DRAGAN RACA
FIBA coach license No: 2007018623
BIOGRAPHY
Dragan Raca is a former Serbian basketball player and current basketball coach. He was the coach of the national basketball teams of Lebanon, Cyprus and Macedonia.
Today he heads the basketball club Beikong Fly Dragons, a member of the Chinese CBA league, as a coach, head of the profession and general supervisor.
Dragan Raca spent his professional career playing for Yugoslavia professional teams: KK Knin, BC December 22 – Belgrade, KK Zorka – Sabac, KK Sibenka – Sibenik. He continued his career in Cyprus in AEL – Limassol.
He was building a professional coaching career in Cyprus, Greece, Lebanon, Macedonia and China. He trained Cypriot AEL and Apoel, as well as Lebanese Hekmeh. Dragan Raca was named the best young coach in Europe by FIBA in 2002, and in 2005 FIBA named him the best coach in club competitions under her auspices. The basketball team of Lebanon led on the Asian’s championships in 2007 and 2009 and won a silver medal at the 2007 championship. At the 2009 Chinese Championship, he was placed in the 2010 World Cup in Turkey.
The winner of the silver medal at the Williams Jones Intercontinental Cup in China in 2007 and 2008. With the Cypriot national team, which he led in 2004-2005, he won the gold medal at the B Olympic Games of the European Championship in Andorra in 2005 – without a lost game. The supervisor and also the coordinator of projects supported by China’s Guangxi Teachers Education University and Guangxi University of Science and Technology, as well as 12 other faculties in China, cooperate with universities in the US, Australia and Russia. For his contribution to humanitarian activities, he was decorated with the Order of the Republic of Serbia.
EDUCATION
–Honorary Doctor of Science at Alfa BK University – for his exceptional contribution in the field of sports, sports management, training technology, university education in the field of sports science, and humanitarian activities in the territory of Europe, Asia and America.
-Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Belgrade.
-Senior coaching school, Belgrade.
-Languages: English, Russian, Greek and languages of the former Yugoslavia republics.
PLAYING CAREER
1982–1984 Zorka Sabac
1984–1986 Kvarner
1986–1989 Šibenka
1989–1990 Partizan
1990–1991 ETHA Engomis
1991–1992 AEK Larnaca
1992–1993 Aris Limassol
1993–2000 Keravnos
2000–2001 Achilleas Kaimakli
2001–2002 AEL Limassol
The national team of Cyprus (after gaining naturalization) 1994-1999
ACHIEVEMENTS AS PLAYER
Three times best scorer of former Yugoslavia A1
Four times best scorer of Cyprus A1 and the best scorer in the history of Cyprus basketball
COACH CAREER – CLUBS
China
Wuhan Dangdai NBL (2021-2023)
Shandong Heroes CBA (2020)
Beijing FLY DRAGONS CBA (2015 – 2018),
Chongqing FLY DRAGONS CBA (2013 – 2015),
Guangzhou FREE MAN NBL (2010 – 2013).
Cyprus
AEL (A1), 2008 – 2009.
Greece
Olimpias Patra (A1), 2007 – 2008.
Cyprus
Apoel (A1), 2007.
Lebanon
Sageze (A1), 2006.
Greece
Iraklis (A1), 2005.
Cyprus
AEL (A1), 2002-2005.
ACHIEVEMENTS
Chinese Regular Season Champion 2014
China Basketball New Year International Tournament winner 2013
China Best Coach of New Year International Tournament 2013
Chinese Regular Season Champion 2013
China Basketball New Year International Tournament winner 2011
China Best Coach of New Year International Tournament 2011
Chinese Regular Season NBL Runner up 2012
Chinese NBL Finalist 2012
Champion of Cyprus (Eka — AEL) – club won the title after 15 years
Winner Championship season 2002/2003 – best defensive team(average 62 points)
Winner Championship season 2003/2004 – best defensive team(average 65 points) – best offensive team (86 points) – only one lost game in a season
Winner Championship season 2004/2005-best defensive team (average 68 points)
Winner of the National Cup – after 18 years Season 2003/2004 – no lost the game
Winner of Super cup Season 2003/2004 + FIBA Euroleague – best defensive team(average 61 points)
Winner of FIBA Euro Challenge Cup Season 2002/2003 (10 straight victories in 10 games – unbeaten record)
Nominated for the Coach of the year in all sports in Cyprus in 2003, 2004, 2005
Nominated for The best basketball coach in Cyprus in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009.
THE BEST ROOKIE FIBA COACH EUROPE – nominated by FIBA in 2003.
THE BEST EUROPEAN FIBA COACH – officially nominated by FIBA in Munich (June 2004)
THE BEST COACH OF THE YEAR EUROBASKET ALL LEAGUE (2004)
COACH OF THE EUROPEAN TEAM ( All-star game) Europe vs. Rest of the world – Kiev 2004
COACH OF THE EUROPEAN TEAM ( All-star game) Europe vs. Rest of the world – Nicosia 2005
His team EKA-AEL was nominated for the team with the best defence in FIBA Euroleague in season 2003/2004 (22 games – 17 victories).
COACHING CAREER – NATIONAL TEAMS
HEAD COACH OF THE NATIONAL TEAM OF MACEDONIAN 2016.
HEAD COACH OF THE NATIONAL TEAM OF LEBANON 2009.
Asian Championship in China 2009. qualification on World Championship in Turkey
– Winner of the SILVER MEDAL on the Asian Championship in Japan ( won the rights to take a part in FIBA Olympic Qualification Beijing – China 2008.) between 16 teams
– best offensive team (average 86 points)
– best defensive team (average 67 points)(Lebanon, Iran, Korea, China, Qatar, Jordan, Philipines, Kazakhstan, Taiwan, Japan, Syria, Indonesia, India, Kuwait, Hong Kong, United Emirates).
WINNER OF SILVER MEDAL on Williams Jones Cup International tournament (China 2007)
WINNER OF THE BRONZE MEDAL on Williams Jones Cup International tournament (China 2009) -best defensive team (average 69 points)
HEAD COACH OF THE NATIONAL TEAM OF CYPRUS 2004-2005.
– WON THE GOLD MEDAL at the B Olympics European Championship in Andorra (June 2005, NO GAME LOST)
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS:
Coach and supervisor in many summer camps all around Europe and Asia.
Supervisor and organizer of the FREMA international camp 2004 (Europe – Cyprus, Asia -Lebanon, S.America -Brazil)
Author of the program for the first FIBA summer basketball camp in Bulgaria 2004.
Instructor of the national program for sports infrastructure support (E.S.Y.A.A. Greece, Cyprus) for four consecutive years
Instructor of the coaches Schools China Basketball Federation National.
Previews coaches are Dell Harris and Pat Riley.