1. Early Life and Career
Predrag Danilović's early life laid the foundation for his formidable basketball career, marked by a supportive family background, early athletic prowess, and a determined pursuit of professional basketball despite initial administrative hurdles.
1.1. Childhood and Youth
Born on February 26, 1970, in Sarajevo, within the then Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Predrag Danilović grew up in the Alipašino polje neighborhood, near the RTV Sarajevo main building. His family consisted of Herzegovinian Serbs; his father, Milan, hailed from the village of Orašje Zubci near Trebinje, while his mother, Vuka, was from Kukričje, a village close to Bileća. Many of his childhood summers and winters were spent visiting his relatives in these villages and in the town of Trebinje.
Even as a tall and slender child, Danilović demonstrated exceptional athletic abilities across a variety of sports, including football, speed skating, and streetball. His early exposure to sports, particularly street basketball, proved to be a significant influence on his future career.
1.2. Early Basketball Development
In 1984, at the age of fourteen, Danilović began playing organized basketball within the youth system of KK Bosna in Sarajevo, under the guidance of youth coach Mladen "Makso" Ostojić. His talent was immediately apparent, quickly drawing the attention of larger Yugoslav clubs. KK Partizan's assistant coach, Duško Vujošević, was alerted to Danilović's potential by the team's point guard, Željko Obradović, who had observed Danilović during a youth basketball tournament on Mount Zlatibor in the summer of 1985, where Danilović played for a select team representing the Socialist Republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina.
By late 1985, Vujošević actively pursued the fifteen-year-old Danilović for a transfer to Partizan. While securing the agreement of Danilović and his parents was straightforward, obtaining consent from his club, KK Bosna, proved challenging. Despite not being under a professional contract, Yugoslav Basketball Federation (KSJ) rules stipulated that a youth prospect required club permission for a transfer. Danilović recalled that KK Bosna's management, who had initially considered loaning him to other Sarajevo-area clubs, suddenly became intent on retaining him once Partizan expressed interest. This situation was further complicated by the close friendship between KK Bosna president Mirza Delibašić and Partizan vice-president Dragan Kićanović, causing the process to extend for a considerable period.
As KK Bosna refused to release him, Danilović and Partizan decided to proceed unilaterally with the move to Belgrade in the summer of 1986, accepting that he would be ineligible to play in official competitions for a year. This move marked the beginning of a lasting friendship and professional partnership between Danilović and the then twenty-eight-year-old Vujošević, who initially served as a mentor. By December 1986, Vujošević became Partizan's head coach, and young Danilović trained intensely, often for seven or eight hours daily, either by himself or with the first team. He later emphasized that his serious training truly began upon joining Partizan. The club also arranged his living accommodations, initially a room at the JNA Stadium shared with teammates, and ensured he pursued secondary education at the Petar Drapšin Technical High School, later switching to a streamlined touristic high school due to extensive practice demands.
Danilović reflected on his early days in Belgrade, acknowledging that while some at Partizan highly regarded him, others viewed him as a "neanderthal from Sarajevo" due to his brazen demeanor and intense training regimen. He stated that Vujošević became both a coach and a father figure, shaping him into a basketball player and a man, teaching him the importance of individual work and that talent without dedication is meaningless. Simultaneously, KK Bosna filed a claim with the KSJ, which ruled in their favor, adding another year to Danilović's ban from playing for any age group within Partizan's system.
In the summer of 1987, facing an extended ban, the seventeen-year-old Danilović moved to Cookeville, Tennessee, enrolling at Cookeville High School, where he excelled in basketball, track, and water polo. However, he returned to Belgrade seven months later, in February 1988. Upon his return, he resumed practicing with Partizan, still unable to participate in official games. His living situation changed again, with the club initially placing him in Hotel Putnik in New Belgrade before an apartment in Blok 45, which he shared with Oliver Popović. In the summer of 1988, Danilović was selected for the Yugoslavia under-18 national team, competing at the 1988 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship in Titov Vrbas and Srbobran. Under his mentor Vujošević's coaching and alongside promising juniors such as Arijan Komazec, Žan Tabak, and Rastko Cvetković, Danilović led the team to a gold medal.
