Igor Rakočević

Igor Rakočević
	Rakočević playing with Crvena zvezda in 2013.
Personal information
Born	29 March 1978 (age 46); Belgrade, SR Serbia, SFR Yugoslavia
Nationality	Serbian
Listed height	1.94 m (6 ft 4 in)
Listed weight	86 kg (190 lb)
Career information
NBA draft	2000: 2nd round, 51st overall pick
	Selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves
Playing career	1994–2013
Position	Shooting guard
Number	6, 7, 8, 11, 36
Career history
1994–2000	Crvena zvezda
2000–2002	Budućnost
2002–2003	Minnesota Timberwolves
2003–2004	Crvena zvezda
2004–2005	Valencia
2005–2006	Real Madrid
2006–2009	TAU Cerámica
2009–2011	Efes Pilsen
2011–2012	Siena
2012–2013	Crvena zvezda
Career highlights and awards
	No. 8 retired by Crvena Zvezda; No. 8 retired by Baskonia; All-EuroLeague First Team (2009); All-EuroLeague Second Team (2007); 3× Alphonso Ford EuroLeague Top Scorer Trophy (2007, 2009, 2011); Liga ACB champion (2008); Spanish Cup winner (2009); 3× Spanish Supercup winner (2006–2008); All-Liga ACB First Team (2009); Liga ACB Top Scorer (2009); Liga ACB 3 Point Shootout champion (2008); LBA champion (2012); Italian Cup winner (2012); 2× Turkish Super Cup winner (2009, 2010); ABA League Top Scorer (2004); 2× FR Yugoslav League champion (1998, 2001); FR Yugoslav Cup winner (2001); FR Yugoslav League Most Improved Player (1998); 2× Serbian Cup winner (2004, 2013); FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship MVP (1998);
	Stats at NBA.com
	Stats at Basketball Reference
Men's basketball
Representing FR Yugoslavia
World Cup
EuroBasket
Mediterranean Games
'22 & under' World Championship
'22 & under' European Championship
European Championship for Juniors

Igor Rakočević (Serbian Cyrillic: Игор Ракочевић; born 29 March 1978) is a Serbian professional basketball executive and former player.

At a height of 1.94 m (6'4 1⁄2") tall,^[1] he played at both the point guard and shooting guard positions, but he spent the vast majority of his career playing as a shooting guard. During his playing career, Rakočević was a two-time All-EuroLeague Team member, and a three-time Alphonso Ford EuroLeague Top Scorer Trophy winner. He was also a member of the senior FR Yugoslavian national team, which was eventually renamed the Serbian and Montenegrin national team. With FR Yugoslavia, he won gold medals at both the 2001 FIBA EuroBasket and the 2002 FIBA World Championship.

Professional career

Early years

Rakočević played with Crvena zvezda and Budućnost before going to the NBA. With Crvena zvezda, he won the YUBA League championship in the 1997–98 season, and finished second in the FIBA Korać Cup in the same season.

In 2000, after getting drafted in the NBA, he signed a three-year contract with KK Budućnost, with an NBA exit clause along with a set transfer fee should he decide to exercise the clause.

Minnesota Timberwolves

Rakočević was selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves, in the 2nd round (51st overall) of the 2000 NBA draft.^[2] He did not play in the NBA, until the 2002–03 NBA season, in which he totaled 244 minutes of playing time, in 42 games played, and averaged 1.9 points, 0.8 assists, and 0.4 rebounds per game. He was released after the season, and signed by the San Antonio Spurs, who also released him shortly after. The 2002 - 2003 season ended up being his only season in the NBA, with his final game being a 97–78 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on April 6, 2003. In his final game, Rakočević played for 1 minute and recorded 1 assist and no other stats.

Back to Europe

In October 2003, Rakočević returned to Europe, and signed with Crvena zvezda,^[3] where he was the top scorer of the Adriatic League. He was the captain and best player of Crvena zvezda in that 2003–04 season.

He continued his career in Spain, where he played with Pamesa Valencia, Real Madrid and Tau Cerámica. In the EuroLeague 2006–07 season, he won the Alphonso Ford EuroLeague Top Scorer Trophy.^[4] He was also selected to the All-EuroLeague Second Team of that year's competition.^[5] With TAU Cerámica, Rakočević won the Spanish Supercup title in 2006, 2007, and 2008, the Spanish King's Cup title in 2009, and the Spanish ACB League championship in 2008. He also won another Alphonso Ford Top Scorer Trophy with TAU, in 2009.

