Willy Steveniers

Jean Willem "Willy" Steveniers (born December 12, 1938) is a Belgian former professional basketball player and coach. Standing at 1.80 m (5' 11") tall, Steveniers played at the shooting guard position.[1]

Willy Steveniers
Personal information
Born (1938-12-12) December 12, 1938
Antwerp, Belgium
NationalityBelgian
Listed height1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Listed weight84 kg (185 lb)
PositionShooting guard
Career history
As player:
0Zaziko Antwerp
1964–1968Racing Mechelen
1968–1971Standard Liege
0Eural Goldfingers
1975Belgium Lions
0Aalst
0Antwerpse
0Royal Fresh Air
0Racing Mechelen
As coach:
2003–2004Basket Willebroek
Career highlights and awards
As player:
  • FIBA's 50 Greatest Players (1991)
  • FIBA European Selection (1966)
  • 5× Belgian League champion (1965–1967, 1970, 1980)
  • 3× Belgian Cup winner (1964, 1965, 1969)
  • 4× Belgian Player of the Year (1965–1967, 1970)
  • Best Belgian Basketball Player of the 20th Century
  • Belgian League Lifetime Achievement Award (2019)

He was named the Belgian Player of the Year four times. He was named one of FIBA's 50 Greatest Players, in 1991. He is generally considered by most fans and sports journalists to have been the best Belgian basketball player of all-time. During his playing career, his nickname was, "The Emperor of Belgian Basketball".[2]

Playing career

Club career

During his club career, Steveniers played in the Belgian League, with Zaziko Antwerpen, Racing Mechelen, Standard Liege, Eural Goldfingers (Wilrijk), Aalst, Antwerpse, and Royal Fresh Air. He is the Belgian League's all-time top scorer, with 11,870 career points scored.[3] He won the league's championship five times, four times with Racing Mechelen, and once with Standard Liege.

With Standard Liege, he made it to the semifinals of the FIBA European Champions Cup (now called EuroLeague), in the 1968–69 season. He also won the Belgian Cup that season. He was named the Belgian Player of the Year in 1965, 1966, 1967, and 1970. He was named to the FIBA European Selection team, in 1966.

At the age of 21, he was offered an NBA contract, but he turned it down.

National team career

Steveniers was a member of the senior Belgian national basketball team. With Belgium's senior national team, he played in 54 games. He played at the 1959 EuroBasket, and at the 1961 EuroBasket.[4]

Coaching career

After he retired from playing professional basketball, Steveniers became a basketball coach. He was D. J. Mbenga's personal youth coach.[5]

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References
  1. Positie 2: Shooting guard (in Dutch).
  2. Willy STEVENIERS (in Dutch).
  3. Pour Willy Steveniers, les exploits du présent n'égalent pas ceux du passé Ostende en demi-finale, trente ans après le Standard (in French).
  4. Jean STEVENIERS (BEL).
  5. Willy STEVENIERS (in Dutch).
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