He previously coached the team in three different spells: 2000 to 2005, 2008 to 2012, and 2019 to 2021.
Dusko Ivanovic returns for a fourth stint at Baskonia
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Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz has named Dusko Ivanovic as its head coach for the fourth time in its history. The 66-year-old coach, a legend at Baskonia, has replaced Joan Penarroya, who was sacked on Monday. He is tasked with improving a Baskonia side that has started the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season with a 1-4 record.
Ivanovic only recently became available after being dismissed by Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade following a disappointing start to the current EuroLeague season. Like Baskonia, Zvezda had gone 1-3 through the first four rounds. Nevertheless, there is hope that Ivanovic’s previous success at Buesa Arena will be enough to right the ship.
Dusko Ivanovic and his relationship with Baskonia
If you say the name “Dusko” in Vitoria-Gasteiz, you will be met with words of praise for the Montenegrin tactician. Across three different spells with Baskonia – between 2000 and 2005, 2008 and 2012, and 2019 and 2021 – he led the team to unprecedented success.
Baskonia won three Spanish League titles under the orders of Coach Ivanovic, doing so in the 2001-02, 2009-10 and 2019-20 seasons, while the team also became the Spanish Cup champion in the 2001-02, 2003-04, 2006-07 and 2008-09 campaigns. You may note that two of those seasons are identical; this is because Baskonia won the double in the 2001-02 season.
In 239 EuroLeague games as Baskonia’s head coach, Ivanovic boasts a 133-106 record. Notably, he led the team to Game 5 of the 2001 EuroLeague Finals in the competition’s inaugural season, before later guiding the team to four further Final Four appearances (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008).
The other stops on his coaching journey
Through his EuroLeague head coaching career, which also includes spells with FC Barcelona, Panathinaikos Athens, Khimki Moscow and Zvezda, his overall record stands at 202-162. In addition to all of the teams named, he has also been the head coach of Fribourg Olympic (1995-99), Limoges CSP (1999-2000) and Besiktas Istanbul (2018-19).
Ivanovic arrived at Zvezda last season after the team suffered a 1-7 start to the EuroLeague season, before guiding the Serbian side to a 17-17 record. Now, he returns to Baskonia, a place that he knows well, as he attempts to once again turn things around after a rocky start to the 2023-24 season.