Germany, Nov 16: Legendary, Seven of Europe’s all-time most prolific basketball players will help pick the First Round groups of EuroBasket 2013, at the Draw ceremony on Sunday, 18 November in Postojna Cave.
The three official ambassadors of EuroBasket 2013, Slovenia’s Ivo Daneu, Rašo Nesterović and Peter Vilfan, will be joined on stage by their compatriot Aljoša Žorga, Ukraine’s Alexander Volkov, Spain’s Jorge Garbajosa and Turkey’s Ibrahim Kutluay to help draw the lots for FIBA Europe’s flagship event which will take place from 4-22 September 2013 across four Slovenian cities.
The seven former players are among over 600 guests who are invited to the ceremony by the Local Organising Committee. The long list includes Slovenian Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, Žiga Turk; the mayors of all the host cities; the ambassadors and representatives of the competing nations; FIBA and FIBA Europe representatives; and 150 Slovenian and foreign media representatives.
The ceremony , which is scheduled to start at 18:00 CET, promises many surprises while former and active players Jaka Daneu, Slavko Duščak, Roman Horvat, Goran Jagodnik, Sašo Ožbolt and Samo Udrih, will compete in a unique underground basketball game.
About the Draw Presenters
Ivo Daneu (Slovenia)
His rich career with the Yugoslavia national team in the 1960s includes 209 appearances and eight medals at major events, including a World championship title in Ljubljana in 1970. In 1967 he was named Yugoslavia athlete of the year. In 1991 he was included on a list of the world’s Top-50 basketball players whilst also being the only Slovenian currently in the FIBA Hall of Fame.
Rašo Nesterović (Slovenia)
He is a former captain of the Slovenian national team, for which he made 52 appearances and scored 530 points. He won an NBA title with the San Antonio Spurs in 2005, as well as a Euroleague title with Kinder Bologna in 1998.
Peter Vilfan (Slovenia)
The first ever captain of the Slovenian national team, for which he made 11 official appearances scoring 74 points. He also wore the Yugoslavia jersey 121 times, winning four medals at major events, including the 1978 World championship title in the Philippines.
Aljoša Žorga (Slovenia)
A three-time medal winner at major competitions, the most important being the gold medal won at the 1970 World Championship in Ljubljana. He made 80 appearances for the Yugoslavian national team.
Jorge Garbajosa (Spain)
A six-time medallist at major competitions with the Spanish national team, including the 2006 World Championship crown in Japan and the 2009 EuroBasket gold in Poland – Spain’s first ever European title. He played for numerous European clubs, as well as the Toronto Raptors in the NBA. In 2003 he was named into the Euroleague’s first team.
Ibrahim Kutluay (Turkey)
Kutluay won a silver medal with Turkey at EuroBasket 2001. He played for seven European clubs and the Seattle Supersonics in the NBA. He claimed a Euroleague title with Panathinaikos in 2002 and was the leading scorer in the same competition in 1999.
Alexander Volkov (Ukraine)
Volkov was a six-time medallist with the Soviet Union national team in the 1980s and ‘90s, including an Olympic title in Seoul, South Korea in 1988. From 1989 to 1992 he played in the NBA and in 1991 he was included in the FIBA list of Top-50 basketball players of all time. —- FibaEurope
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