2. Playing Career
Predrag Danilović's playing career spanned from 1988 to 2000, marked by significant success at both club and international levels, establishing him as one of Europe's elite basketball players.
2.1. Club Career
Danilović's professional club journey began with KK Partizan in Belgrade, leading to a highly successful period in Italy with Virtus Bologna, a challenging stint in the NBA with the Miami Heat, and a triumphant return to Virtus Bologna before his retirement.
2.1.1. KK Partizan (1988-1992)
In the summer of 1988, Danilović's two-year ban finally expired, allowing the 18-year-old to join Partizan's senior roster. He became part of a talented squad including Saša Đorđević, Žarko Paspalj, Ivo Nakić, Vlade Divac, Miroslav Pecarski, Željko Obradović, and Milenko Savović. The departure of starting small forward Goran Grbović opened up space for Danilović at shooting guard. Coming off a season where Partizan reached the EuroLeague Final Four and lost the Yugoslav League playoff final to Jugoplastika, the young team aimed to reclaim the domestic title.
Danilović immediately earned significant minutes, showing a promising debut season, particularly excelling in defense while contributing 5.6 points per game offensively over 21 league appearances. Partizan finished the regular season in first place with a 16-6 record, securing home-court advantage for the playoffs.
The 1988-89 season brought significant confidence boosts with two cup victories in quick succession. On March 16, 1989, Partizan lost the first leg of the FIBA Korać Cup final away to Wiwa Vismara by 13 points, with Danilović scoring 10 points. Three days later, on March 19, Partizan defeated Jugoplastika 87-74 in the Yugoslav Cup final in Maribor. Returning home, Partizan overturned their Korać Cup deficit by winning the second leg 19 points in Hala sportova on March 22, securing the trophy. Danilović, coming off the bench in the return leg, contributed 10 key points, earning his second major trophy in three days. In the domestic league playoffs, Partizan eliminated rivals Crvena Zvezda in the semi-final, setting up a final rematch with Jugoplastika, who had recently triumphed in the EuroLeague. Partizan, however, lost the best-of-three series, dropping the opening game in Belgrade and the second game in Split, conceding the league championship for the second consecutive season.
The 1989-90 season was disrupted by significant roster changes for Partizan. Divac and Paspalj departed for the NBA, Đorđević was absent for military service, and head coach Vujošević left for Spain. Reba Ćorković returned as head coach. Playing with a depleted roster, Partizan struggled, finishing in 8th place with a 9-13 record, their worst league finish in 19 years, and missing the playoffs. They also exited the Yugoslav Cup and FIBA European Cup Winners' Cup in the quarterfinal stage. Individually, Danilović started the season strongly with improving performances, averaging 14.3 points per game, but suffered a season-ending broken leg after only 11 games. This injury also prevented his inclusion in the Yugoslavia national team for the 1990 FIBA World Championship.
For the 1990-91 season, the twenty-year-old Danilović rigorously rehabilitated his broken leg to regain full game fitness. The team underwent further changes, with Ćorković replaced by the returning Vujošević as head coach and Paspalj also rejoining the team after his NBA stint. With rival KK Split experiencing coaching changes and key player departures, a reinforced Partizan seemed poised to challenge for titles. With a fully recovered Danilović confidently sharing Partizan's backcourt with Saša Đorđević, the team finished the regular season in second place with an 18-4 record. Danilović contributed 13.9 points per game throughout the season.
In June 1992, Danilović entered the 1992 NBA draft, selected as the 43rd overall pick by the Golden State Warriors. However, he opted to remain in Europe, signing a lucrative contract worth approximately 900.00 K USD per season with Knorr Bologna (Virtus Bologna), after working with agents Mira Poljo and Luciano Capicchioni.
