Kosovo national basketball team

Kosovo Kosovo
FIBA ranking 82 Decrease 1 (18 September 2018)
Joined FIBA 2015
FIBA zone FIBA Europe
National federation Federata e Basketbollit të Kosovës (FBK)
Coach Damir Mulaomerović
Nickname(s) Dardanët (Dardanians)
Olympic Games
Appearances None
FIBA World Cup
Appearances None
EuroBasket
Appearances None
Uniforms
Light
Dark
First international
 Slovenia 113–68 Kosovo 
(Ljubljana, Slovenia; 31 August 2016)
Biggest win
 Kosovo 75–69 Estonia 
(Pristina, Kosovo; 19 August 2017)
Biggest defeat
 Lithuania 106–50 Kosovo 
(Klaipėda, Lithuania; 26 February 2018)

The Kosovo national basketball team (Albanian: Përfaqësuesja e basketbollit të Kosovës, Serbian: Кошаркашкa репрезентација Косова, translit. Košarkaška reprezentacija Kosova) represents Kosovo in international men's basketball. It is controlled by the Basketball Federation of Kosovo, the governing body for basketball in Kosovo. They have been a member of FIBA since 13 March 2015.[1]

History

The Basketball Federation of Kosovo was founded in 1991. During the Yugoslavian era, Kosovo had its own Superleague and lower divisions, in both genders. In the 1990s, Kosovo declared political and sports independence from the Yugoslav system, organising its own league, based on different teams from seven major cities of Kosovo. Some basketball players from Kosovo, especially Kosovo Serbs, participated as part of the Serbia and Montenegro/Serbia.

Kosovo was not allowed to play international matches, not even friendlies by FIBA, until 2015, when the Basketball Federation of Kosovo, became an official member of FIBA and FIBA Europe. Kosovo will be part of EuroBasket qualifications for the first time, as they will compete in the EuroBasket 2017 qualification.[2] FIBA is about to allow a lot of Kosovan players, that have already played for other national teams to play for their own country.

On 2 August 2017. Kosovo achieved their first win ever by defeating Macedonia 72–68 in the first match of the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup pre-qualifications.[3]

Competitive record

Olympic Games

Olympic Games record
Year Round Pos Pld W L Squad
Germany 1936 to United States 1996 Part of  Yugoslavia and
 Serbia and Montenegro
Australia 2000 to United Kingdom 2012 Not a IOC member
Brazil 2016 Could not enter
Japan 2020 To be determined
France 2024
United States 2028
Total — 0/22 0 0 0 —

FIBA World Cup

FIBA World Cup record Qualifications record
Year Round Pos Pld W L Squad Year Pld W L
Argentina 1950 to Greece 1998 Part of  Yugoslavia and
 Serbia and Montenegro		 —
United States 2002 to Spain 2014 Not a FIBA member Not a FIBA member
China 2019 Did not qualify China 2019 1028
PhilippinesJapanIndonesia 2023 To be determined To be determined
Total — 0/18 0 0 0 — Total 10 2 8

EuroBasket

EuroBasket record Qualifications record
Year Round Pos Pld W L Squad Year Pld W L Squad
Switzerland 1935 to France 1999 Part of  Yugoslavia and
 Serbia and Montenegro		 —
Turkey 2001 to Slovenia 2013 Not a FIBA Europe member Not a FIBA Europe member
FranceCroatiaGermanyLatvia 2015 Could not enter Could not enter
FinlandIsraelRomaniaTurkey 2017 Did not qualify FinlandIsraelRomaniaTurkey 2017 606 Squad
2021 To be determined 2021 101 N/A
Total — 0/41 0 0 0 — Total 7 0 7 —

Team

Current roster

The following is the Kosovo roster were called up for the EuroBasket 2021 qualification match against  Macedonia, on 13 September 2018.[4]

Kosovo national basketball team roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.No.NameAge – Date of birthHeightClubCtr.
PG 0 Bunjaku, Valon 20 – (1998-02-02)2 February 1998 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) Prishtina Kosovo
G/F 3 Bamforth, Scott 29 – (1989-08-12)12 August 1989 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) Dinamo Sassari Italy
PG 4 Mekaj, Leonard 23 – (1995-02-27)27 February 1995 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) Golden Eagle Ylli Kosovo
SG 5 Kastrati, Erjon 23 – (1994-12-30)30 December 1994 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) Olimpija Slovenia
PF 6 Morina, Gëzim 25 – (1992-12-12)12 December 1992 2.04 m (6 ft 8 in) Šenčur Slovenia
PF 7 Rugova, Fisnik 29 – (1989-08-26)26 August 1989 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) Prishtina Kosovo
F 8 Veseli, Alban 28 – (1990-01-10)10 January 1990 2.02 m (6 ft 8 in) Prishtina Kosovo
C 10 Grosha, Ergin 25 – (1993-01-07)7 January 1993 2.11 m (6 ft 11 in) Bashkimi Prizren Kosovo
SG 11 Berisha, Dardan 29 – (1988-11-15)15 November 1988 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) Prishtina Kosovo
C 12 Shoshi, Lis 24 – (1994-06-29)29 June 1994 2.11 m (6 ft 11 in) Maccabi Ashdod Israel
G 34 Ahmetbašić, Mirza 30 – (1987-11-23)23 November 1987 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) Ohrid Republic of Macedonia
G 41 Uka, Rron 18 – (2000-09-10)10 September 2000 2.00 m (6 ft 7 in) Vëllaznimi Kosovo
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • Age – describes age,
    on 11 September 2018

Retired numbers

No. Player Position Tenure Date of retirement Ref
15 Gazmend Sinani Center 2016
2018		 25 June 2018 [5]

References

  1. ↑ "Kosovo becomes 215th National Member Federation of FIBA". FIBA. 13 March 2015.
  2. ↑ "Kosova në kualifikimet për Eurobasket 2017" [Kosovo in qualifications for Eurobasket 2017] (in Albanian). Telegrafi. 22 October 2015.
  3. ↑ "Fitore e madhe e Kosovës ndaj Maqedonisë" [Biggest win of Kosovo against Macedonia] (in Albanian). Basketball Federation of Kosovo. 3 August 2017. Kosova të mërkurën mbrëma në Pallatin e Rinisë dhe Sporteve në Prishtinë para rreth 2000 shikuesve e ka mposhtur Maqedoninë me rezultat 72:68 (23:11, 17:9, 15:23, 17:25)
  4. ↑ "Kosova e gatshme për duelin kundër Maqedonisë" [Kosovo ready for the duel against Macedonia] (in Albanian). Basketball Federation of Kosovo. 11 September 2018.
  5. ↑ "Fanella me numër 15 e Përfaqësueses së Kosovës pensionohet me emrin e Gazmend Sinanit" [Kit with number 15 of Kosovo national team retired with name of Gazmend Sinani] (in Albanian). Basketball Federation of Kosovo. 25 June 2018. Fanella me numër 15 e Përfaqësueses së Kosovës në basketboll do të pensionohet me emrin e basketbollistit Gazmend Sinani, i cili e humbi jetën në një aksident rrugor në orët e hershme të mëngjesit të së shtunës në Gjakovë
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