# Slovenia men's national basketball team

The Slovenia men's national basketball team (Slovene: Slovenska košarkarska reprezentanca) represents Slovenia in international basketball competitions, and is managed by the Basketball Federation of Slovenia. Since the independence of Slovenia in 1991, the national team has competed at every EuroBasket, and reached the knockout stage at every championship since 2005. Their greatest achievement overall at the tournament came at EuroBasket 2017, where they won all nine games and became European champions.
As of February 2025, Slovenia is ranked 11th in the FIBA World Ranking.

## History

Before Slovenia's independence in 1991, Slovenian players represented Yugoslavia. Slovenia joined the International Basketball Federation in 1992 and played its first official game on 22 June 1992 against Bulgaria in the qualification rounds for the 1992 Summer Olympics.

### FIBA World Cup

Slovenia debuted at the FIBA Basketball World Cup in 2006 after qualifying as the sixth-placed team of the EuroBasket 2005. In the 2010, 2014 and 2023 editions, Slovenia reached the quarter-finals; their highest overall finish is seventh place, achieved in 2014 and 2023.

### EuroBasket

Between May and June 1993, Slovenia competed in the qualifiers for the EuroBasket 1993, where the team won all seven games and therefore qualified for its first EuroBasket. At the main tournament, held in Germany, Slovenia finished in 14th place out of 16 teams with one win and two defeats.
Slovenia did not reach the knockout stages of the competition until the 2005 edition, where the team, coached by Aleš Pipan, reached the quarter-finals for the first time. In 2009, Slovenia reached the semi-finals for the first time after eliminating Croatia in the quarter-finals with a 67–65 victory. In the semi-finals, Slovenia lost to Serbia after overtime, and later to Greece in the third place game, finishing the competition in fourth place. In the next two tournaments, in 2011 and 2013, Slovenia was eliminated in the quarter-finals by Spain and France, respectively. In 2015, Slovenia failed to reach the quarter-finals for the first time since the 2003 edition after losing to Latvia in the round of 16.
At EuroBasket 2017, Slovenia, captained by Goran Dragić and managed by Igor Kokoškov, won the championship after winning nine consecutive games, including victories against the 2013 winners France and the 2015 winners Spain. Dragić, who scored 35 points in the final against Serbia, was named the most valuable player of the tournament.

### 2020 Summer Olympics

Slovenia qualified for the men's basketball tournament at the 2020 Summer Olympics after competing in the 2020 FIBA Men's Olympic Qualifying Tournaments, winning the tournament in Kaunas. They won all games in the Group B, defeating Poland and Angola. In the Final round, they defeated Venezuela 98–70, and qualified for the final against Lithuania. Slovenia defeated Lithuania 96–85 in Kaunas, led by Luka Dončić (31 points, 11 rebounds, 13 assists), who with his triple-double sent Slovenia to their first Olympic appearance. Dončić was also proclaimed as the MVP of the tournament.
At the Olympics, Slovenia was drawn in the group with the host Japan, Argentina, and reigning world champion Spain. In the opening game, they beat Argentina 118–100. With his 48 points in this game, Dončić tied with Eddie Palubinskas for the second highest points scored in a match in the history of the Olympics. In the next game Slovenia defeated host Japan 116–81. In the final match of the group stage, Slovenia faced Spain, the reigning world champions, and beat them 95–87. Mike Tobey, who was named player of the day by FIBA, recorded a double-double with 16 points and 14 rebounds, while Klemen Prepelič scored the crucial three-pointer that put Slovenia ahead 86–85 two and a half minutes before the end.
The win gave them the group's top seed, and they were set to face Germany in the quarter-finals. Slovenia won their quarter-final, defeating Germany 94–70. Slovenia then lost the dramatic semi-final against France by one point, 90–89. In the last seconds of the game, Nicolas Batum blocked Prepelič's layup attempt, thus preventing Slovenia from reaching the final. In the bronze medal game, Slovenia played against Australia, and lost 107–93. Thus, the team finished its inaugural Olympic tournament in fourth place, and Dončić was selected in the All-Star Team of the tournament.

## Competitive record
#### Record against other teams at World Cup

| Country | W–L |
| Australia | 3–0 |
| Angola | 1–0 |
| Brazil | 1–0 |
| Cape Verde | 1–0 |
| Croatia | 1–0 |
| Dominican Republic | 1–0 |
| Georgia | 1–0 |
| Iran | 1–0 |
| Mexico | 1–0 |
| Puerto Rico | 1–0 |
| Senegal | 1–0 |
| South Korea | 1–0 |
| Tunisia | 1–0 |
| Venezuela | 1–0 |
| Italy | 1–1 |
| Canada | 0–1 |
| China | 0–1 |
| Germany | 0–1 |
| Russia | 0–1 |
| Spain | 0–1 |
| Lithuania | 0–2 |
| Turkey | 0–2 |
| United States | 0–3 |
| Total | 17–13 |
    Last updated: 9 September 2023

