KK Split explained

Split
Nickname:Žuti (The Yellows)
Color1:black
Color2:gold
Color3:black
Leagues:ABA League
Croatian League
Founded:1945; 75 years ago
History:KK Hajduk
(1945–1949)
KK Split
(1949–1967)
KK Jugoplastika
(1967–1990)
KK POP 84
(1990–1991)
KK Slobodna Dalmacija
(1991–1993)
KK Croatia Osiguranje
(1993–1997)
KK Split
(1997–present)
Arena:Arena Gripe
Capacity:3,500
Location:Split, Croatia
Colors:Yellow and Black
President:Ante Vuković
Gm:Dejan Žaja
Coach:Slaven Rimac
Championships:3 EuroLeague
2 Korać Cup
3 Triple Crown
1 Croatian Championship
5 Croatian Cups
6 Yugoslav Championships
5 Yugoslav Cups
H Body:f8b411
H Pattern B:_thinblacksides
H Shorts:f8b411
A Body:f8b411
A Pattern B:_thinsidesonblack
A Shorts:000000

Košarkaški klub Split (English: Split Basketball Club), commonly referred to as KK Split or simply Split, is a men's professional basketball club based in Split, Croatia. The club competes in the ABA League and the Croatian League.

History

The club's roots are found in Hajduk sports society's basketball section, which was established in 1945. After three years of mostly sporadic activity, in 1948, the club established its own organizational structure known as KK Hajduk, which was independent of sports society. In the next year, 1949, the club changed its name to KK Split.

After competing in the Yugoslav lower divisions for more than a decade, the club finally made it to the Yugoslav top-tier level Yugoslav First Federal League, for the 1963–64 season, and it stayed there until the breakup of Yugoslavia.

In 1967, the club adopted–for sponsorship reasons–the name Jugoplastika (Jugoplastika was a factory of clothing, accessories, and footwear products, made from thermoplastic materials and fiberglass; the original predecessor of AD Plastik),[1] and kept it until the end of the 1989–90 season. In the next season, the club participated in the worldwide, national domestic, and European competitions, under the sponsorship of POP 84 (an Italian clothes company from Ancona).[2]

KK Split is among the most successful clubs in European basketball history. They are, together with the first champions of the competition, Rīgas ASK, the only team to win the EuroLeague trophy three times in a row. In the years 1989, 1990, and 1991, the team, which was known back then as Jugoplastika and POP 84, with players like Dino Rađa, Toni Kukoč, Žan Tabak, Velimir Perasović and Zoran Savić, won the European top-tier level basketball trophy.

Apart from these successes, the club also reached the FIBA European Champions Cup final in 1972, and the FIBA European Cup Winners' Cup final in 1973. It lost both finals against the 1970s Italian League superpower Ignis Varese, and the Soviet Union League club Spartak Leningrad. KK Split also won back-to-back Korać Cup titles in 1976, against Chinamartini Torino, and in 1977, against Alco Bologna.

Players

Current roster

FIBA Hall of Famers

KK Split Hall of Famers
Players
No. Nat. Name Position Tenure Inducted
7 1985–1991 2017[3]

Honours

Total titles: 24

Domestic competitions

Winners (1): 2002–03

Runners-up (8): 1992–93, 1993–94, 1995–96, 1996–97, 2000–01, 2007–08, 2020–21, 2022–23, 2023-24

Winners (5): 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1996–97, 2003–04

Runners-up (3): 1995–96, 1998–99, 2020–21

Winners (6): 1970–71, 1976–77, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91

Runners-up (6): 1971–72, 1973–74, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1978–79, 1979–80

Winners (5): 1971–72, 1973–74, 1976–77, 1989–90, 1990–91

Runners-up (5): 1969–70, 1974–75, 1984–85, 1987–88, 1988–89

Winners (1): 1981–82

European competitions

See also: List of European Major Basketball club competition winners.

Winners (3): 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91

Runners-up (1): 1971–72

Final Four (3): 1989, 1990, 1991

Runners-up (1): 1972–73

Semifinalists (1): 1974–75

Winners (2): 1975–76, 1976–77

Semifinalists (3): 1973–74, 1978–79, 1979–80

Winners (1): 1990

Runners-up (2): 1988, 1989

4th place (1): 1991

Worldwide competitions

4th place (1): 1973

Runners-up (2): 1989, 1990

4th place (1): 1991

Other competitions

Winners (1): 1989

Runners-up (1): 1990

Individual club awards

Winners (2): 1989–90, 1990–91

Winners (1): 1976–77

Top performances in European competitions

See main article: KK Split in international competitions.

