Borislav Stankovic
Inducted:
1991
Secretary General Stats
Born
9 July 1925
Bihać, Kingdom of Serbs,
Croats and Slovenes
Died
20 March 2020
Belgrade, Serbia
Position
Contributor
College
University of Belgrade
Borislav "Bora" Stankovic was a visionary Serbian administrator who served as the Secretary General of FIBA for nearly three decades. Stankovic believed that for basketball to truly become a global game, the "walls" between the professional and amateur worlds had to fall. Working alongside NBA Commissioner David Stern, he orchestrated the 1989 rule change that allowed NBA players to compete in the Olympics.
This monumental shift paved the way for the 1992 "Dream Team," an event that sparked a global explosion of interest in the NBA. A former star player and championship coach in Yugoslavia and Italy, Stankovic used his deep understanding of the game to modernize international rules, including the adoption of the three-point line. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1991.
Stankovic's Awards and Honors
- 3× Yugoslav League Champion (Player: 1946–1948)
- 3× Yugoslav League Champion (Coach: 1958, 1960, 1964)
- Italian League Champion (Coach: 1968)
- Olympic Order (1987)
- FIBA Hall of Fame Inductee (2007)
- Women's Basketball Hall of Fame Inductee (2000)
- Order of the Legion of Honour (France, 2001)
FIBA
FIBA Secretary General
Contributions
As Secretary General:
26 Years (1976–2002)
Yugoslav League Titles:
6
Italian League Titles:
1
National Team Appearances:
36 (Yugoslavia)
Olympic Games Oversaw:
9
World Championships Oversaw:
8