101 Greats of European Basketball

The darkest period in his
life also coincided with the
comeback from Brazil of
a USSR emigrant, a friend
of his. Sergei greeted him
at home and this was a
suspicious act for what he
called “the usual services”.
Sergei Belov
the worst years of my life and now I can say that for five
years I even feared for my life!”
The darkest period in his life also coincided with
the comeback from Brazil of a USSR emigrant, a friend
of his. Sergei greeted him at home and this was a
suspicious act for what he called “the usual services”.
His problems lasted until 1988, when he returned to
CSKA as coach. In 1990, he coached Italy and in 1993
he was back in Russia, where he became president of
the Russian Federation until 2000. He was also the
national team coach for the World Championships of
Toronto in 1994 and Athens in 1998, where Russia
won silver medals, and also for the 1997 EuroBasket
in Barcelona, where it won the bronze. From 1999, Belov
joined Sergei Kushchenko as general manager and
president, respectively, to build a great team in Perm,
Ural Great. Their team broke the dominance of CSKA
Moscow, won domestic titles and played the new EuroLeague
in 2001-02 as the first Russian team in the
competition. Belov lived in Perm until he passed away
in 2013 at age 69.
He never had doubts that he, as well as other talents
of his generation like Kresimir Cosic, Drazen Dalipagic
or Dragan Kicanovic, could have played and triumphed
in the NBA, just like Arvydas Sabonis did, getting there
at 31, or Pau Gasol, Tony Parker, Dirk Nowitzki, Vlade
Divac and so many other Europeans who showed that
good basketball and good players are not an American-only
privilege.
101 greats of of european basketball
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