SeasonAchievementNotes
EuroLeague
1971–72Finallost to Ignis Varese, 69-70 in the final (Tel Aviv)
1977–78Semi-final group stage5th place in a group with Real Madrid, Mobilgirgi Varese, ASVEL, Maccabi Tel Aviv and Alvik
1988–89Championsdefeated FC Barcelona 87–77 in the semi-final, defeated Maccabi Tel Aviv 75–69 in the final of the Final Four in Munich
1989–90Championsdefeated Limoges CSP 101–83 in the semi-final, defeated FC Barcelona Banca Catalana 72–67 in the final of the Final Four in Zaragoza
1990–91Championsdefeated Scavolini Pesaro 93–87 in the semi-final, defeated FC Barcelona Banca Catalana 70–65 in the final of the Final Four in Paris
2000–01Quarter-finalseliminated by Efes Pilsen, 69–95 (L) in Istanbul, 72–64 (W) in Split and 59–82 (L) in Istanbul
FIBA Saporta Cup
1972–73Finallost to Spartak Leningrad, 62–77 in the final (Thessaloniki)
1974–75Semi-finalseliminated by Crvena zvezda, 88–76 (W) in Split and 63-81 (L) in Belgrade
1985–86Quarter-finals3rd place in a group with FC Barcelona, Scavolini Pesaro and Landis&Gyr Wien
1992–93Quarter-finals3rd place in a group with Sato Aris, Hapoel Galil Elyon, Benfica, Pitch Cholet and Budivelnyk
1993–94Quarter-finals3rd place in a group with Smelt Olimpija, Taugrés, Fidefinanz Bellinzona, Tofaş and Rabotnički
1994–95Quarter-finals3rd place in a group with Olympique Antibes, Iraklis Aspis Pronoia, Maes Flandria, Kyiv and Fidefinanz Bellinzona
FIBA Korać Cup
1973–74Semi-finalseliminated by Partizan, 97–108 (L) in Belgrade and 85–75 (W) in Split
1975–76Championsdefeated Chinamartini Torino, 97–84 (W) in Split and 82–82 (D) in Turin in the double finals of Korać Cup
1976–77Championsdefeated Alco Bologna, 87–84 in the final of Korać Cup in Genoa
1978–79Semi-finalseliminated by Partizan, 96–97 (L) in Split and 96–98 (L) in Belgrade
1979–80Semi-finalseliminated by Arrigoni Rieti, 75–86 (L) in Rieti and 104–97 (W) in Split
FIBA Intercontinental Cup
19734th4th place in a group with Ignis Varese, Sírio, Vaqueros de Bayamón and Lexington Marathon Oilers
McDonald's Championship
1989Finaldefeated Philips Milano 102–97 in the semi-final, lost to Denver Nuggets 129–139 in the final (Rome)
1990Finaldefeated FC Barcelona Banca Catalana 102–97 in the semi-final, lost to New York Knicks 101–117 in the final (Barcelona)
19914th4th place in Paris, lost to Montigalà Joventut 86–117 in the semi-final, lost to Limoges CSP 91–105 in the 3rd place game

The road to the European Cup victories

1975–76 FIBA Korać Cup

RoundTeamHome  Away  
2nd Panellinios105–6163–78
Top 16 Standard Liège78–7187–83
Berck90–6979–99
Mobilquatro Milano99–83100–101
SF Sinudyne Bologna74–8392–79
F Chinamartini Torino97–8482–82
1976–77 FIBA Korać Cup
RoundTeamHome  Away  
2ndBye (as title holder)
Top 12 Standard Liège88–8491–75
Canon Venezia102–8895–66
SF IBP Stella Azzurra96–7176–87
F Alco Bologna87–84

1988–89 FIBA European Champions Cup

RoundTeamHome  Away  
Top 16 Ovarense113–7694–87
QF Limoges CSP87–7893–95
Scavolini Pesaro88–6575–88
Nashua EBBC86–7988–83
FC Barcelona84–7970–79
Aris94–8385–96
CSKA Moscow89–7777–91
Maccabi Tel Aviv85–8690–102
SF FC Barcelona87–77
F Maccabi Tel Aviv75–69
1989–90 FIBA European Champions Cup
RoundTeamHome  Away  
Top 16 MIM Livingston122–6597–84
QF FC Barcelona Banca Catalana86–7373–79
Philips Milano95–8984–73
Limoges CSP103–8393–100
Commodore Den Helder105–7883–76
Maccabi Tel Aviv79–6193–87
Aris85–8980–79
Lech Poznań98–74120–73
SF Limoges CSP101–83
F FC Barcelona Banca Catalana72–67
1990–91 FIBA European Champions Cup
RoundTeamHome  Away  
Top 16 Galatasaray101–7097–86
QF Scavolini Pesaro86–66106–105
Kingston Kings91–7289–87
FC Barcelona Banca Catalana87–9185–92
Aris93–6371–92
Bayer 04 Leverkusen85–84103–87
Maccabi Tel Aviv70–7265–103
Limoges CSP92–8884–73
SF Scavolini Pesaro93–87
F FC Barcelona Banca Catalana70–65