2.1.2. Virtus Bologna (1992-1995)
Upon his arrival in Bologna, Italy, in 1992, Danilović carried the prestige of a EuroLeague champion and EuroLeague Final Four MVP, setting high expectations for his tenure with Virtus Bologna. The club had recently undergone an ownership change, acquired by businessman Alfredo Cazzola.
For the 1992-93 season, under coach Ettore Messina and playing alongside Roberto Brunamonti, Bill Wennington, and Augusto Binelli, Danilović propelled Virtus to the top of the regular season standings with a 24-6 record. The team then swept through the playoffs undefeated, culminating in an impressive Italian League title victory over Toni Kukoč's Benetton Treviso. Danilović, establishing himself as Virtus's undisputed leader, averaged a combined 23.7 points per game across the regular season and playoffs.
However, success in the EuroLeague proved elusive. The 1992-93 campaign featured a notable and challenging road game on October 29, 1992, against Cibona in Zagreb. Danilović became the first Serb to play a competitive game in the newly independent Croatia amidst the ongoing Yugoslav Wars. Rattled by the extremely hostile atmosphere, he struggled with his shooting, scoring only 12 points as Virtus lost by 16. Reflecting in 1996, Danilović described the immense hatred from the 8,000 spectators who had gathered solely to insult a Serb. He noted that even Cibona players like Franjo Arapović and coach Aco Petrović displayed hostility before the game. In the January 1993 rematch at home, an inspired Danilović led Virtus with 23 points on efficient shooting, contributing to a dominant 40-point victory. Despite qualifying from the group stage with a 6-6 record, Virtus faced formidable Real Madrid, led by Arvydas Sabonis, in the quarter-finals and was convincingly defeated in two games.
In the summer of 1993, coach Messina departed to lead the Italy national basketball team, and Alberto Bucci returned as Virtus's head coach. The club secured a new naming-rights sponsor, Buckler Beer, and prepared for a move to a new arena under construction. The roster remained largely stable, with the most significant changes being Wennington's return to the NBA and the arrival of former NBA player Cliff Levingston. Given Danilović's crucial contributions, he and his agent explored NBA options again but ultimately decided to stay with Bologna for the immediate future. The 1993-94 season largely mirrored the previous one in the Italian League, with Virtus dominating the standings from the start, finishing the regular season with an identical 24-6 record. Having settled well in Italy, Danilović was dubbed lo Zar (the Tsar) and Zar Freddo (the Cold Tsar) by the Italian sports media, recognizing his prowess and composure under pressure on the court, as well as his inscrutable demeanor off it. In December 1993, Virtus moved into its newly built 8,650-seat arena, PalaMalaguti, located outside the city center in Casalecchio di Reno.
2.1.3. Miami Heat (1995-1997)
Despite being selected by the Golden State Warriors in the 1992 NBA draft, Danilović continued his career in Europe for three more seasons before making his National Basketball Association (NBA) debut. In November 1994, his draft rights were traded to the Miami Heat in a deal that sent Billy Owens to the Heat and Rony Seikaly to the Warriors. In mid-June 1995, Danilović signed a four-year contract with Miami valued at just over 8.00 M USD. To accommodate his signing under the NBA's salary cap, the Heat traded Harold Miner to Cleveland. Days before the regular season began, Miami completed a significant trade, sending franchise player Glen Rice, starting center Matt Geiger, and point guard Khalid Reeves to the Charlotte Hornets for their star player Alonzo Mourning, along with reserves Pete Myers and LeRon Ellis.
During his two NBA seasons (1995-1997), Danilović averaged 12.8 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 2 assists per game.
Danilović made his debut for the Heat on November 4, 1995, starting at shooting guard. He contributed a team-high 16 points in an 85-71 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers, but was ejected late in the game for an altercation with Cleveland's Chris Mills. The incident involved Mills hitting Danilović with an elbow, to which Danilović retaliated with an elbow to Mills' head, prompting Mills to punch Danilović in the jaw, resulting in a cut lip requiring nine stitches. Both players were fined and suspended by the league: Mills received a one-game suspension and a 10.00 K USD fine, while Danilović was suspended for one game for retaliation and fined 3.50 K USD.
