Željko Obradović

Borac Čačak (1978–1984)

Obradović started his career as a basketball player with Borac Čačak in their youth system.

During the 1977–78 season, eighteen-year-old Obradović got his first taste of senior team basketball at Borac, appearing in 6 games during the season and contributing a total of 3 points.^[5] After eventually establishing himself as the team's starting point guard he stayed with the club until 1984.

Partizan Belgrade (1984–1991)

Over the summer 1984, twenty-four-year-old Obradović joined Partizan. He was brought in by Partizan's incoming head coach Moka Slavnić and vice president Dragan Kićanović, both recent retirees who had starred on the Yugoslav national team throughout the 1970s as a legendary guard duo.

In Obradović's third season with the team, Partizan won the 1986–87 Yugoslav League title. The following season, they reached the 1987–88 European Champions Cup Final Four. Finally, they won the Yugoslavian Cup and the Korać Cup in 1989. During his time at Partizan, Obradović established himself as one of the best and reliable point guards in Yugoslavia.

He was also a member of the Yugoslavian national basketball team that won the silver medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics and the gold medal at the 1990 FIBA World Championship.

His playing career was put to a halt when he was sentenced two years in prison due to causing the death of a pedestrian, in a car accident. After serving his prison sentence, Obradović returned to the court as a player, and already in his latter days as a player, he coached Partizan's youth team. He retired from playing basketball in 1991, and immediately signed on as the head coach of the senior team of the club.

Partizan Belgrade (1991–1993)

Obradović's coaching career began quite suddenly in the summer of 1991 while he was still an active 31-year-old Partizan Belgrade player getting ready for EuroBasket 1991 with the Yugoslav national team. Selected and coached by Dušan Ivković, the 1991 national squad was to be captained by Obradović — the oldest player among the assembled group. However, after finishing the training camp in Poreč and coming back to Belgrade to sleep over before leaving in the morning for a preparation friendly tournament in Germany, Obradović got called in for a meeting with the Partizan management — club president Radojica Nikčević, vice-president Dragan Kićanović, as well as board members Đorđe "Siske" Čolović, Milorad "Miketa" Đurić, and Dragan Todorić — who convinced him to take over the Partizan head coaching job, which entailed retiring from playing effective immediately thus giving up a chance to captain the national team at the upcoming EuroBasket.

The idea was to have Obradović, a debutante head coach, work under the guidance of experienced elder statesman of Yugoslav basketball 67-year-old professor Aca Nikolić whose coaching advisory services were soon secured by Kićanović and the management team. Also joining the club's front office in the technical director capacity was another fresh retiree from playing, 31-year-old Milenko Savović, Obradović's longtime teammate at Partizan, who spent the previous 1990–91 season playing for Vojvodina.

In 1991–92 season, Partizan had 20–2 record in the regular season of 1991–92 YUBA League. In the Playoffs of final series, it won with 3–0 against Crvena zvezda. It also won the Yugoslav Basketball Cup in 1992, after 105–70 win over Bosna in the final game. In European competition, Obradović led the youngest team to become the champions of 1991–92 FIBA European League, on the spur of breakup of Yugoslavia. Partizan played its international matches in Fuenlabrada, Spain, due to international sanctions imposed on FR Yugoslavia.

In 1992–93 season, Partizan was runner-up to Crvena zvezda with 3–2 record in the final series. In 1993 Yugoslav Basketball Cup, it lost with 104–91 in the final game to OKK Beograd.

Joventut (1993–1994)

In 1993, Obradović signed a contract with the Spanish team Joventut, based in Badalona, where Partizan played its international matches in 1991–92 season. With Joventut, he won the 1993–94 FIBA European League. In Liga ACB, Joventut finished in 3rd place with 24–14 record. In 1994 Copa del Rey de Baloncesto, Joventut was eliminated in the quarterfinals.

Real Madrid (1994–1997)

After the end of season, Obradović signed a contract with Real Madrid. In his first season with the club, Real Madrid failed to defend the Liga ACB title, finishing in 3rd place with 27–19 record. In 1995 Copa del Rey de Baloncesto, Real Madrid finished in 4th place. However, he won the 1994–95 FIBA European League.

