Stojko Vranković

Stojko Vranković

Personal information
Born	(1964-01-22) January 22, 1964 Drniš, SR Croatia, SFR Yugoslavia
Nationality	Croatian
Listed height	7 ft 2 in (2.18 m)
Listed weight	260 lb (118 kg)
Career information
Playing career	1982–2001
Position	Center
Career history
1982–1989	KK Zadar
1989–1990	Aris
1990–1992	Boston Celtics
1992–1996	Panathinaikos
1996–1997	Minnesota Timberwolves
1997–1999	Los Angeles Clippers
1999–2001	Fortitudo Bologna
Career highlights and awards
Greek All Star Game MVP (1995) EuroLeague records since the 2000–01 season Most blocks in a game
Medals Men’s Basketball Representing  Yugoslavia Summer Olympic Games 1988 Seoul National team FIBA World Cup 1986 Spain National Team FIBA EuroBasket 1987 Greece National Team 1989 Yugoslavia National Team Summer Universiade 1987 Zagreb National Team Representing  Croatia Summer Olympic Games 1992 Barcelona National Team FIBA World Cup 1994 Canada National Team FIBA EuroBasket 1993 Germany National Team 1995 Greece National Team

Stojan "Stojko" Vranković (born 22 January 1964, Drniš, SR Croatia, SFR Yugoslavia) is a retired Croatian professional basketball player, who also represented Croatia internationally. He is currently the president of Croatian Basketball Federation.

A 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m) center, he played five seasons (1990–1992; 1996–1999) in the National Basketball Association, as a member of the Boston Celtics, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Los Angeles Clippers. He was very popular in Europe, while playing for the Athens-based club Panathinaikos, with whom he won the club's first Euroleague championship.

Club career

A renowned shot blocker, Vranković made little impact in the NBA, managing small minutes and a low scoring average even though he started 73 out of 170 games played. He did however have a major impact in Europe playing for the Greek League team Panathinaikos. In 1996, he combined with Dominique Wilkins to lead Panathinaikos to a Euroleague championship - a first for the club. Vranković's defensive contribution was vital, namely his block of Zeljko Rebraca at the buzzer, in the third game of the quarter-finals against Benetton Treviso, sending Panathinaikos through. In the Euroleague Final, his block to deny Barcelona the lead in the last second, gave the game a dramatic end, before falling to the ground in the ensuing hustle and clutching his knee in pain at the buzzer.^[1] In an interview at the official Euroleague Final Four website, Panathinaikos captain Panagiotis Giannakis described the incident as follows:

"All that happened at the end of the game is unbelievable, a few seconds that lasted one century! I remember Stojko (Vrankovic) running like...Carl Lewis from one side to the other to stop (José Antonio) Montero. He blocked the layup almost at the buzzer and he sealed the victory."^[2]

National team

Vranković earned a silver medal at the 1988 Seoul Summer Olympic Games with the Yugoslavian national basketball team. At the following 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympic Games, he got the silver medal after the men's final against the American "Dream Team", while playing for the Croatian national team.

Vranković was a close friend of fellow Croatian player Dražen Petrović. He was a coffin bearer at Petrović's funeral in 1993, and has been active in commemorating his memory. In an article at the FIBA website concerning the opening of a museum in Dražen's honour, Vranković was quoted as saying: "I would like to thank all those involved in creating this place, so children would be able to learn more about 'basketball's Amadeus'".^[3]

References

External links

• Euroleague.net profile
• Fibaeurope.com profile
• NBA stats at basketball-reference