Despite some criticism for what was perceived as aggressive play, the Heat started the season strongly with an 11-3 record. As Danilović began to find his shooting rhythm in December 1995, averaging 20 points per game in four contests (including a season-high 30 points against Phoenix), his season was disrupted by injury. On December 14, 1995, after playing against the Golden State Warriors, he aggravated a right wrist injury that he had played through for three years. Initially thought to be minor, the persistent swelling and failed rehabilitation attempts revealed the injury was more serious, requiring specialist attention. His frustration with the injury became evident on December 23, 1995, when he physically confronted an abusive fan during halftime of an away game, requiring restraint by Heat executive Randy Pfund. On January 2, 1996, Dr. Ann Ouelette performed successful surgery on Danilović's right hand to repair a non-union of the scaphoid bone. With his hand in a cast and a recovery period of 3-4 months anticipated, his season was largely in doubt. In February 1996, Danilović returned to visit his family in Italy and FR Yugoslavia, intending to be back for the final month of the regular season. During his absence, the Heat significantly revamped their roster through multiple trades, bringing in players like Tim Hardaway, Chris Gatling, Walt Williams, and Tyrone Corbin.
Danilović returned on April 21, 1996, for the Heat's final regular season game against Atlanta, after missing 62 games. Still rusty and having lost his starting spot to Rex Chapman, he scored 8 points in 25 minutes off the bench as Miami lost 92-104. The Heat finished the season with a 42-40 record, qualifying for the playoffs as the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference, facing Michael Jordan's dominant Chicago Bulls. Danilović made his NBA playoff debut just five days after his return, coming off the bench. He struggled in Game 1, scoring only 3 points in 22 minutes as the Heat lost 102-85. In Game 2, he showed improvement, scoring a team-high 15 points, but Miami suffered a 31-point blowout loss. The Bulls completed the sweep in Game 3 with a 112-91 victory, with Danilović scoring 7 points in reduced minutes.
2.1.4. Return to Virtus Bologna and Retirement (1997-2000)
In early June 1997, Predrag Danilović decided to leave the NBA, two years shy of completing his four-year contract with the Miami Heat, thereby forfeiting 4.90 M USD in salary. He accepted a three-year contract offer from his former club, Virtus Bologna, worth 6.00 M USD net income.
His return to Virtus was immediately impactful. On April 23, 1998, Danilović led Virtus to their second EuroLeague title, defeating AEK in Barcelona. On May 31, Virtus secured its 14th national title in a five-game series against crosstown rival Teamsystem Bologna. In the decisive game, with 20 seconds remaining and Fortitudo leading by four points, Danilović famously made a three-point shot while being fouled by Dominique Wilkins, completing a crucial four-point play. Virtus went on to win the game in overtime. This 1998 final between Virtus and Fortitudo is widely considered the greatest in Italian basketball history, given that two of the continent's top teams were located in the same city.
The following season, Virtus won its seventh Italian Cup. However, they lost in the EuroLeague final to Žalgiris of Tyus Edney and were eliminated in the semi-finals of the national championship. Under Alfredo Cazzola's presidency and with the leadership of Danilović and coach Messina, the 1990s are often referred to as Virtus's "Golden Age", a period during which the club secured four national titles, two Italian Cups, a Cup Winners' Cup, and a EuroLeague, cementing their status as one of Europe's most high-profile and successful teams.
In October 2000, Danilović surprised many by announcing his retirement from professional basketball at the end of the season.
2.2. National Team Career
Predrag Danilović had a distinguished national team career, achieving significant success with both the Yugoslav and FR Yugoslav national teams. With the senior Yugoslav national basketball team, he won gold medals at both the 1989 EuroBasket and the 1991 EuroBasket. Following the breakup of Yugoslavia, he continued his success with the senior FR Yugoslav national basketball team, earning gold medals at the 1995 EuroBasket and the 1997 EuroBasket. He was also a key member of the FR Yugoslav team that won the silver medal at the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics. Danilović also earned a bronze medal at the EuroBasket 1999 with the FR Yugoslav team.
