Basketball is a team sport, one where everyone has their position and their purpose. Extend this beyond just players, a coach is as important as any single player, team managers can just as likely make or break a game as anyone in the court, and so on. If you keep going to the very top, you’ll get a brief history of the career of one of the most beloved Serbian basketball players, Predrag Danilovic (Predrag Danilovic). Also known as Sasa Danilovic, this stellar player started his career at a very early age, moving to Belgrade from his home town while he was still a teenager. He was ready to make such a such a bold move because it meant that he would get a chance to play for a team he earnestly admired – Partizan. It didn’t take long before his talent, passion and dedication earned him the recognition of both his peers and superiors. His very first season playing for his new team was already indicative of an amazing career that was awaiting. This garnered enough attention for him to be invited into the national team of Yugoslavia. His performance in the European Championship in his second year of playing professionally was so exemplary that it made every basketball fan in the country instantly aware of the name Predrag Danilovic. One successful season followed the other, and despite his commitment to the team, Danilovic needed new challenges. His ambition leads him to Italy, specifically Virtus from Bologna. Once again, the period between him getting recognized and becoming adored is incredibly short. His energetic and uncompromising style makes him an instant fan favorite, so solidly cementing his popularity that his name is still mentioned in Italy with something close to reverence. Always looking ahead, Predrag Danilovic tries his hand in the NBA, but soon returns to Italy, only to retire in 2000. Since he was still at the top of his game, this move surprised a lot of people, but what wasn’t surprising is the fact that, despite he left the court, Sasa remains loyal both to the sport and the team he always considered his home – Partizan. The same year he stopped playing, he becomes the deputy general manager in his team, only to move up several years later to the position of general manager. It wasn’t until 2015 that he feels like he’s done everything he could for the team, and once again, decides to move on. Following the established progression, the only way to move was up, and in this case, the only option was a position in the Basketball Federation of Serbia. It was in 2016 that Predrag Danilovic was elected president of this body, and already, his influence is noticeable. Despite most people instinctively associating him with Partizan, Danilovic has, in the time he has held the position, proved to be not only unbiased but dedicated to bringing the two eternal rivals, Partizan and Crvena Zvezda, closer together. It is his reasoning that the two teams could help the sport in the country prosper to a much higher level by pooling their resources, and, along with the other teams in Serbia, creating an environment much more suitable for nurturing young talent. His track record so far indicates that Sasa Danilovic might just be capable of succeeding at that.
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