In 1995–96 season, Real Madrid didn't manage to take any title. In Liga ACB, Real Madrid finished in 5th place with 28–12 record. In 1996 Copa del Rey de Baloncesto, Real Madrid finished in 3rd place. On the European scene, Obradović made his third consecutive Final Four appearance and second with Real Madrid, but ended losing in 3rd place game. In 1996–97 season, Real Madrid finished as the runner-up in theLiga ACB and was also eliminated in the quarterfinals of the 1997 Copa del Rey de Baloncesto. In European competitions, Real Madrid participated in second-tier FIBA Saporta Cup and eventually won it with 78–64 in the final game over Verona. At the end of the season, Obradović parted ways with the team.

Benetton Treviso (1997–1999)

In the summer of 1997, Obradović signed a contract with the Italian team Benneton Treviso. In 1997–98 season, Treviso was eliminated in the quarterfinal series of the Serie A1 Playoffs with 3–2 record by Reggio Emilia. In 1997–98 FIBA EuroLeague, Treviso finished in 3rd place after 96–89 win over Partizan Belgrade in the Final Four.

In 1998–99 season, Treviso finished as the runner-up in the Serie A1 Playoffs, after 3–0 record in the final series against Varese. Also, Treviso won the FIBA Saporta Cup, following 64–60 win in the final game over Valencia.

Panathinaikos (1999–2012)

In the summer of 1999, Obradović became the head coach of Panathinaikos. In his first season with the club, he won the 1999–2000 Greek Basket League with 3–0 record in the final series against P.A.O.K. Thessaloniki. In 2000 Greek Basketball Cup final, it lost with 59–57 by AEK Athens. Also, Panathinaikos won the 1999–2000 FIBA EuroLeague, after 73–67 win in the final game over Maccabi Tel Aviv. It was club's second EuroLeague championship in history.

Obradović stayed with Panathinaikos until 2012, leading the team to become the top club in European club basketball during that time, while simultaneously maintaining the club at the top position in the Greek national championship. In total, Obradović won with Panathinaikos eleven Greek League championships, seven Greek Cups and five EuroLeague titles (2000, 2002, 2007, 2009, and 2011).

In 2007, he achieved winning the highly coveted Triple Crown championship, for the second time as a head coach (the first was in 1992 with Partizan), and won the EuroLeague Coach of the Year award. Also in 2009, in Berlin, he completed this achievement as head coach for the third time. In 2011, he won his 8th EuroLeague trophy overall, and 5th with Panathinaikos.

Despite winning the Greek Cup in 2011-12 season, Panathinaikos finished 4th in the 2011–12 Turkish Airlines Euroleague while Olympiacos was crowned Euroleague champion. Following this disappointment Panathinaikos lost to Olympiacos in a 2-3 series for the Greek League final and in June 2012 Obradović announced he was stepping down after 13 consecutive seasons.

Fenerbahçe (2013–present)

Obradović, coaching Fenerbahçe

In early July 2013, Obradović signed a two-year contract with the Turkish club Fenerbahçe,^[7] reportedly worth €3 million in net income salary over the contract period.^[8] After inheriting a roster with point guard Bo McCalebb and versatile shooting guards / small forwards Bojan Bogdanović and Emir Preldžić, the famous head coach added a pair of marquee forwards, Linas Kleiza and Nemanja Bjelica. He additionally signed Luka Žorić and Melih Mahmutoğlu, as well as talented youngsters Ömer Yurtseven and Kenan Sipahi.

In his first season with the club, Obradović won the Turkish League championship following 4–3 record in the final series against Galatasaray. In the 2014 Turkish Cup, Fenerbahçe were eliminated in the semifinals by Pınar Karşıyaka. In the EuroLeague, they reached the Top 16 stage.

In the 2014–15 season, Fenerbahçe finished the regular season of the Turkish League in first place with a 23–7 record. In the Playoffs, they were eliminated in the semifinal series by Karşıyaka Basket with a 3–1 record. They were also runners-up in the 2015 Turkish Basketball Cup. In the EuroLeague, Fenerbahçe reached the 2015 Euroleague Final Four, where they were eliminated in the semifinals and later lost in the 3rd place game. The appearance in the Final Four was the first in the club's long history. On May 25, 2015, after the end of season, he signed a two-year extension with Fenerbahçe.^[9]

In the 2015–16 season, Fenerbahçe finished in second place of the Turkish League regular season, with a 24–6 record. In the Playoffs, Fenerbahçe went on to win the championship with a 4–2 record in the final series against Anadolu Efes. The club also won the 2016 Turkish Cup Basketball. In the EuroLeague, they finished as runners-up, after losing against PBC CSKA Moscow in the final game of the 2016 Final Four.

