Nemanja Đurić


Nemanja Đurić, is a Serbian former professional basketball player and former coach. He represented the Yugoslavia national basketball team internationally.

Early life

Đurić was raised in a sports family. His father and uncle played football for Slavija in Belgrade. He has trained many sports, played football for Šumadija Belgrade, after which he moved to handball club Hero, and later moved to volleyball club Partizan where he stays for a longer period and played for all youth selections. Đurić started to play basketball at the urging of his friend Slobodan Ivković.

Playing career

Đurić made his first basketball steps in Crvena zvezda when he was 19. The club felt that he was too old, so he went to Radnički Belgrade.
Đurić played in Italy for Noalex Venezia in 1967–68 season. After that he return to Crvena zvezda and won Yugoslav League in 1968–69 season along with Vladimir Cvetković, Zoran Slavnić, Dragan Kapičić, Ljubodrag Simonović and others. Also, he played in 1969–70 European Champions Cup. Later, he played for Oriolik from Slavonski Brod.

Yugoslavia national team

As a player for the Yugoslavia national basketball team Đurić has played from 1959 to 1967. He participated in two FIBA World Championships and four European Championships and two Summer Olympics and one bronze at European Championships. He won a gold medal at 1959 Mediterranean Games in Lebanon.
During late May and early June 1964, Đurić faced off against a team of NBA All-Stars at three of their four games in SFR Yugoslavia — on 29 May and 30 May 1964 in Belgrade as well as 2 June 1964 in Karlovac. In Karlovac, the team consisting of local players lost 65:110. US players coached by Red Auerbach were Bob Cousy, Tom Heinsohn, K. C. Jones, Jerry Lucas, Bob Pettit, Oscar Robertson and Bill Russel. Alongside Đurić, the players on the local team were Giuseppe Gjergja, Mirko Novosel, Petar Skansi and others.

Coaching career

Đurić was an assistant coach of Aleksandar Nikolić in the Crvena zvezda, with whom he won 1974 European Cup Winners' Cup.
From 1974 to 1976 Đurić coached the Crvena zvezda, winning one Yugoslav Cup.

Career achievements

Player

Yugoslav Basketball League