Fenerbahce hands reins to Aleksandar Djordjevic

Fenerbahce Istanbul found a new coach as the Turkish powerhouse signed Aleksandar Djordjevic to a three-year contract.

Djordjevic, age 53, comes to Fenerbahce after coaching Virtus Segafredo Bologna the past three seasons and replaces fellow Serbian Igor Kokoskov, who agreed to leave the club.

Djordjevic guided Virtus to the 2020-21 7DAYS EuroCup semifinals, where the club lost to UNICS Kazan. Aleksandar Djordjevic returns to the EuroLeague for his third stint after coaching Olimpia Milano in 2005-06 for three games and producing a 15-12 record with Panathinaikos Athens in 2015-16, getting swept in the playoffs by Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz.

After a wildly successful playing career – which included the 1992 EuroLeague crown with Partizan Belgrade as well as three Korac Cup titles not to mention 1996 Olympic silver, the 1998 FIBA Basketball World Cup trophy, and three golds at the FIBA EuroBasket for Yugoslavia – Djordjevic’s debut as a coach came with Milan, where he served until 2007. He next coached Benetton in the EuroCup in 2011-12 before reappearing for his EuroLeague season with Panathinaikos. Djordjevic then went to FC Bayern Munich for the 2016-17 and 2017-18 campaigns, the latter which saw the club lose to Darussafaka Istanbul in the EuroCup semifinals and he shortly thereafter being fired. Aleksandar Djordjevic returned to Italy in March 2019 and landed at Virtus, and helped the club win the Basketball Champions League title in 2019. Djordjevic also served as the Serbian national team head coach and led them to the silver medal at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2014, 2016 Olympics, and FIBA EuroBasket 2017.