Slobodan Ivković
# Slobodan Ivković

Slobodan "Piva" Ivković (Serbian Cyrillic: Слободан Ивковић; 4 August 1937 – 28 November 1995) was a Serbian professional basketball player and coach.

## Playing career

Ivković played club basketball at the senior level in the club Radnički Belgrade. He was a well-talented player with much better physical capabilities, but nobody managed to stabilize him as a player. Besides that, he had weak sight, which was a serious problem since in those times many games were played outside, during the night.

## Coaching career

Ivković was one of the first Serbian coaches that went to school in the USA. He was the founder of the creation of a modern coach organization in the former Yugoslavia. He coached in the following clubs: Radnički Belgrade, OKK Belgrade, MZT Skopje, Kazma (Kuwait), and Al Ahli (United Arab Emirates).

## Personal life

His younger brother Dušan was a former basketball player and FIBA Hall of Fame coach.

Ivković is related to the famous Serbian scientist Nikola Tesla. Ivković's maternal grandmother Olga Mandić and Tesla were first cousins.

A memorial tournament named after him is held in Belgrade. The organizer is the basketball club Radnički.

## Career achievements

### Head coach

* Yugoslav League: 1 (with Radnički Belgrade: 1972–73)
* Yugoslav Cup: 1 (with Radnički Belgrade: 1975–76)
* FIBA European Champions Cup – semifinalist (with Radnički Belgrade: 1973–74)