3. Awards and Achievements
Predrag Danilović's career was marked by numerous team titles and individual accolades, reflecting his impact as one of Europe's premier basketball players.
Club Titles:
- EuroLeague: 2 (with Partizan: 1991-92; with Virtus Bologna: 1997-98)
- Korać Cup: 1 (with Partizan: 1988-89)
- Yugoslav Cup: 2 (with Partizan: 1988-89, 1991-92)
- Yugoslav League: 1 (with Partizan: 1991-92)
- Italian League: 4 (with Virtus Bologna: 1992-93, 1993-94, 1994-95, 1997-98)
- Italian Cup: 1 (with Virtus Bologna: 1998-99)
National Team Medals:
- 1989 EuroBasket: Gold medal (with Yugoslavia)
- 1991 EuroBasket: Gold medal (with Yugoslavia)
- 1995 EuroBasket: Gold medal (with FR Yugoslavia)
- 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics: Silver medal (with FR Yugoslavia)
- EuroBasket 1997: Gold medal (with FR Yugoslavia)
- EuroBasket 1999: Bronze medal (with FR Yugoslavia)
Individual Accolades:
- EuroLeague Final Four MVP: 1992
- Mister Europa Player of the Year: 1998
- Italian League MVP: 1998
4. Career Statistics
This section provides detailed statistical data from Predrag Danilović's professional basketball career in the EuroLeague.
4.1. EuroLeague
The following table provides detailed statistics for Predrag Danilović's EuroLeague career. "GP" refers to games played, "GS" to games started, "MPG" to minutes per game, "FG%" to field-goal percentage, "3P%" to three-point field-goal percentage, "FT%" to free-throw percentage, "RPG" to rebounds per game, "APG" to assists per game, "SPG" to steals per game, "BPG" to blocks per game, and "PPG" to points per game. Seasons marked with "†" denote EuroLeague championships won by Danilović's team, and "Bold" indicates a career high.
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG | PIR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991-92† | Partizan | 19 | ? | 29.8 | 0.555 | 0.470 | 0.747 | 4.5 | 1.6 | 2.2 | 0.0 | 19.4 | ? |
| 1992-93 | Virtus Bologna | 15 | ? | 33.8 | 0.548 | 0.341 | 0.747 | 3.6 | 1.1 | 1.7 | 0.0 | 18.7 | ? |
| 1993-94 | 14 | ? | 33.0 | 0.497 | 0.327 | 0.843 | 3.1 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 0.0 | 20.0 | ? | |
| 1994-95 | 17 | ? | 33.8 | 0.535 | 0.349 | 0.807 | 2.8 | 1.6 | 1.9 | 0.0 | 22.1 | ? | |
| 1997-98† | Virtus Bologna | 21 | ? | 36.9 | 0.467 | 0.304 | 0.747 | 3.8 | 3.2 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 17.5 | ? |
| 1998-99 | 14 | ? | 35.2 | 0.500 | 0.300 | 0.845 | 1.6 | 1.9 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 16.9 | ? | |
| Career | 100 | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | |
5. Administrative Career
Following his retirement from playing, Predrag Danilović transitioned into various leadership roles within basketball administration, notably serving as vice-president and later president of his former club, KK Partizan, before assuming the presidency of the Basketball Federation of Serbia.
5.1. Partizan Vice-President (2000-2004)
In October 2000, shortly after concluding his professional playing career, Danilović assumed the role of co-vice president for his former club, KK Partizan. He shared this position with Žarko Paspalj, Dražen Dalipagić, and Ivica Divac, operating under the newly appointed club president, Vlade Divac. This appointment was initiated by the club's then-outgoing president, Ivica Dačić, amidst political upheaval in Serbia following the overthrow of Slobodan Milošević. Dačić, a politician marginalized by the regime change, sought to protect KK Partizan from the dubious takeovers of state-owned and community properties occurring in the power vacuum. By bringing in two former club greats, he aimed to safeguard Partizan's interests.
