Sergei Belov facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Sergei Belov
Сергей Белов

Belov in 2012
Personal information
Born	(1944-01-23)January 23, 1944 Nashchyokovo, Shegarsky District, Tomsk Oblast, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Nationality	Soviet and Russian
Died	October 3, 2013(2013-10-03) (aged 69) Perm, Russia
Listed height	6 ft 2.75 in (1.90 m)
Listed weight	180 lb (82 kg)
Career information
NBA Draft	1966 / Undrafted
Pro career	1964–1980
Coaching career	1981–2004
Career history
As player:
1964–1967	Uralmash Sverdlovsk
1968–1980	CSKA Moscow
As coach:
1981–1982	CSKA Moscow
1988–1990	CSKA Moscow
1990–1993	Basket Cassino
1999–2004	Ural Great Perm
Career highlights and awards
As player: FIBA Order of Merit (1995) FIBA's 50 Greatest Players (Voted #1) (1991) FIBA World Cup MVP (1970) FIBA EuroBasket MVP (1969) 50 Greatest EuroLeague Contributors (2008) 2× EuroLeague champion (1969, 1971) 3× EuroLeague Finals Top Scorer (1970, 1971, 1973) 4× FIBA European Selection (1969, 1971, 1972, 1974) 11× USSR League champion (1969-1974, 1976-1980) 2× USSR Cup winner (1972, 1973) Honoured Master of Sports of the USSR (1968) Order of the Badge of Honour Medal "For Distinguished Labour" As coach: 2× USSR League champion (1982, 1990) North European League champion (2001) 2× Russian Championship champion (2001, 2002) Russian Cup winner (2004)
Medals Representing  Soviet Union Men's Basketball Summer Olympic Games Bronze 1968 Mexico City National Team Gold 1972 Munich National Team Bronze 1976 Montreal National Team Bronze 1980 Moscow National Team FIBA World Cup Gold 1967 Montevideo National Team Bronze 1970 Yugoslavia National Team Gold 1974 Puerto Rico National Team Silver 1978 Philippines National Team FIBA EuroBasket Gold 1967 Finland National Team Gold 1969 Italy National Team Gold 1971 West Germany National Team Bronze 1973 Spain National Team Silver 1975 Yugoslavia National Team Silver 1977 Belgium National Team Gold 1979 Italy National Team Summer Universiade Gold 1970 Torino National Team

Sergei Alexandrovich Belov (Russian: Серге́й Алекса́ндрович Бело́в; January 23, 1944 – October 3, 2013) was a famous basketball player. He is known for playing for CSKA Moscow and the Soviet Union national basketball team. Many people think he was one of the best European basketball players ever.

Sergei Belov had a special honor. He lit the Olympic flame at the 1980 Summer Olympics opening ceremony in Moscow. In 1991, FIBA (the international basketball group) called him the best FIBA player of all time. He was the first player from outside the USA to join the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992. He also joined the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2007.

Sergei Belov's Life and Career

Sergei Belov was born in a village called Nashchyokovo in the Soviet Union. He became an "Honored Master of Sports of the USSR" in 1968. This is a very high award for athletes. Later, in 1995, he became an "Honored Coach of Russia." He also led the Russian Basketball Federation from 1993 to 1998.

Playing for Basketball Clubs

Sergei Belov started playing in the USSR League when he was 20. He played for a team called Uralmash Sverdlovsk from 1964 to 1967.

After that, he joined CSKA Moscow and played there for 12 years. With CSKA, he won the USSR League championship 11 times! He also won the USSR Cup twice. He helped CSKA win the EuroLeague (a big European club competition) twice, in 1969 and 1971.

Playing for His Country

Sergei Belov was a key player for the Soviet Union national basketball team for almost 14 years. He played from 1967 to 1980. With his national team, he won a gold medal at the Summer Olympic Games in 1972. He also won three bronze medals at the Olympics in 1968, 1976, and 1980.

His team also won the FIBA World Cup twice, in 1967 and 1974. They won the FIBA EuroBasket (European Championship) four times, in 1967, 1969, 1971, and 1979. He also won the Summer Universiade in 1970.

The Famous 1972 Olympic Game

Belov lighting the Olympic Cauldron during the 22nd Olympics opening ceremony in Moscow, 1980

One of his most famous games was the gold medal match at the 1972 Summer Olympics. Belov scored 20 points against the United States national basketball team. The Soviet Union won the game 51–50, which was a very close and exciting finish.

Becoming a Coach

After his playing career, Sergei Belov became a basketball coach. He was the head coach for CSKA Moscow. He led them to win the USSR League championship in 1982 and 1990.

He also coached another team called Ural Great Perm. With this team, he won the Russian Championship in 2001 and 2002. They also won the Russian Cup in 2004 and the North European League championship in 2001.

Sergei Belov also coached the Russian national basketball team. He helped them win silver medals at the 1994 FIBA World Championship and the 1998 FIBA World Championship. They also won a bronze medal at the EuroBasket 1997.

Sergei Belov's Awards and Honors

Sergei Belov received many awards for his amazing basketball career:

• Honoured Master of Sports of the USSR
• Order of the Badge of Honour
• Medal "For Distinguished Labour"

As a player:

• 2 × EuroLeague Champion: 1969, 1971
• 11 × USSR League Champion (many times between 1969 and 1980)
• Olympic Games:
  • Gold medal: 1972
  • Bronze medal: 1968, 1976, 1980
• FIBA World Cup:
  • Gold medal: 1967, 1974
  • Silver medal: 1978
  • Bronze medal: 1970 (he was named MVP of this tournament)
• FIBA EuroBasket:
  • Gold medal: 1967, 1969 (he was named MVP of this tournament), 1971, 1979
• Named the #1 player in FIBA's 50 Greatest Players: 1991
• Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame: 1992
• Inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame: 2007

As a head coach:

• 2 × USSR League Champion: 1982, 1990
• 2 × Russian Championship Champion: 2001, 2002
• North European League Champion: 2001
• FIBA World Cup:
  • Silver medal: 1994, 1998

Later Life

Sergei Alexandrovich Belov passed away on October 3, 2013, in Perm, Russia.

See also

In Spanish: Serguéi Belov para niños