On November 18, 2016, Ozan Balaban, board member of Fenerbahçe SK, declared at the QNB Finansbank sponsorship ceremony of the club, that Obradović would sign a new three-year deal with the club.^[10][11] On December 3, 2016, Obradović officially extended his contract with the club until the end of the 2019–20 season.^[12]

In the 2016–17 season, Fenerbahçe finished with a 28–2 record of the Turkish League regular season, and eventually won the championship after a 4–0 record in the final series over rivals Beşiktaş. On May 21 2017, Fenerbahçe won the EuroLeague championship game against Olympiacos, which was the first EuroLeague championship in the club's history and the first time for any Turkish team.^[13] In the summer of 2017, team's core players Bogdan Bogdanović and Ekpe Udoh left the team and moved to the NBA.

In the 2017–18 season, Fenerbahçe once again finished the Turkish League regular season in first place with a dominant 27–3 record. In the 2018 Turkish Basketball Cup, Fenerbahçe were eliminated early in the quarterfinals by the eventual cup champions Anadolu Efes. In the 2017–18 EuroLeague, Fenerbahçe made it to the 2018 EuroLeague Final Four, their fourth consecutive Final Four appearance. Eventually, they lost to Real Madrid with 80–85 in the final game.^[14] In the end of the season, Fenerbahçe won its third consecutive Turkish League title, after winning with 4–1 record in the final series over Tofaş.^[15]

EuroLeague

Multiple titles

• European Cups (11×):
  • EuroLeague: 9 (with Partizan: 1991–92, Joventut Badalona: 1993–94, Real Madrid: 1994–95, Panathinaikos: 1999–00, 2001–02, 2006–07, 2008–09, 2010–11 and Fenerbahçe: 2016–17)
  • FIBA Saporta Cup: 2 (with Real Madrid: 1996–97 and Treviso: 1998–99)
• National Championships (16×):
  • Greek League: 11 (with Panathinaikos: 1999–00, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11)
  • Turkish League: 4 (with Fenerbahçe: 2013–14, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18)
  • FR Yugoslav League: 1 (with Partizan: 1991–92)
• National Cups (9×):
  • Greek Cup: 7 (with Panathinaikos: 2002–03, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2011–12)
  • Turkish Cup: 1 (with Fenerbahçe: 2016)
  • FR Yugoslav Cup: 1 (with Partizan: 1991–92)
• National Super Cups (4×):
  • Turkish Super Cup: 3 (with Fenerbahçe: 2013, 2016, 2017)
  • Italian Super Cup: 1 (with Treviso: 1997)
• EuroLeague Final Four without winning (7×)
  • 2nd place: 2 (with Panathinaikos: 2000–01 and Fenerbahçe: 2015–16 )
  • 3rd place: 2 (with Treviso: 1997–98 and Panathinaikos: 2004–05)
  • 4th place: 3 (with Real Madrid: 1995–96, Panathinaikos: 2011–12 and Fenerbahçe: 2014–15)

Titles by club

Obradović, coaching Panathinaikos, in November 2007. In his 13 seasons at the helm of the club, he led them to 23 trophies.

• Partizan (1991–1993)
  • EuroLeague Champion: (1992)
  • Yugoslav League Champion: (1992)
  • Yugoslav Cup winner: (1992)
• Joventut Badalona (1993–1994)
  • EuroLeague Champion: (1994)
• Real Madrid (1994–1997)
  • EuroLeague Champion: (1995)
  • Saporta Cup Champion: (1996–97 FIBA EuroCup)
• Benetton Treviso (1997–1999)
  • Saporta Cup Champion: (1999)
  • Italian Super Cup: Winner (1997)
• Panathinaikos (1999–2012)
  • 5× EuroLeague Champion: (2000, 2002, 2007, 2009, 2011)
  • 11× Greek League Champion: (2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11)
  • 7× Greek Cup Winner: (2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012)
• Fenerbahçe (2013–present)
  • EuroLeague Champion: (2017)
  • 4× Turkish League Champion: (2013–14, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18)
  • Turkish Cup Winner: (2016)
  • 3× Turkish Super Cup Winner: (2013, 2016, 2017)
• FR Yugoslavia National Team (1995–2000)
  • Assistant coach
  • EuroBasket 1995:  Gold
  • Head coach
  • 1996 Summer Olympics:  Silver
  • EuroBasket 1997:  Gold
  • 1998 FIBA World Championship:  Gold
  • EuroBasket 1999:  Bronze