As club president Vlade Divac was still an active player in the NBA with the Sacramento Kings, and the nominal co-vice presidents showed little interest in day-to-day operations, Danilović effectively became the primary decision-maker at KK Partizan. Inheriting head coach Darko Russo, Danilović allowed him to finish the season before hiring his long-time mentor and friend, Duško Vujošević, in the summer of 2001. Vujošević immediately delivered results, winning the league title in the 2001-02 season and ending KK Budućnost's three-year championship streak. This marked the first of nine consecutive league trophies under Vujošević's leadership.
Despite persistent financial constraints, Danilović, alongside Divac and sporting director Dragan Todorić, implemented a successful model focused on developing young domestic players from Partizan's own youth system or smaller clubs within Serbia and Montenegro, rather than relying on costly foreign imports. This strategy proved successful both on the court and financially, as Partizan regularly sold its top players (typically each summer) and reinvested the proceeds into its youth development programs or acquiring talented youngsters from smaller clubs, while ensuring the squad remained competitive with other players stepping up. Under this model, for example, Miloš Vujanić was sold to Fortitudo Bologna in summer 2003, and Nenad Krstić to the New Jersey Nets in summer 2004. The club consistently won the domestic league title year after year, securing a crucial EuroLeague spot that was essential for its financial stability.
Simultaneously, Danilović was staunchly opposed to Partizan joining the regional Adriatic League. However, by 2004, Partizan was effectively compelled to join the regional competition, as its EuroLeague participation became contingent on competing regionally rather than solely domestically. This also necessitated a shift in the club's business model; in the summer of 2004, they brought in already established national team players, 27-year-old Dejan Milojević from KK Budućnost and 29-year-old Milan Gurović from KK Vojvodina, to bolster the squad ahead of the Adriatic League competition. This was one of Danilović's final actions before leaving KK Partizan.
5.2. Partizan President (2007-2015)
In 2007, Predrag Danilović returned to KK Partizan, this time assuming the role of president.
In late May 2007, following a Serbian Basketball League SuperLeague phase game between KK Hemofarm and Partizan in Vršac, Danilović assaulted the referee Marko Juras. Dissatisfied with Juras' calls in the game, which Partizan lost, the then thirty-seven-year-old president reportedly followed the twenty-nine-year-old referee into the dressing room, knocked him to the floor, and landed several punches. Juras filed a criminal complaint against Danilović, as did the Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs. In July 2007, the Serbian Basketball Federation (KSS) suspended Danilović from all basketball-related activities for two years, though this punishment was reduced to a probationary period two months later.
On August 24, 2015, Danilović resigned from the presidency, citing the financial troubles the club had been experiencing for several years.
5.3. Basketball Federation of Serbia President (2016-present)
On December 15, 2016, Predrag Danilović was elected as the president of the Basketball Federation of Serbia (KSS). In this role, he oversees the governing body for basketball in Serbia, responsible for national team programs, league organization, and player development. He was re-elected for another term on December 14, 2020, continuing his leadership in Serbian basketball.
6. Personal Life and Incidents
Predrag Danilović's personal life includes his family and involvement in charitable causes, but it has also been publicly marked by a significant and widely reported incident.
6.1. Family and Other Activities
Predrag Danilović is married to Svetlana Danilović, a sports reporter for Radio Television of Serbia (RTS). They have three children, one of whom, Olga, has become a professional tennis player.
Beyond his professional basketball career, Danilović was involved with Group Seven, a charitable organization founded by seven Serbian basketball players. In February 2009, he filed a lawsuit against Worldwide Associates, a limited-liability company based in Carmel, Indiana, alleging investment fraud. The lawsuit claimed he had entrusted the company with 4.00 M USD to manage. It was noted that George Grkinich, one of the representatives of Worldwide Associates, had previously been involved with Group Seven.
6.2. Stabbing Incident
In the early morning hours of Saturday, May 18, 2013, the then forty-three-year-old Danilović was stabbed during a brawl at a bar in Belgrade. He sustained injuries to his head, arms, and abdomen, which necessitated surgery at Belgrade's Urgentni centar.
