Kosovo men's national basketball team explained

Country:Kosovo
Coach:Rami Hadar
Joined Fiba:2015
Fiba Zone:FIBA Europe
National Fed:Federata e Basketbollit të Kosovës (FBK)
Wc Appearances:None
Zone Championship:EuroBasket
Zone Appearances:None
H Body:0000FF
H Pattern B:_thinyellowsides
H Shorts:0000FF
H Pattern S:_yellow_stripes_adidas
A Body:D2AB67
A Pattern B:_thinbluesides
A Shorts:D2AB67
A Pattern S:_blue_stripes_adidas
First Game: 113–68
(Ljubljana, Slovenia; 31 August 2016)
Largest Win: 76–49
(Prizren, Kosovo; 19 July 2023)
Largest Loss: 106–50
(Klaipėda, Lithuania; 26 February 2018)

The Kosovo men's national basketball team (Albanian: Kombëtarja e basketbollit të meshkujve të Kosovës, Serbian: Кошаркашкa репрезентација Косова|translit=Košarkaška reprezentacija Kosova) represents Kosovo in international basketball. They are controlled by the Basketball Federation of Kosovo, the governing body for basketball in Kosovo. Kosovo has been a member of FIBA since 13 March 2015.[1]

History

Pre-independence

The Basketball Federation of Kosovo was founded in 1991. During the Yugoslavian era, Kosovo had its own Superleague and lower divisions, in both genders. In the 1990s, Kosovo declared political and sports independence from the Yugoslav system, organising its own league, based on different teams from seven major cities of Kosovo. Some basketball players from Kosovo, especially Kosovo Serbs and Gorani, participated as part of the Serbia and Montenegro and Serbia national teams.

After independence

Kosovo were not allowed to play international matches, not even friendlies by FIBA, until 2015, when the Basketball Federation of Kosovo became an official member of FIBA and FIBA Europe. Kosovo took part in EuroBasket qualification for the first time in 2017.[2] On 31 August 2016, Kosovo played their first official international match against Slovenia during the EuroBasket 2017 qualifiers.[3]

A year later, the national team achieved their first ever win on 2 August 2017 by defeating Macedonia 72–68 in their first match during the 2019 FIBA World Cup European Pre-Qualifiers.[4] After the win, Kosovo would pick up one more victory during the Pre-Qualifiers, against Estonia 75–69 to finish with a (2–2) record to advance to the first round of World Cup qualifying.[5] In the next round, Kosovo would eventually see their World Cup hopes vanish, as the team went winless before being eliminated.[6] Despite all of that they maintain to reach the second qualifying round in their debut participation, reaching the round of 32 best Basketball teams in Europe.[7]

After missing out on reaching the 2019 FIBA World Cup, Kosovo went through pre-qualifiers in order to reach EuroBasket 2022. However, the team would only compile a (2–8) record during the pre-qualifying process to be unable to advance.[8]

Competitive record

FIBA World Cup

FIBA World CupQualification
YearYear
1950 to 1990colspan="4" rowspan="4"
1994 to 2006colspan="4"
2010colspan="4" rowspan="2"
2014
201920191028
20232023624
20272027colspan="3"
Total0/2000Total16412

Olympic Games

Olympic GamesQualifying
Year
1936 to 1988colspan="3" rowspan="7"
1992 to 2004colspan="4"
2008colspan="4" rowspan="2"
2012
2016colspan="4" rowspan="3"
2020
2024
2028colspan="3"
Total0/2000000

EuroBasket

EuroBasketQualification
YearYear
1935 to 1991colspan="4" rowspan="6"
1993 to 2007colspan="4"
2009colspan="4" rowspan="3"
2011
2013
2015colspan="4"
20172017606
20222022817
20252025835
Total0/3000Total22418

Results and fixtures

2025

Team

Current roster

The following is the Kosovo roster called up for the 2027 FIBA World Cup pre-qualifiers first round matches against Ireland and Azerbaijan, on 22 and 25 February 2024.[9]

Head coach history

NamePeriodRecord
1 Arben Krasniqi2011–2017
2 Brad Greenberg2017–2018
3 Damir Mulaomerović2018–2019
4 Christos Marmarinos2020–2023
5 Rami Hadar2023–

Retired numbers

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Kosovo becomes 215th National Member Federation of FIBA. https://web.archive.org/web/20150315235854/http://www.fiba.com/news/kosovo-becomes-215th-national-member-federation-of-fiba. live. 15 March 2015. FIBA. 13 March 2015.
  2. Web site: Kosova në kualifikimet për Eurobasket 2017. Kosovo in qualifications for Eurobasket 2017. Albanian. Telegrafi. 22 October 2015.
  3. Web site: Kosovo during the EuroBasket 2017 Qualifiers. 17 September 2016.
  4. Web site: Fitore e madhe e Kosovës ndaj Maqedonisë. Biggest win of Kosovo against Macedonia. Kosova të mërkurën mbrëma në Pallatin e Rinisë dhe Sporteve në Prishtinë para rreth 2000 shikuesve e ka mposhtur Maqedoninë me rezultat 72:68 (23:11, 17:9, 15:23, 17:25). Albanian. Basketball Federation of Kosovo. 3 August 2017. 3 August 2017. 25 June 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180625161155/http://www.basketbolli.com/sq/article/fitore-e-madhe-e-kosoves-ndaj-maqedonise. dead.
  5. Web site: Kosovo during the 2019 FIBA World Cup European Pre-Qualifiers. 19 August 2017.
  6. Web site: Kosovo during the 2019 FIBA World Cup European Qualifiers. 1 July 2018.
  7. Web site: Federata e Basketbollit të Kosovës .
  8. Web site: Kosovo during the EuroBasket 2022 Pre-Qualifiers. 17 August 2019.
  9. Web site: Lista e gjerë e Kosovës. Extensive list of Kosovo. Albanian. Basketball Federation of Kosovo. 5 February 2024.
  10. News: Fanella me numër 15 e Përfaqësueses së Kosovës pensionohet me emrin e Gazmend Sinanit. Kit with number 15 of Kosovo national team retired with name of Gazmend Sinani. Fanella me numër 15 e Përfaqësueses së Kosovës në basketboll do të pensionohet me emrin e basketbollistit Gazmend Sinani, i cili e humbi jetën në një aksident rrugor në orët e hershme të mëngjesit të së shtunës në Gjakovë. Albanian. Basketball Federation of Kosovo. 25 June 2018.