#### Record against other teams at EuroBasket

| Country | W–L |
| Turkey | 4–0 |
| Georgia | 3–0 |
| Italy | 3–0 |
| Serbia | 4–2 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 3–1 |
| Finland | 3–1 |
| Ukraine | 3–1 |
| Hungary | 2–0 |
| Poland | 3–2 |
| Belgium | 2–1 |
| Bulgaria | 1–0 |
| Czech Republic | 1–0 |
| Estonia | 1–0 |
| Great Britain | 1–0 |
| Iceland | 1–0 |
| Netherlands | 1–0 |
| France | 5–5 |
| North Macedonia | 1–1 |
| Greece | 3–4 |
| Spain | 3–4 |
| Croatia | 2–3 |
| Germany | 2–3 |
| Latvia | 1–2 |
| Lithuania | 2–4 |
| Israel | 0–3 |
| Russia | 0–3 |
| Total | 55–40 |
    Last updated: 14 September 2022

## Team
### Current roster

Roster for the 2024 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

### Head coaches

Since 1992, the Slovenia national team has been managed by a total of twelve head coaches. Zmago Sagadin and Jure Zdovc are the only coaches with more than one spell.
| Years | Name | Achievements |
| 1992 | Zmago Sagadin | — |
| 1993 | Janez Drvarič | 1993 EuroBasket (14th place) |
| 1994–1995 | Zmago Sagadin | 1995 EuroBasket (12th place) |
| 1996–1998 | Andrej Urlep | 1997 EuroBasket (14th place) |
| 1998–2001 | Boris Zrinski | 1999 EuroBasket (10th place) 2001 EuroBasket (15th place) |
| 2002–2003 | Slobodan Subotić | 2003 EuroBasket (10th place) |
| 2004–2008 | Aleš Pipan | 2005 EuroBasket (6th place) 2006 World Cup (9th place) 2007 EuroBasket (7th place) |
| 2009 | Jure Zdovc | 2009 EuroBasket (4th place) |
| Years | Name | Achievements |
| 2010 | Memi Bečirovič | 2010 World Cup (8th place) |
| 2011–2013 | Božidar Maljković | 2011 EuroBasket (7th place) 2013 EuroBasket (5th place) |
| 2014–2015 | Jure Zdovc | 2014 World Cup (7th place) 2015 EuroBasket (12th place) |
| 2016–2017 | Igor Kokoškov | 2017 EuroBasket (Champions) |
| 2017–2020 | Rado Trifunović | — |
| 2020–present | Aleksander Sekulić | 2020 Summer Olympics (4th place) 2022 EuroBasket (6th place) 2023 World Cup (7th place) |

### Statistics

Players in bold are still active with Slovenia.
Most appearances
No.
Name
Years
Caps
1
Edo Murić
2011–
93
2
Goran Dragić
2006–2022
90
3
Jaka Lakovič
2001–2013
86
4
Jaka Blažič
2013–
82
5
Zoran Dragić
2011–
77
6
Uroš Slokar
2005–2015
76
7
Goran Jagodnik
1997–2011
75
8
Marijan Kraljević
1992–2003
73
9
Klemen Prepelič
2014–
71
10
Jaka Daneu
1992–1999
67
Boris Gorenc
1992–2003
67
12
Marko Tušek
1993–2004
63
13
Žiga Dimec
2016–
62
14
Ivica Jurković
1996–2004
61
15
Marko Milič
1994–2006
59
16
Boštjan Nachbar
1999–2013
58
17
Aleksej Nikolić
2014–
54
18
Jure Zdovc
1992–2000
53
19
Teoman Alibegović
1992–2000
52
Rasho Nesterović
1995–2008
52
Sani Bečirović
1998–2010
52
As of 25 February 2025. Statistics include official competitive matches only.
Top scorers
No.
Name
Years
Points
Caps
Points per game
1
Goran Dragić
2006–2022
1,095
90
12.2
2
Teoman Alibegović
1992–2000
990
52
19
3
Luka Dončić
2017–
938
41
22.9
4
Klemen Prepelič
2014–
915
71
12.9
5
Jaka Lakovič
2001–2013
880
86
10.2
6
Jure Zdovc
1992–2000
755
53
14.2
7
Zoran Dragić
2011–
750
77
9.7
8
Jaka Blažič
2013–
728
82
8.9
9
Boštjan Nachbar
1999–2013
627
58
10.8
10
Boris Gorenc
1992–2003
620
67
9.3
11
Slavko Kotnik
1992–1995
605
38
15.9
Marko Milič
1994–2006
605
59
10.3
13
Sani Bečirovič
1998–2010
551
52
10.6
14
Rasho Nesterović
1995–2008
530
52
10.2
15
Edo Murić
2011–
503
93
5.4
16
Marko Tušek
1993–2004
491
63
7.8
17
Ivica Jurković
1996–2004
488
61
8
18
Matjaž Smodiš
1999–2011
416
51
8.2
19
Mike Tobey
2021–2024
405
32
12.7
20
Erazem Lorbek
2004–2011
382
34
11.2
Primož Brezec
1998–2010
382
49
7.8
As of 25 February 2025. Statistics include official competitive matches only. :