One of the greatest dynasties in European-wide basketball club competition history, came between 1989 and 1991, when Split simply dominated the FIBA European Champions Cup (EuroLeague) like no other team had in decades. Head coach Božidar Maljković, put together arguably one of the most talented young teams ever seen anywhere: featuring Toni Kukoč, Dino Rađa, Žan Tabak, Velimir Perasović, Zoran Sretenović, and Luka Pavićević, who joined forces with veterans like Duško Ivanović. In 1989, Jugoplastika reached the Final Four, along with heavy favorites FC Barcelona, Maccabi Tel Aviv, and the very competitive Aris. Kukoč had 24 points and Ivanović had 21, to lead Split past FC Barcelona, by a score of 89–77, in the semifinals. Once in the final, Jugoplastika edged Maccabi 75–69, behind 20 points from Rađa, and 18 from an unstoppable Kukoč, whose combination of size, speed, and incredible court vision, turned him into a one-of-a-kind player.

Jugoplastika met FC Barcelona again, in the 1990 FIBA European Champions Cup Final Four, in Zaragoza, Spain. FC Barcelona was backed by thousands of fans, and managed to get a brief 61–59 lead, late in the second half, but Kukoč buried a couple of critical three-pointers, that sent Jugoplastika on its way to its second straight title. Kukoč finished the game with 20 points, and the EuroLeague Final Four MVP award, in his magic hands.

In most places, one can find that the European champions in 1991, were called POP 84, but that was just the name of the sponsor under which the talented players of KK Split were playing that season. Despite being without Dino Rađa and Duško Ivanović, the team from Split was led by a great Toni Kukoč, and a genius-like Zoran Savić, to their third consecutive title. Since the time when Rīgas ASK of the USSR League, won three straight European titles, in 1958, 1959, and 1960, no other team had won three in a row. And in the Final Four era, only two other teams besides Jugoplastika have been able to win even two consecutively (Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2004 and 2005, and Olympiacos in 2012, and 2013).

In 1991, the competition provided some big surprises, leading up to the Final Four at Paris. English club Kingston Kings of the British Basketball League, eliminated CSKA Moscow, and what is more, with a double victory, 93–77 at home and 72–74 in Moscow. German club Bayer 04 Leverkusen of the Basketball Bundesliga, made its debut in the third round, but the other faces were well known to everyone: FC Barcelona Banca Catalana ended first in that phase (11–3), POP 84 was second (9–5), and the other two Final Four teams would be Scavolini Pesaro and Maccabi Tel Aviv, tied at 8–6. Once again, the first team of the previous round did not get the title. In a rematch of the previous year's final – an occurrence that has not been repeated since – the team from Split won 70–65, almost identical to the 1990 score (72–67). Thanks to a great performance by Savić, who scored 27 points, Jugoplastika had an historic three–peat.

Seasons in Yugoslavia

Split participated in the Yugoslav First Basketball League from the 1964 season, until the breakup of Yugoslavia, in summer of 1991 (except for 1981–82 season, when the club was relegated to the 2nd-tier level Yugoslav 1. B Federal Basketball League).

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Notable players

Players at the NBA draft

PositionPlayerYearRoundPickDrafted by
PF/C Dino Rađa^19892nd round40thBoston Celtics
SF/PF Toni Kukoč^19902nd round29th Chicago Bulls
C Žan Tabak19912nd round51stHouston Rockets
C Bruno Šundov19982nd round35thDallas Mavericks
PG/SG Roko Ukić20052nd round41stToronto Raptors

Head coaches

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Company history AD Plastik . www.adplastik.hr . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140825015606/http://www.adplastik.hr/en/19-company-history/ . 2014-08-25.
  2. Web site: Pop84 . 2017-02-15 . 2017-02-16 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170216131804/https://www.pop84.com/story . dead .
  3. Web site: FIBA.basketball. 20 August 2019.

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