounds per game. In his second year, he helped BYU win the 1971 WAC Championship. He averaged 15 points and 12 rebounds.

In his junior year, he led his team to another WAC Championship. He scored an amazing 22 points and got almost 13 rebounds per game. He was even named an All-American, which was a big deal because he was the first non-American player to get this honor!

NBA Draft Choices

After his junior year, the Portland Trail Blazers picked him in the 1972 NBA draft. But Ćosić chose to stay at BYU for his senior year. He wanted to finish his college education.

As a senior, he continued to play great, averaging 20 points and 9 rebounds. He was again named an All-American. Overall, he averaged 18.9 points and 11.8 rebounds per game during his college career. The Marriott Center, BYU's basketball arena, was built during his time there because so many fans wanted to watch him play!

Professional Basketball Career

After college, the Los Angeles Lakers picked Ćosić in the 1973 NBA draft. Even though he had offers from the NBA, he decided to go back home to Croatia. He wanted to play for his old team, KK Zadar, from 1973 to 1976. He even helped bring the first American player, Doug Richards, to play for a Yugoslav club team.

After Zadar, he played for other top European teams:

AŠK Olimpija (1976–1978)
Virtus Bologna (1978–1980)
Cibona Zagreb (1980–1983)

He helped Cibona win their first European Cup, which was a huge achievement for the team.

Playing for His Country

Ćosić started playing for the Yugoslavian national team when he was only 17. He played in 303 games for his country, which is a record! He won many medals throughout his career.

Olympic Games

Ćosić played in four Summer Olympic Games:

1968 Mexico City: Silver medal
1972 Munich
1976 Montreal: Silver medal
1980 Moscow: Gold medal (as team captain!)

World Championships

He also led Yugoslavia to two FIBA World Cup gold medals:

1970 in Yugoslavia
1978 in the Philippines

He also won two silver medals at the World Championships in 1967 and 1974.

European Championships

Ćosić won many medals at the FIBA EuroBasket (European Championships):

Gold medals in 1973, 1975, and 1977.
Silver medals in 1969, 1971, and 1981.
A bronze medal in 1979.

Coaching Career

After he stopped playing, Ćosić became a coach. He coached the Yugoslav national team and helped them win several medals.

1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul: Silver medal
1986 FIBA World Championship: Bronze medal
1987 EuroBasket: Bronze medal

Ćosić was known for believing in young players. He was the first coach to give a chance to future stars like Dino Rađa, Vlade Divac, and Toni Kukoč. He also helped start the career of Dejan Bodiroga, another famous player.

Life Beyond Basketball

Krešimir Ćosić was more than just a basketball player and coach. He was also a diplomat and a very interesting person.

Diplomacy for Croatia

In the early 1990s, Ćosić chose to help his home country, Croatia, during a difficult time. He became a deputy ambassador for Croatia in Washington, D.C., in the United States. He used his strong connections to help explain the situation in Croatia and work for peace. He even received the Freedom Award for his efforts.

His Faith and Writings

While at Brigham Young University, Ćosić joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He later became a church leader in Croatia. He even translated important church books, the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants, into Croatian.

Ćosić was also a big reader and loved new technology. He enjoyed classical music, theater, and art. In the 1980s, he started writing his autobiography, but he never finished it. His daughter, Ana, later published his writings in a book called Play, Believe, Live in 2019. The book shares his thoughts on sports and life.

His Legacy and Passing

Krešimir Ćosić passed away in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1995, from a type of cancer called non-Hodgkin lymphoma. He was buried in Zagreb, Croatia. Many people came to his funeral from all over, even during a time of conflict. He left behind his wife, Ljerka, and their three children.

Ćosić's impact on basketball and his country is still remembered today.

Honors and Awards

Krešimir Ćosić received many awards and honors throughout his life and after his death:

The Croatian National Basketball Cup and KK Zadar's Home Arena are named after him.
He played in 6 FIBA All-Star Games for the European Selection team.
He is one of the top medal winners in FIBA World Cup history, with 4 medals.
He was named the FIBA EuroBasket MVP in 1971 and 1975.
He was named the Croatian Sportsman of the Year in 1980.
He was inducted into the BYU Hall of Fame in 1983.
He was named one of FIBA's 50 Greatest Players in 1991.
He received the Freedom Award in Utah in 1993.
He was given the FIBA Order of Merit in 1994.
He was chosen for the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1996.
He was inducted into the Utah Basketball Hall of Fame in 2001.
He received the Croatian Lifetime Achievement in Sport in 2002.
His jersey number 11 was retired by BYU in 2006, a rare honor.
He was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.
He was inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2007.
He was named one of the 50 Greatest EuroLeague Contributors in 2008.

Landmarks Named After Him

Several places and landmarks are named in honor of Krešimir Ćosić:

The Croatian landmark formerly known as Califfi Castle now bears his name.
The Krešimir Ćosić Sports Arena in Zadar is a large sports hall in Croatia.
There is a statue of him looking towards the Krešimir Ćosić Sports Arena in Zadar.
A square in Zagreb, Croatia, is named Trg Krešimira Ćosića.
Streets in Zadar, Vukovar, and Dobropoljana (Island Pašman) are named after him.
There is a Memorial Basket in Zadar where he first started his basketball journey as a child.