### Retired numbers

The Basketball Federation of Slovenia retired Goran Dragić' jersey number 3 ahead of his farewell game on 23 August 2024.
Slovenia national team retired numbers :
| Number | Player | Position | Tenure | Date |
| 3 | Goran Dragić | Guard | 2006–2022 | 23 August 2024 |

### Past rosters

1993 EuroBasket: finished 14th among 16 teams
4 Roman Horvat, 5 Marko Tušek, 6 Jaka Daneu, 7 Darko Mirt, 8 Primoz Bačar, 9 Jure Zdovc, 10 Boštjan Leban, 11 Teoman Alibegović, 12 Boris Gorenc, 13 Marijan Kraljević, 14 Slavko Kotnik, 15 Žarko Durisić (Coach: Janez Drvarič)
1995 EuroBasket: finished 12th among 14 teams
4 Roman Horvat, 5 Matjaž Tovornik, 6 Jaka Daneu, 7 Walter Jeklin, 8 Marijan Kraljević, 9 Jure Zdovc, 10 Marko Tušek, 11 Teoman Alibegović, 12 Marko Milič, 13 Boris Gorenc, 14 Slavko Kotnik, 15 Aleš Kunc (Coach: Zmago Sagadin)
1997 EuroBasket: finished 14th among 16 teams
4 Walter Jeklin, 5 Goran Jagodnik, 6 Jaka Daneu, 7 Radoslav Nesterović, 8 Aleš Kunc, 9 Jure Zdovc, 10 Marko Tušek, 11 Teoman Alibegović, 12 Marko Milič, 13 Boris Gorenc, 14 Ivica Jurković, 15 Radovan Trifunović (Coach: Andrej Urlep)
1999 EuroBasket: finished 10th among 16 teams
4 Jure Zdovc, 5 Walter Jeklin, 6 Jaka Daneu, 7 Sani Bečirović, 8 Marijan Kraljević, 9 Matjaž Tovornik, 10 Matjaž Smodiš, 11 Goran Jagodnik, 12 Marko Milič, 13 Ivica Jurković, 14 Radoslav Nesterović, 15 Ervin Dragsič (Coach: Boris Zrinski)
2001 EuroBasket: finished 15th among 16 teams
4 Beno Udrih, 5 Jaka Lakovič, 6 Boris Gorenc, 7 Sani Bečirović, 8 Marijan Kraljević, 9 Matjaž Smodiš, 10 Marko Tušek, 11 Goran Jagodnik, 12 Marko Milič, 13 Ivica Jurković, 14 Ariel McDonald, 15 Radoslav Nesterović (Coach: Boris Zrinski)
2003 EuroBasket: finished 10th among 16 teams
4 Goran Jurak, 5 Jaka Lakovič, 6 Boris Gorenc, 7 Simon Petrov, 8 Marijan Kraljević, 9 Boštjan Nachbar, 10 Slavko Duščak, 11 Marko Tušek, 12 Marko Milič, 13 Ivica Jurković, 14 Jurica Golemac, 15 Primož Brezec (Coach: Slobodan Subotić)
2005 EuroBasket: finished 6th among 16 teams
4 Goran Jurak, 5 Jaka Lakovič, 6 Aleksandar Ćapin, 7 Sani Bečirović, 8 Radoslav Nesterović, 9 Nebojša Joksimović, 10 Boštjan Nachbar, 11 Erazem Lorbek, 12 Marko Milič, 13 Marko Maravič, 14 Uroš Slokar, 15 Primož Brezec (Coach: Aleš Pipan)
2006 FIBA World Cup: finished 9th among 24 teams
4 Goran Jurak, 5 Jaka Lakovič, 6 Sašo Ožbolt, 7 Sani Bečirović, 8 Radoslav Nesterović, 9 Beno Udrih, 10 Boštjan Nachbar, 11 Željko Zagorac, 12 Marko Milič, 13 Goran Dragić, 14 Uroš Slokar, 15 Primož Brezec (Coach: Aleš Pipan)
2007 EuroBasket: finished 7th among 16 teams
4 Sandi Čebular, 5 Jaka Lakovič, 6 Aleksandar Ćapin, 7 Goran Dragić, 8 Radoslav Nesterović, 9 Matjaž Smodiš, 10 Uroš Slokar, 11 Jaka Klobučar, 12 Goran Jagodnik, 13 Domen Lorbek, 14 Gašper Vidmar, 15 Erazem Lorbek (Coach: Aleš Pipan)