According to press reports, Danilović, then president of KK Partizan, had been drinking and eating at the Kafanica bar, a kafana-type establishment in the Košutnjak neighborhood, with a group of friends, including the bar's owner, Branko "Fido" Filipović, who was a close friend of Danilović. An altercation reportedly broke out between Filipović and Danilović around 2:20 AM. Filipović reportedly struck Danilović in the head with an ashtray, prompting a call for an ambulance. However, upon their arrival, Danilović refused medical assistance and sent them away. The confrontation continued, and Filipović subsequently stabbed Danilović in the abdomen. Despite his severe injuries, Danilović drove himself to the hospital. His injuries were deemed "life-threatening," and he underwent emergency surgery before being placed in intensive care in stable condition. Later that day, Danilović received visits at the hospital from high-ranking Serbian officials, including the Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dačić (who was also a personal friend of Danilović and his predecessor as KK Partizan president), Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vučić, and Sports Minister Alisa Marić. Prime Minister Dačić light-heartedly described the incident to the press as a "traditional Serbian quarrel between friends."
On May 20, 2013, after attempts to summon Branko Filipović for questioning proved unsuccessful, Serbian police issued an arrest warrant for him. Danilović was released from the hospital on May 26, 2013. He was later seen publicly at the Belgrade Airport, awaiting the arrival of Jovica Stanišić and Franko Simatović, who had been acquitted at the Hague Tribunal. After more than two weeks as a fugitive, Filipović was arrested in Belgrade on June 2, 2013. Initially, the Serbian public prosecutor's office charged Filipović with "causing severe bodily harm with life-threatening injuries," but this charge was later upgraded to "attempted murder."
During the trial, the role of Filipović's fiancée, Sanja Ševović, who was present at the bar that night, came under scrutiny, particularly regarding the precise time she claimed to have left. In February 2014, the Belgrade Higher Court sentenced Filipović to four and a half years in prison for the attempted murder of Danilović. Having already spent nine months in pre-trial detention, Filipović was released on the same occasion, awaiting the sentence to become legally binding after the appeals process. In May 2015, the Court of Appeals annulled the lower court's sentence and ordered a re-trial. The re-trial commenced in mid-October 2015 and continued with court dates throughout 2016, 2017, and 2018. In early May 2018, Filipović and the Serbian public prosecutor's office reportedly reached an admission of guilt agreement, which was awaiting confirmation by the Higher Court. Several weeks later, in late May 2018, the Higher Court confirmed the agreement, sentencing Filipović to one and a half years in prison, in addition to a four-year conditional sentence.
7. Legacy and Evaluation
Predrag Danilović's legacy in basketball is dual-faceted, encompassing both his exceptional playing career and his subsequent contributions as an administrator. As a player, he is consistently recognized as one of the best European shooting guards of the 1990s, renowned for his scoring prowess, clutch performances, and mental fortitude. His EuroLeague and multiple national league titles with Partizan and Virtus Bologna, coupled with his significant role in the Yugoslav and FR Yugoslav national teams' golden era, including multiple EuroBasket gold medals and an Olympic silver, firmly establish his place among Europe's basketball elite. His competitive drive and talent left an indelible mark on the sport, particularly in Italy and the former Yugoslavia.
In his administrative roles, Danilović demonstrated a commitment to basketball development, particularly evident in his time as Partizan's vice-president, where he helped cultivate a successful model of nurturing young domestic talent. However, his tenure as Partizan president was also marked by controversies, including the widely reported assault on a referee and the club's financial struggles leading to his resignation. These incidents highlight the complex challenges and personal pressures often encountered in sports management. Despite these difficulties, his continued leadership as the president of the Basketball Federation of Serbia underscores his enduring dedication to the sport's infrastructure and future. Overall, Danilović's legacy is one of a gifted athlete who transitioned into a leadership role, navigating both triumphs and tribulations in his ongoing contribution to basketball.