Kosovo men's national basketball team

The Kosovo men's national basketball team (Albanian: Kombëtarja e basketbollit të meshkujve të Kosovës, Serbian: Мушкарци кошаркашкa репрезентација Косова, romanized: Muškarci 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.[2]

Kosovo
FIBA ranking69 (3 March 2020)[1]
Joined FIBA2015
FIBA zoneFIBA Europe
National federationFederata e Basketbollit e Kosovës (FBK)
CoachChristos Marmarinos
Nickname(s)Dardanët (Dardanians)
Olympic Games
AppearancesNone
FIBA World Cup
AppearancesNone
EuroBasket
AppearancesNone
First international
 Slovenia 113–68 Kosovo 
(Ljubljana, Slovenia; 31 August 2016)
Biggest win
 Kosovo 109–88 Luxembourg 
(Pristina, Kosovo; 14 August 2019)
Biggest defeat
 Lithuania 106–50 Kosovo 
(Klaipėda, Lithuania; 26 February 2018)

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, Gorani and other non-Albanians, participated as part of the Serbia and Montenegro and 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.[3] 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.[4]

Competitive record

Olympic Games
Olympic Games record
Year Round Pos Pld W L Squad
1936 to 2004 Part of Yugoslavia and Serbia and Montenegro
2008 to 2012 Not a IOC member
2016 Could not enter
2020 Did not qualify
2024 To be determined
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
1950 to 2006 Part of Yugoslavia and Serbia and Montenegro —
2002 to 2014 Not a FIBA member Not a FIBA member
2019 Did not qualify 2019 1028
2023 To be determined 2023 220
Total — 0/18 0 0 0 — Total 12 4 8

EuroBasket
EuroBasket record Qualifications record
Year Round Pos Pld W L Squad Year Pld W L Squad
1935 to 2007 Part of Yugoslavia and Serbia —
2009 to 2013 Not a FIBA Europe member Not a FIBA Europe member
2015 Could not enter Could not enter
2017 Did not qualify 2017 606 Squad
2021 Did not qualify 2021 817 N/A
Total — 0/41 0 0 0 — Total 14 1 13 —

Team

Current roster

The following is the Kosovo roster were called up for the first round of 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup pre-qualifications matches against  Iceland and  Luxembourg, on 20 and 23 February 2020.[5]

Kosovo national basketball team roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.No.NameAge – Date of birthHeightClubCtr.
G/F 4 Azemi, Edmond 39 – (1980-09-10)10 September 1980 2.00 m (6 ft 7 in) Prishtina
SG 5 Kastrati, Erjon 25 – (1994-12-30)30 December 1994 1.99 m (6 ft 6 in) Egis Körmend
PF 6 Morina, Gëzim 27 – (1992-12-12)12 December 1992 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) Hopsi Polzela
F/C 7 Rugova, Fisnik 30 – (1989-08-26)26 August 1989 2.07 m (6 ft 9 in) Prishtina
SG 11 Berisha, Dardan (C) 31 – (1988-11-15)15 November 1988 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) Peja
F 12 Hajrizi, Drilon 29 – (1991-01-17)17 January 1991 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) Peja
C 14 Zenelaj, Urim 28 – (1991-06-17)17 June 1991 2.13 m (7 ft 0 in) Ponte Prizreni
SG 18 Tmušić, Mikaile 27 – (1993-01-06)6 January 1993 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in) Prishtina
F 21 Zekiqi, Samir 25 – (1995-01-23)23 January 1995 2.02 m (6 ft 8 in) Ylli
SF 23 Ismaili, Meriton 19 – (2000-04-03)3 April 2000 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in) Prishtina
PG 55 Morina, Altin 27 – (1992-06-19)19 June 1992 1.94 m (6 ft 4 in) Rahoveci
PG 66 Bunjaku, Valon 22 – (1998-02-02)2 February 1998 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) Ylli
Head coach
  • Christos Marmarinos
Assistant coach(es)
  • Bujar Loci
  • Gyltekin Selimi
  • Dritëro Sefaja
  • Illmen Bajra
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • Age – describes age,
    on 21 February 2020

Retired numbers
No. Player Position Tenure Date of retirement Ref
15 Gazmend Sinani Center 2016
2018		 25 June 2018 (2018-06-25) [6]

References
  1. "FIBA Ranking Presented by Nike". FIBA. 3 March 2020. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  2. "Kosovo becomes 215th National Member Federation of FIBA". FIBA. 13 March 2015.
  3. "Kosova në kualifikimet për Eurobasket 2017" [Kosovo in qualifications for Eurobasket 2017] (in Albanian). Telegrafi. 22 October 2015.
  4. "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)
  5. "12-shja e Kosovës përballë Islandës dhe Luksemburgut" [Kosovo's 12th against Iceland and Luxembourg] (in Albanian). Basketball Federation of Kosovo. 20 February 2020.
  6. "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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