Cibona legends visited the Sports association of Zagreb

In a year when BC Cibona is celebrating two major anniversaries — 80 years since the club’s founding and 40 years since winning its second European champions title — the leadership of the Sports association of the City of Zagreb yesterday hosted members of the legendary 1986 generation led by coach Željko Pavličević.

Clearly overwhelmed with emotion, Cibona legends Franjo Arapović, Danko Cvjetičanin, Damir Pavličević, Sven Ušić, Dražen Anzulović and coach Željko Pavličević thanked SSGZ president Vjekoslav Šafranić and secretary general Suzana Šop for their hospitality and attention. The most emotional among them was Rajko Gospodnetić, who won the FIBA Cup Winners Cup in 1982, but admitted with tears in his eyes that he regretted ending his career two years later and therefore missing the peak of the club’s success.

Host Vjekoslav Šafranić recalled the shared sporting days and friendships with Cibosi, friendships so strong that he donated the entire purse from his full-contact fight against Dominique Valera toward the construction of Cibona’s arena, today known as Dražen Petrović Basketball hall.

Secretary general Suzana Šop sincerely expressed her satisfaction at welcoming generations that shaped the history of Zagreb and Croatian basketball. She thanked the club’s current leadership, headed by director Tomislav Šerić, as well as the city administration, for finding solutions to guide the club out of difficult circumstances during turbulent times.

“Cibona is part of our city’s identity”, added Šop, emphasizing that everyone must work to ensure it remains so.

Aware of Cibona’s importance and rich history, Marko Bošnjak, deputy head for sports development and promotion at the City Office for Education, Sports and Youth, expressed support for the club, as did Boris Gnjidić, secretary general of the Zagreb Basketball Association.

It is also worth highlighting coach Željko Pavličević’s appeal to stress that athletes have nothing to do with the negativity often used to generalize Croatian sport, and that everything possible should be done to protect them.

The reception continued in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, and the unity they once shared as players could still be felt today, accompanied by plenty of jokes and teasing. The gathering at the Sports Association of the City of Zagreb and the gratitude shown for the attention dedicated to them serve as proof that we too quickly forget our sporting legends, while they, despite their greatness, remain humble people.