Russian Basketball Coach. Remembered as the "father" of Soviet and Russian basketball he is considered by many to have been one of the greatest basketball coaches on the world stage. His team was the first ever to deprive Team USA of an Olympic gold medal, in the 1972 Olympics at Munich. Born in the northwestern Russian town of Kronstadt he studied sports coaching in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg). Then was a coach for SKA Leningrad, ASK Riga and CSKA Moscow before his appointment as head coach of the national basketball team in 1958. In 20 years heading the Soviet team, he guided them to eight European titles, two World titles, and a gold medal at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul. He won the national title Coach of the Year four times during his career. Most recently was president of the basketball team CSKA Moscow. Authored ten books on basketball published in Russian and other languages; his achievements in developing the sport earned him many national and international awards, including the prestigious Olympic Order. Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1995. Cause of death: cancer, in Moscow.
Russian Basketball Coach. Remembered as the "father" of Soviet and Russian basketball he is considered by many to have been one of the greatest basketball coaches on the world stage. His team was the first ever to deprive Team USA of an Olympic gold medal, in the 1972 Olympics at Munich. Born in the northwestern Russian town of Kronstadt he studied sports coaching in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg). Then was a coach for SKA Leningrad, ASK Riga and CSKA Moscow before his appointment as head coach of the national basketball team in 1958. In 20 years heading the Soviet team, he guided them to eight European titles, two World titles, and a gold medal at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul. He won the national title Coach of the Year four times during his career. Most recently was president of the basketball team CSKA Moscow. Authored ten books on basketball published in Russian and other languages; his achievements in developing the sport earned him many national and international awards, including the prestigious Olympic Order. Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1995. Cause of death: cancer, in Moscow.
Bio by: Fred Beisser
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