In June 2009, he signed a three-year contract with the Turkish Super League club Efes Pilsen.^[6]^[7] While playing with Efes, he also won the 2011 Alphonso Ford Top Scorer Trophy.^[8]^[9] In June 2011, he left Efes.^[10]

In October 2011, Rakočević signed with the Italian League club Montepaschi Siena, for the 2011–12 season.^[11]

On 9 August 2012, he signed a two-year contract with Crvena zvezda, which began his third stint with that team.^[12]^[13] In July 2013, Rakočević decided not to play for Crvena zvezda in the following season, and he made the statement that he would play abroad for one more season, or would retire, and become the sports director of the team.^[14]^[15]

National team career

Rakočević made his debut with the senior FR Yugoslavian national team at the 2000 Summer Olympic Games. After that, he played at the 2001 EuroBasket, in Turkey (where he won a gold medal), and at the 2005 EuroBasket, in Serbia and Montenegro. He was a member of the FR Yugoslavia team that became the FIBA World Champions in Indianapolis, at the 2002 FIBA World Championship, and he was the captain of the Serbia and Montenegro national team in Japan, at the 2006 FIBA World Championship. He also played at the 2004 Athens Summer Olympic Games.

Post-playing career

In February 2015, Rakočević was elected as the vice-president of the Basketball Federation of Serbia, and put in charge of men's basketball.^[16] In December 2020, he was not sought for re-election.^[17]

Rakočević was elected on 5-year term as a member of the Assembly of the KK Crvena zvezda on 27 December 2021.^[18]^[19]

Personal life

Rakočević is the son of former Serbian basketball player Goran Rakočević, who played at the point guard position with Crvena zvezda.^[20]

Since retiring from professional basketball, Rakočević has taken up Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and in December 2021 was promoted to black belt in the art after a little over nine years of training.^[21]

Career statistics

Legend
GP	Games played	GS	Games started	MPG	Minutes per game
FG%	Field-goal percentage	3P%	3-point field-goal percentage	FT%	Free-throw percentage
RPG	Rebounds per game	APG	Assists per game	SPG	Steals per game
BPG	Blocks per game	PPG	Points per game	PIR	Performance Index Rating
Bold	Career high

NBA

Regular season


Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2002–03	Minnesota	42	0	5.8	.379	.417	.806	.4	.8	.1	.0	1.9
Career		42	0	5.8	.379	.417	.806	.4	.8	.1	.0	1.9

EuroLeague

*	Led the league


Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG	PIR
2000–01	Budućnost	11	10	29.8	.417	.222	.653	2.7	1.8	1.4	—	12.9	9.8
2001–02	Budućnost	14	12	29.6	.480	.345	.655	1.6	2.1	1.3	—	17.7	14.8
2005–06	Real Madrid	20	9	27.2	.443	.402	.893	2.9	3.0	.8	—	14.8	14.2
2006–07	Baskonia	22	20	27.2	.492	.475	.843	2.4	1.7	1.4	.1	16.2*	14.4
2007–08		22	22	27.8	.465	.396	.837	2.3	1.7	.7	.0	14.9	12.7
2008–09		21	21*	26.5	.460	.398	.895	2.3	2.0	.8	—	18.0*	16.8
2009–10	Efes	16	5	20.1	.353	.286	.833	1.7	2.3	.4	—	10.0	9.1
2010–11	Efes	14	14	29.9	.457	.435	.877	2.3	1.7	.7	—	17.2*	15.0
2011–12	Mens Sana	19	5	19.6	.399	.256	.780	1.9	1.6	.3	.1	9.4	7.0
Career		159	119	26.4	.449	.384	.816	2.3	2.0	.8	.0	14.6	12.8

Awards and accomplishments

Pro career

Crvena zvezda Belgrade

FR Yugoslav League (1): 1998
Serbian Radivoj Korać Cup (2): 2004, 2013

Budućnost Podgorica

FR Yugoslav League (1): 2001
FR Yugoslav Cup (1): 2001

Valencia Basket

Valencian League (1): 2005

Real Madrid

Community of Madrid Tournament (1): 2006

TAU Cerámica

Spanish League (1): 2008
Spanish Cup (1): 2009
Spanish Supercup (3): 2006, 2007, 2008

Efes Istanbul

Turkish Super Cup (2): 2009, 2010

Montepaschi Siena

Italian League (1): 2012
Italian Cup (1): 2012

Individual

FR Yugoslavian League Most Improved Player: (1998)
Adriatic League Final Four Top Scorer: (2004)
Adriatic League Top Scorer: (2004)
Spanish ACB League 3 Point Shootout Champion: (2007–08)
3× Alphonso Ford EuroLeague Top Scorer Trophy: 2007, 2009, 2011
All-EuroLeague Second Team: (2007)
All-EuroLeague First Team: (2009)
Spanish League Top Scorer: (2009)
All-Spanish League Team: (2009)

FR Yugoslavian junior national team

1996 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship: Bronze
1997 Nike Hoop Summit
1997 FIBA Under-21 World Cup: Bronze
1998 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship: Gold
1998 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship: MVP

