Otar Korkia


Otar Korkia was a Georgian professional basketball player and coach. He was named one of FIBA's 50 Greatest Players, in 1991. He was also named the Best Georgian Basketball Player of the 20th Century, and the Best Georgian Sportsman of the 20th Century.

Playing career

Club career

During his club career, Korkia played with Dinamo Kutaisi, from 1940 to 1947, and with Dinamo Tbilisi, from 1947 to 1958. He won three USSR League championships, in the years 1950, 1953, and 1954, and two USSR Cups, in 1949 and 1950.

National team career

Korkia was a member of the senior Soviet Union national basketball team, which won the silver medal at the 1952 Summer Olympic Games. He played in seven games during that tournament. He later became the captain of the senior Soviet national team.
He also won gold medals at the 1947 EuroBasket, the 1951 EuroBasket, and the 1953 EuroBasket. Additionally, he won the bronze medal at the 1955 EuroBasket.

Coaching career

Korkia was the head coach of Dinamo Tbilisi, when the club won the FIBA European Champions Cup championship, in the 1961–62 season. He was named an Honored Coach of the USSR, in 1967.

Titles won

Player

Korkia's nephew, Mikheil, was also a well-known senior Soviet national basketball team player.