2025 FIBA Hall of Fame: Ratko Radovanovic

MIES (Switzerland) - Ratko Radovanovic, the legendary center who represented Yugoslavia for more than a decade and won the FIBA Basketball World Cup, FIBA EuroBasket, and Olympic gold medal, is being inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame as a member of the class of 2025.

He will be honored at an enshrinement ceremony in Bahrain on May 17 and is joined by Alphonse Bilé (Côte d'Ivoire), Andrew Bogut (Australia), Leonor Borrell (Cuba), Pau Gasol (Spain), Ticha Penicheiro (Portugal), Dawn Staley (USA); as well as Coach Mike Krzyzewski (USA).

The 2.11M (6FT 11IN) center from Nevesinje, Bosnia and Herzegovina, was a tower of strength for Yugoslavia when the country had some of the best teams in international basketball.

His former teammate at Bosna, and later coach, Svetislav Pesic, once said of Radovanovic: “He was pure talent. He achieved a lot through hard work, but without the talent that he had in his veins, he would never have reached those heights.”

"Those heights" were considerable.

In his first summer with the senior team in 1977, “Raša” helped Yugoslavia win the FIBA EuroBasket for the third consecutive time. The next year, Radovanovic was a key man as Yugoslavia reached the top of the podium at the FIBA Basketball World Cup in the Philippines. With legendary players such as Kresimir Cosic, Zoran Slavnic, Mirza Delibasic, Dragan Dalipagic, Dragan Kikanovic and Radovanovic, Yugoslavia won all 10 of their games.

Among the scalps they claimed were Canada, Italy, USA, Soviet Union (twice), and Brazil.

Against a great Canada team that had Leo Rautins and Jay Triano, Radovanovic scored 24 points. He was also key in the wins over the powerhouse Soviet Union, with 18 points in the first and 10 in the second. Sergei Belov, Vladimir Tkatchenko and Anatolij Myshkin were in that Soviet side.

Radovanovic also celebrated Olympic glory when he helped Yugoslavia win the gold medal at the 1980 Moscow Games. That Yugoslavia team won all eight of its games.

In all, Radovanovic, who won the 1974 European Championship for Junior Men, reached the podium nine times with Yugoslavia’s senior team.

Radovanovic also enjoyed a distinguished professional career. His success extended to club basketball as well.

Radovanovic began with Bosnia and later played for Stade Francais and Venezia during his 13-year career. Three times with Bosna (1978, 1980 and 1983), where he played for legendary coach Bogdan Tanjevic, Radovanovic won the Yugoslav league title. He was also a Yugoslav Cup Winner in 1978 and a EuroLeague Champion in 1979.

Tanjevic once shared a wonderful memory of how Radovanovic was a doubt before the EuroLeague Final, which Bosna won by beating Varese.

"On the eve of the final, the team doctor told me that Raša had a fever, more than 39 degrees," Tanjevic said in a story on 101 Greats of European Basketball. "I know that without him, we could not win.

"Varese had Dino Meneghin, and Radovanovic was the man who would have to stop him."

Radovanovic not only played but excelled. He was an unsung hero in the game.

"Radovanovic appeared and added 10 points, the same as Meneghin," Tanjevic said. "His sacrifice was huge, but he was just that way. He was a great fighter, a very smart man who tricked his opponents with technique and speed, scoring with both hands and running the breaks.

"It was a pleasure to work with him, to help him grow and become one of the best big men in the history of the game in Europe. He had what only the greats have: the ability to play even better when the team needs it the most."

Tanjevic is not the only great to pay tribute to Radovanovic. The legendary Svetislav Pesic played with him in the Bosna team and also coached him.

Pesic had even more insight.

"He was a very fast player for his height," he said. "His legs resembled those of a boxer in the lighter categories. Also, he didn't know the meaning of the word fear."

FIBA