Neven Spahija

Neven Spahija (born 6 November 1962) is a Croatian professional basketball coach who is the head coach for Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). He spent four years in the NBA as an assistant coach with the Atlanta Hawks and Memphis Grizzlies.

Neven Spahija
Spahija while coaching Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2018
Shanghai Sharks
PositionHead coach
LeagueChinese Basketball Association
Personal information
Born (1962-11-06) 6 November 1962
Šibenik, PR Croatia, FPR Yugoslavia
NationalityCroatian
Coaching career1986–present
Career history
As coach:
1986–1987Elemes Šibenik (assistant)
1994–1996Zrinjevac (assistant)
1996–1997Gradine Pula
1999–2000Union Olimpija (assistant)
2000–2001Cibona
2001–2003Krka
2003Avtodor Saratov
2004–2005Roseto Sharks
2005–2006Lietuvos rytas
2006–2007Maccabi Tel Aviv
2007–2008Tau Cerámica
2008–2010Valencia
2010–2012Fenerbahçe Ülker
2013Cibona
2014–2017Atlanta Hawks (assistant)
2017–2018Maccabi Tel Aviv
2019–2020Memphis Grizzlies (assistant)
2020–presentShanghai Sharks
Career highlights and awards
As head coach

Coaching career

Club career

Spahija started his basketball coaching career with Gradine Pula from Croatia and Olimpija Ljubljana from Slovenia, working as an assistant coach. He started his head coaching career with Cibona from Croatia, where he won his first league championship in 2001. He then worked with Krka Novo Mesto from Slovenia, Avtodor Saratov from Russia, Lietuvos rytas from Lithuania, Maccabi Tel Aviv from Israel, Baskonia and Valencia from Spain.

From 2010 to 2012, he was the head coach of the Turkish club Fenerbahçe Ülker.[1] In June 2013, he was named the head coach of Cibona, for the next four years.[2] In November 2013, he parted ways with Cibona.[3]

On 4 August 2014, Spahija was hired by the Atlanta Hawks, to be their assistant coach.[4]

On 26 June 2017, Spahija returned to Maccabi Tel Aviv for a second stint, signing a 2+1-year contract.[5] In the 2017–18 season, Spahija led Maccabi to win the 2018 Israeli League Championship. On 18 November 2018, he parted ways with Maccabi after four consecutive losses and a 1–6 start to the 2018–19 EuroLeague season.[6]

In August 2019, Spahija was hired by the Memphis Grizzlies, to be their assistant coach, where he spent the 2019–20 season.[7] On 13 September 2020, Spahija left the Grizzlies to coach overseas.[8] On 20 September, he signed as head coach of the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA).[9]

National team career

Spahija led the senior Croatia national team between 2001 and 2005, coaching them at the 2003 and 2005 European Championships.

Coaching record
Legend
G Games coached W Games won L Games lost W–L % Win-loss %

Note: The EuroLeague is not the only competition in which the team played during the season. He also coached in domestic competition, and regional competition if applicable.

EuroLeague
Team Year G W L W–L% Result
Cibona Zagreb 2000–01 1239.250Eliminated in Top 16 stage
2001–02 624.333Fired
Krka 2001–02 541.800Eliminated in regular season
Lietuvos rytas 2005–06 20119.550Eliminated in Top 16 stage
Maccabi Tel Aviv 2006–07 231310.565Eliminated in quarterfinals
Tau Cerámica 2007–08 25169.640Lost in 3rd place game
Fenerbahçe Ülker 2010–11 16106.625Eliminated in Top 16 stage
2011–12 1688.500Eliminated in Top 16 stage
Maccabi Tel Aviv 2017–18 301317.433Eliminated in Top 16 stage
2018–19 716.143Fired
Career1608179.523

See also

References
  1. Spahija set for Fenerbahce Ulker
  2. Cibona name Neven Spahija head coach
  3. Neven Spahija, Cibona part ways
  4. Hawks Name Neven Spahija Assistant Coach
  5. Maccabi brings Spahija back to EuroLeague
  6. Maccabi hires Sfairopoulos in place of Spahija as head coach
  7. "Neven Spahija pomoćni trener u Memphisu". sport.hrt.hr (in Croatian). 6 August 2019. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  8. "Memphis Grizzlies add Darko Rajakovic as assistant coach". NBA.com. 13 September 2020. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  9. "Neven Spahija takes over Shanghai Sharks". Eurohoops.net. 20 September 2020. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
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