Velimir Perasović
Croatian basketball player
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Velimir Perasović (pronounced [vèlimir pèrȃsovitɕ]; born 9 February 1965) is a Croatian professional basketball coach and former player. He is currently the head coach for the Russian team UNICS Kazan of the VTB United League.
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Perasović with UNICS Kazan in 2025 | |
| UNICS Kazan | |
|---|---|
| Title | Head coach |
| League | VTB United League EuroLeague |
| Personal information | |
| Born | 9 February 1965 |
| Nationality | Croatian |
| Listed height | 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) |
| Listed weight | 94 kg (207 lb) |
| Career information | |
| NBA draft | 1987: undrafted |
| Playing career | 1985–2003 |
| Position | Shooting guard |
| Coaching career | 2003–present |
| Career history | |
Playing | |
| 1985–1992 | Jugoplastika / Pop 84 |
| 1992–1993 | Breogán |
| 1993–1997 | Baskonia |
| 1997–2002 | Fuenlabrada |
| 2002–2003 | Alicante |
Coaching | |
| 2003–2004 | Split |
| 2004–2005 | Sevilla |
| 2005–2007 | Tau Cerámica |
| 2007–2008 | Estudiantes |
| 2008–2010 | Cibona |
| 2010–2011 | Efes Pilsen |
| 2012–2015 | Valencia |
| 2015 | Croatia |
| 2015–2016 | Baskonia |
| 2016–2017 | Anadolu Efes |
| 2018–2019 | Baskonia |
| 2021–present | UNICS Kazan |
| Career highlights | |
As player:
As head coach:
| |
Early life
Perasović was born in Stobreč, at that time in the SFR Yugoslavia, to parents Gašpar and Vica Perasović. He started playing basketball at the age of 14.[citation needed]
Perasović was a member of the junior men's Yugoslavia national team which won the silver medal at the 1982 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship in Bulgaria, and the bronze medal at the 1984 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship in Sweden.[citation needed]
Professional career
Perasović's club, KK Split, went on to win three EuroLeague championships, in 1989 and 1990 as "Jugoplastika", and in 1991 as "Pop 84". In 1988, 1989, 1990, and 1991, they also won the Yugoslav League titles. Additionally, In 1990 and 1991, they won the Yugoslav Cup, and in 1992, the Croatian Cup.
In 1992, Perasović moved to the Spanish club Breogán. After one season, he moved to Taugrés in 1993. He won the 1995 Spanish King's Cup, and in 1996, he won the Saporta Cup.
In 1997, he moved to Fuenlabrada, where he played until 2002. He then moved to Alicante, and retired as player in 2003. During his career in Spain, he won the Spanish ACB League Top Scorer award five times. He was also once the best scorer of the Radivoj Korać Cup, and he participated in Liga ACB All Star games.
National team career
Perasović played for the national team of Yugoslavia, winning the 1990 FIBA World Championship in Argentina, and EuroBasket 1991 in Italy. He then played with the Croatia national team and won the silver medal at the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympics, and bronzes medal at EuroBasket 1993 in Germany, the 1994 FIBA World Championship in Canada, and EuroBasket 1995 in Greece.
Coaching career
Perasović started his coaching career at Split CO, before moving back to Spain to become the head coach of Tau Cerámica. He led the team to the EuroLeague Final Four.
In the 2007–08 season, Perasović was appointed the head coach for Estudiantes.
After that, he moved to Zagreb, to become the head coach for Cibona. In 2009, he led the team to the Adriatic League final, winning the award for the best coach in the Adriatic League in that season, and won the Croatian Cup and Croatian League championship. He again took Cibona to the Adriatic League and Croatian Cup finals in 2010 and, once again, won the Croatian League championship.
From there, Perasović moved to Istanbul as he took over as the head coach of Efes Pilsen. He stayed with the club for one season.
In January 2012, he returned to Spain to coach Valencia. Perasović won the 2013–14 EuroCup, and left the club in January 2015.[1] In March 2015, Perasović took over the senior Croatian men's national team.[2][3] After a disappointing EuroBasket 2015 tournament, in which Croatia was defeated in the round of 16, Perasović and Croatia parted ways.
In June 2015, he, once again, returned to Spain to coach Baskonia.[4] After leading the team to semifinals of three separate competitions (EuroLeague, Copa del Rey, and Liga ACB), Perasović left the club and returned to Anadolu Efes.[5] On 16 December 2017, Anadolu Efes and Perasović parted ways.[6]
On 16 November 2018, he returned to Spain for the third time to coach Kirolbet Baskonia.[7] On 20 December 2019, following a loss to Real Madrid, Perasović's contract was terminated.[8]
On June 29, 2021, he signed with UNICS Kazan of the VTB United League where he is currently coaching for the fifth consecutive season.[9]
Coaching record
| Legend | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | Games coached | W | Games won | L | Games lost | W–L % | Win-loss % | ||
Note: The EuroLeague is not the only competition in which the team played during the season. He also coached in domestic competition, and regional competition if applicable.
EuroLeague
| Team | Year | G | W | L | W–L% | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baskonia | 2005–06 | 21 | 15 | 6 | .714 | Won in 3rd place game |
| 2006–07 | 24 | 20 | 4 | .833 | Lost in 3rd place game | |
| Cibona | 2008–09 | 17 | 8 | 9 | .471 | Eliminated in Top 16 stage |
| 2009–10 | 16 | 4 | 12 | .250 | Eliminated in Top 16 stage | |
| Efes | 2010–11 | 16 | 7 | 9 | .438 | Eliminated in Top 16 stage |
| Valencia | 2014–15 | 10 | 3 | 7 | .300 | Eliminated in group stage |
| Baskonia | 2015–16 | 29 | 18 | 11 | .621 | Lost in 3rd place game |
| Anadolu Efes | 2016–17 | 35 | 19 | 16 | .543 | Eliminated in quarterfinals |
| 2017–18 | 12 | 3 | 9 | .250 | Fired | |
| Baskonia | 2018–19 | 30 | 16 | 18 | .471 | Eliminated in quarterfinals |
| Career | 214 | 113 | 101 | .528 | ||
Personal life
Perasović married his wife Dubravka in 1991, and the couple have two sons, Vicko and Ivan.[10] His younger son Ivan is also a professional basketball player.