2009 EuroBasket: finished 4th among 16 teams
4 Uroš Slokar, 5 Jaka Lakovič, 6 Samo Udrih, 7 Primož Brezec, 8 Matjaž Smodiš (C), 9 Jaka Klobučar, 10 Boštjan Nachbar, 11 Goran Dragić, 12 Goran Jagodnik, 13 Domen Lorbek, 14 Jurica Golemac, 15 Erazem Lorbek (Coach: Jure Zdovc)
2010 FIBA World Cup: finished 8th among 24 teams
4 Uroš Slokar, 5 Jaka Lakovič (C), 6 Hasan Rizvić, 7 Sani Bečirović, 8 Jaka Klobučar, 9 Samo Udrih, 10 Boštjan Nachbar, 11 Goran Dragić, 12 Goran Jagodnik, 13 Miha Zupan, 14 Gašper Vidmar, 15 Primož Brezec (Coach: Memi Bečirović)
2011 EuroBasket: finished 7th among 24 teams
4 Uroš Slokar, 5 Jaka Lakovič (C), 6 Luka Rupnik, 7 Sašo Ožbolt, 8 Matjaž Smodiš, 9 Samo Udrih, 10 Edo Murić, 11 Goran Dragić, 12 Goran Jagodnik, 13 Zoran Dragić, 14 Mirza Begić, 15 Erazem Lorbek (Coach: Božidar Maljković)
2013 EuroBasket: finished 5th among 24 teams
4 Uroš Slokar, 5 Jaka Lakovič (C), 6 Jure Balažič, 7 Nebojša Joksimović, 8 Edo Murić, 9 Jaka Blažič, 10 Boštjan Nachbar, 11 Goran Dragić, 12 Zoran Dragić, 13 Domen Lorbek, 14 Gašper Vidmar, 15 Mirza Begić (Coach: Božidar Maljković)
2014 FIBA World Cup: finished 7th among 24 teams
4 Jure Balažič, 5 Uroš Slokar, 6 Aleksej Nikolić, 7 Klemen Prepelič, 8 Edo Murić, 9 Jaka Blažič, 10 Miha Zupan, 11 Goran Dragić (C), 12 Zoran Dragić, 13 Domen Lorbek, 14 Jaka Klobučar, 15 Alen Omić (Coach: Jure Zdovc)
2015 EuroBasket: finished 12th among 24 teams
1 Nebojša Joksimović, 5 Luka Rupnik, 7 Klemen Prepelič, 9 Jaka Blažič, 10 Mitja Nikolić, 12 Zoran Dragić, 13 Miha Zupan, 15 Jure Balažič (C), 17 Saša Zagorac, 23 Alen Omić, 24 Jaka Klobučar, 55 Uroš Slokar (Coach: Jure Zdovc)
2017 EuroBasket: finished 1st among 24 teams
0 Anthony Randolph, 1 Matic Rebec, 3 Goran Dragić (C) & (MVP), 6 Aleksej Nikolić, 7 Klemen Prepelič, 8 Edo Murić, 9 Jaka Blažič, 14 Gašper Vidmar, 17 Saša Zagorac, 22 Žiga Dimec, 31 Vlatko Čančar, 77 Luka Dončić (Coach: Igor Kokoškov)
2020 Olympic Games: finished 4th among 12 teams
5 Luka Rupnik, 6 Aleksej Nikolić, 7 Klemen Prepelič, 8 Edo Murić (C), 10 Mike Tobey, 11 Jaka Blažič, 15 Gregor Hrovat, 27 Žiga Dimec, 30 Zoran Dragić, 31 Vlatko Čančar, 55 Jakob Čebašek, 77 Luka Dončić (Coach: Aleksander Sekulić)
2022 EuroBasket: finished 6th among 24 teams
3 Goran Dragić (C), 4 Žiga Samar, 5 Luka Rupnik, 6 Aleksej Nikolić, 7 Klemen Prepelič, 8 Edo Murić, 10 Mike Tobey, 11 Jaka Blažič, 27 Žiga Dimec, 30 Zoran Dragić, 31 Vlatko Čančar, 77 Luka Dončić (Coach: Aleksander Sekulić)
2023 FIBA World Cup: finished 7th among 32 teams
4 Žiga Samar, 6 Aleksej Nikolić, 7 Klemen Prepelič, 10 Mike Tobey, 11 Jaka Blažič, 15 Gregor Hrovat, 27 Žiga Dimec, 30 Zoran Dragić, 32 Bine Prepelič, 33 Gregor Glas, 55 Jakob Čebašek, 77 Luka Dončić (C) (Coach: Aleksander Sekulić)