Cibona Zagreb

Founded in 1946 as the basketball section of the Sloboda sports society, Košarkaški klub Cibona grew from its Zagreb beginnings into one of the giants of European basketball. The club took the name Lokomotiva in 1950, and the turning point in its history came in 1975, when it was renamed Cibona. That was the beginning of a period that would put Zagreb at the very centre of the European basketball map.

The high point of the club's history was the “golden era” of the 1980s. Led by the legendary Dražen Petrović on the floor and by coach Željko Pavličević on the bench, and with the vision and decisive contribution of Mirko Novosel, Cibona won two consecutive European champions' titles, in 1985 and in 1986. The Wolves became a byword for attacking, fearless, winning basketball, and one of the most recognisable teams of their time. A special place in that story belongs to Dražen Petrović, an icon of Cibona and one of the greatest players the game has known, whose name the club's home carries with pride to this day.

After Croatian independence Cibona became the standard-bearer of the game at home. The club has won a record 21 Croatian championships, among them a run of 11 in a row. Its strength and character showed again in 2014, when the team won the ABA League against every expectation and confirmed its place among the most important clubs in the region once more.

Cibona's lasting legacy is not made of trophies alone, but of the people who have worn its jersey. For decades the club has been where outstanding players were built and made their name – from Mihovil Nakić, Zoran Čutura and Franjo Arapović to Bojan Bogdanović, Dario Šarić and Ivica Zubac. Today Cibona remains one of the symbols of Zagreb and of Croatian sport, joining a rich history to a responsibility towards new generations and the future of the game.