101 Greats of European Basketball

A player ahead
of his time
Kresimir Cosic was one of those sensational
players who changed the history of our
sport. Unfortunately, he died on May 25,
1995 in Baltimore, USA, at just 47 years
old. Still, he had a past – both sporting and
human – that only the most exceptional
men can claim, whether they live long or short lives.
For those who were not fortunate enough to see
Cosic on the court – even if they can find a few games
or plays of his on the internet – I’d define him a bit like
Arvydas Sabonis, except 10 centimeters shorter, a lot
lighter and of a different body type.
Cosic was a 2.10-meter thin man who nonetheless
had great rebounding ability. He was officially a center,
but he could play at almost any position. He was a
modern player, way ahead of his time, because he was
capable of dishing assists like the best guards; shooting
from mid-range like the best forwards; or blocking
shots like the great big men. Cosic was the first center
who started coming out of the paint, and it was not
strange to see him in the high post, dribbling with one
hand and telling his teammates what to do on the play.
He didn’t do that because some coach said so. It was
just his way of understanding basketball. Whatever he
did, he had a reason for doing it – and that reason made
sense. His was the logic of a smart man.
Cosic was the extension of his coaches on the
court – a description often reserved for point guards
– because basketball ran through his veins. He was a
huge talent. All of his teams – from when he debuted
with Zadar at age 16 in 1964 to his retirement at 35 with
Cibona in 1983 – had a huge advantage by having him
on the roster.
Kreso Cosic was an impulsive player, sometimes
too much so, and his nerves could betray him on occasion.
He would explode on court, angry at himself, his
teammates or – more often – the refs, but he was calm
again in no time. He had big hands and great timing for
rebounds. Many times, he could just pull the ball out of
the air with one hand, like an octopus, and launch fastbreaks
with a long pass. Cosic played with his head, using
his excellent technique to overcome stronger rivals
like Dino Meneghin or Vladimir Tkachenko. He was no
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, but Cosic could also score with
a precise sky hook. In one-on-one situations, he had a
jump shot that was always good because the ball left
his hands when the rival was coming down after biting
on Cosic’s first fake.
In 2011 in Milan I bought a book, “Dino Meneghin,
Passi da Gigante”, the autobiography of the great Italian
center. On page 80 we can read:
“The best Yugoslav players were extra-classy, but
also gentlemen. I am thinking specifically about Kreso
Cosic. And I say that with love because he has not been
among us for a few years. I admired him and I confess
he was my weak spot. On the court, he was like a chip
on your shoulder, a player who could do anything and
everything. To me, he was the first player ever, including
in the NBA, who could play all five positions. He was
a center with the brain of a playmaker. He played like
an assistant point guard, or like a small forward at 2.11
meters. In a team, there are engineers and workers. He
was an engineer. A generous man, loyal and kind, Kreso
opened in me a universal world in terms of personality
101 greats of european basketball
Kresimir Cosic
C