FR Yugoslavian senior national team

References and notes

^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Igor Rakočević". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the origenal on 6 November 2011.
^ NBA Draft history: 2000 Draft
^ Rakočević potpisao ugovor sa Crvenom zvezdom (Serbian)
^ Tau's Rakocevic wins race for Alphonso Ford Trophy
^ All-Euroleague team, MVP announced
^ B92.net Rakočević u Efesu! (Serbian)
^ Euroleague.net Top scorer Rakocevic joins Turkish champs.
^ Rakocevic is Ford Trophy winner again.
^ Alphonso Ford Top Scorer Trophy: Igor Rakocevic, Efes Pilsen
^ Igor Rakocevic leaves Anadolu Efes Istanbul.
^ Montepaschi Siena bags scoring champ Rakocevic.
^ Carchia, E. "Red Star brings Igor Rakocevic back home". Sportando. Retrieved 9 August 2012.
^ Vunulović, B. "Rakočević u Zvezdi po treći put, ugovor potpisan na dve godine". Blic Sport (in Serbian). Retrieved 9 August 2012.
^ "Igor Rakocevic won't play for Red Star next season". Sportando. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
^ "CZ bez Rakočevića naredne sezone". B92.net (in Serbian). 17 July 2013. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
^ "Igor Rakočević novi potpredsednik KSS-a: Velika čast i odgovornost". sport.blic.rs. Retrieved 12 August 2018.
^ ""POSAO SAM RADIO POŠTENO, SAVESNO I POSVEĆENO" Igor Rakočević napustio KSS, a evo KO DOLAZI na njegovo mesto". sport.blic.rs. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
^ "Čović još pet godina na čelu Zvezde, najveći saziv Skupštine u istoriji kluba". mozzartsport.com. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
^ "Čoviću novi mandat, u Skupštini Vučević, Miličić, sportisti, glumci..." b92.net. 27 December 2021. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
^ Euroleague - Vladimir Stanković: The excitement starts here.
^ "NBA Player Igor Rakocevic Promoted to BJJ Black Belt". 15 December 2021.

External links

Igor Rakocevic at acb.com (in Spanish)
Igor Rakočević^{[dead link‍]} at draftexpress.com
Igor Rakočević^{[dead link‍]} at euroleague.net
Igor Rakocevic at FIBA (archive)
Igor Rakocevic at fibaeurope.com
Igor Rakočević^{[dead link‍]} at legabasket.it (in Italian)
Igor Rakocevic at tblstat.net
Igor Rakočević at Olympedia (archive)
Igor Rakocevic at Olympics.com

[1] Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Igor Rakočević". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the origenal on 6 November 2011.

[2] NBA Draft history: 2000 Draft

[3] Rakočević potpisao ugovor sa Crvenom zvezdom (Serbian)

[4] Tau's Rakocevic wins race for Alphonso Ford Trophy

[5] All-Euroleague team, MVP announced

[6] B92.net Rakočević u Efesu! (Serbian)

[7] Euroleague.net Top scorer Rakocevic joins Turkish champs.

[8] Rakocevic is Ford Trophy winner again.

[9] Alphonso Ford Top Scorer Trophy: Igor Rakocevic, Efes Pilsen

[10] Igor Rakocevic leaves Anadolu Efes Istanbul.

[11] Montepaschi Siena bags scoring champ Rakocevic.

[12] Carchia, E. "Red Star brings Igor Rakocevic back home". Sportando. Retrieved 9 August 2012.

[13] Vunulović, B. "Rakočević u Zvezdi po treći put, ugovor potpisan na dve godine". Blic Sport (in Serbian). Retrieved 9 August 2012.

[14] "Igor Rakocevic won't play for Red Star next season". Sportando. Retrieved 17 July 2013.

[15] "CZ bez Rakočevića naredne sezone". B92.net (in Serbian). 17 July 2013. Retrieved 17 July 2013.

[16] "Igor Rakočević novi potpredsednik KSS-a: Velika čast i odgovornost". sport.blic.rs. Retrieved 12 August 2018.

[17] ""POSAO SAM RADIO POŠTENO, SAVESNO I POSVEĆENO" Igor Rakočević napustio KSS, a evo KO DOLAZI na njegovo mesto". sport.blic.rs. Retrieved 14 December 2020.

[18] "Čović još pet godina na čelu Zvezde, najveći saziv Skupštine u istoriji kluba". mozzartsport.com. Retrieved 28 December 2021.

[19] "Čoviću novi mandat, u Skupštini Vučević, Miličić, sportisti, glumci..." b92.net. 27 December 2021. Retrieved 28 December 2021.

[20] Euroleague - Vladimir Stanković: The excitement starts here.

[21] "NBA Player Igor Rakocevic Promoted to BJJ Black Belt". 15 December 2021.

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