Neven Spahija
Neven Spahija (born 6 November 1962) is a Croatian professional basketball coach who is currently an assistant coach for the Memphis Grizzlies of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He previously spent 3 years in the league as an assistant coach, with his most recent tenure there being with the Atlanta Hawks.
Spahija coaching Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2018 | |
Memphis Grizzlies | |
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Position | Assistant coach |
League | NBA |
Personal information | |
Born | Šibenik, PR Croatia, FPR Yugoslavia | 6 November 1962
Nationality | Croatian |
Coaching career | 1986–present |
Career history | |
As coach: | |
1986–1987 | Elemes Šibenik (assistant) |
1994–1996 | Zrinjevac (assistant) |
1996–1997 | Gradine Pula |
1999–2000 | Union Olimpija (assistant) |
2000–2001 | Cibona |
2001–2003 | Krka Novo Mesto |
2003 | Avtodor Saratov |
2004–2005 | Roseto Sharks |
2005–2006 | Lietuvos rytas |
2006–2007 | Maccabi Tel Aviv |
2007–2008 | Tau Cerámica |
2008–2010 | Valencia |
2010–2012 | Fenerbahçe Ülker |
2013 | Cibona |
2014–2017 | Atlanta Hawks (assistant) |
2017–2018 | Maccabi Tel Aviv |
2019–present | Memphis Grizzlies (assistant) |
Career highlights and awards | |
As head coach
|
Coaching career
Club career
Spahija started his basketball coaching career with Gradine Pula from Croatia and Olimpija Ljubljana from Slovenia, working as an assistant coach. He started his head coaching career with Cibona from Croatia, where he won his first league championship in 2001. He then worked with Krka Novo Mesto from Slovenia, Avtodor Saratov from Russia, Lietuvos rytas from Lithuania, Maccabi Tel Aviv from Israel, Baskonia and Valencia from Spain.
From 2010 to 2012, he was the head coach of the Turkish club Fenerbahçe Ülker.[1] In June 2013, he was named the head coach of Cibona, for the next four years.[2] In November 2013, he parted ways with Cibona.[3]
On 4 August 2014, Spahija was hired by the Atlanta Hawks, to be their assistant coach.[4]
On 26 June 2017, Spahija returned to Maccabi Tel Aviv for a second stint, signing a 2+1-year contract.[5] In the 2017–18 season, Spahija led Maccabi to win the 2018 Israeli League Championship. On 18 November 2018, he parted ways with Maccabi after four consecutive losses and a 1–6 start to the 2018–19 EuroLeague season.[6]
In August 2019, Spahija was hired by the Memphis Grizzlies, to be their assistant coach.[7]
National team career
Spahija led the senior Croatia national team between 2001 and 2005, coaching them at the 2003 and 2005 European Championships.
Coaching record
Legend | |||||||||
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G | Games coached | W | Games won | L | Games lost | W–L % | Win-loss % |
Note: The EuroLeague is not the only competition in which the team played during the season. He also coached in domestic competition, and regional competition if applicable.
EuroLeague
Team | Year | G | W | L | W–L% | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cibona Zagreb | 2000–01 | 12 | 3 | 9 | .250 | Eliminated in Top 16 stage |
2001–02 | 6 | 2 | 4 | .333 | Fired | |
Krka | 2001–02 | 5 | 4 | 1 | .800 | Eliminated in regular season |
Lietuvos rytas | 2005–06 | 20 | 11 | 9 | .550 | Eliminated in Top 16 stage |
Maccabi Tel Aviv | 2006–07 | 23 | 13 | 10 | .565 | Eliminated in quarterfinals |
Tau Cerámica | 2007–08 | 25 | 16 | 9 | .640 | Lost in 3rd place game |
Fenerbahçe Ülker | 2010–11 | 16 | 10 | 6 | .625 | Eliminated in Top 16 stage |
2011–12 | 16 | 8 | 8 | .500 | Eliminated in Top 16 stage | |
Maccabi Tel Aviv | 2017–18 | 30 | 13 | 17 | .433 | Eliminated in Top 16 stage |
2018–19 | 7 | 1 | 6 | .143 | Fired | |
Career | 160 | 81 | 79 | .523 |
See also
References
- Spahija set for Fenerbahce Ulker
- Cibona name Neven Spahija head coach
- Neven Spahija, Cibona part ways
- Hawks Name Neven Spahija Assistant Coach
- Maccabi brings Spahija back to EuroLeague
- Maccabi hires Sfairopoulos in place of Spahija as head coach
- "Neven Spahija pomoćni trener u Memphisu". sport.hrt.hr (in Croatian). 6 August 2019. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
External links
- ACB.com Profile (in Spanish)
- Euroleague.net Profile