Otar Korkia facts for kids
Otar Korkia, during a basketball game
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | 10 May 1923 Kutaisi, Georgian SSR, Soviet Union |
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| Nationality | Soviet / Georgian | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 15 March 2005 (aged 81) Tbilisi, Georgia |
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| Listed height | 1.95 m (6 ft 4.77 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 93 kg (205 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 1940–1958 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coaching career | 1958–1970 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| As player: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1940–1947 | Dinamo Kutaisi | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1947–1958 | Dinamo Tbilisi | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| As coach: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1958–1959 | Soviet Union Under-20 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1959–1968 | Dinamo Tbilisi | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1968–1970 | Cambodia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
As player:
As head coach:
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Medals
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Otar Korkia (Georgian: ოთარ ქორქია; 10 May 1923 – 15 March 2005) was a famous Georgian professional basketball player and coach. He was born in Kutaisi. Many people remember him as one of the best basketball players ever. In 1991, he was named one of FIBA's 50 Greatest Players. He was also honored as the Best Georgian Basketball Player and Sportsman of the 20th Century.
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Otar Korkia: A Basketball Legend
Otar Korkia was a tall and powerful player. He stood 1.95 meters (about 6 feet 5 inches) tall. He weighed 93 kilograms (about 205 pounds). He played the center position. This position is usually for the tallest player on the team.
Playing for Clubs
Otar Korkia started his club career in 1940. He played for Dinamo Kutaisi until 1947. After that, he joined Dinamo Tbilisi. He played for them from 1947 until 1958.
During his time with these clubs, Otar won many important titles. He helped his teams win the USSR League championship three times. These wins were in 1950, 1953, and 1954. He also won the USSR Cup twice, in 1949 and 1950.
Representing His Country
Otar Korkia was also a key player for the Soviet Union national basketball team. He helped his country win a silver medal at the 1952 Summer Olympic Games in Helsinki. He played in seven games during that big tournament. Later, he became the captain of the Soviet national team.
He also won several gold medals at the FIBA EuroBasket tournaments. He helped his team win gold in 1947, 1951, and 1953. In 1955, he won a bronze medal at the EuroBasket.
Becoming a Coach
After his playing career ended in 1958, Otar Korkia became a basketball coach. He coached the Soviet Union Under-20 team for a short time. From 1959 to 1968, he was the head coach of Dinamo Tbilisi.
As a coach, he led Dinamo Tbilisi to a huge victory. They won the FIBA European Champions Cup in the 1961–62 season. This is one of the biggest club basketball titles in Europe. In 1967, he was named an Honored Coach of the USSR. He also coached the Cambodia team from 1968 to 1970.
About His Life
Otar Korkia passed away on March 15, 2005, in Tbilisi. He was 81 years old. His nephew, Mikheil, also became a famous basketball player for the Soviet national team. Otar Korkia is remembered as one of the greatest figures in Georgian and Soviet basketball history.
See also
- List of EuroLeague-winning head coaches
