Milenko Topić

2.04 m (6 ft 8+1⁄2 in)Listed weight99 kg (218 lb)Career informationNBA draft1991: undraftedPlaying career1988–2008PositionPower forwardNumber14, 15Coaching career2015–presentCareer historyAs player:1988–1991Sloga Banatsko Novo Selo1991–1995Profikolor1995–1997BFC Beočin1997–1999Crvena zvezda1999–2001Budućnost2001–2002Montepaschi Siena2002–2003Hemofarm2003–2004Olimpia Milano2004–2007Hemofarm2007–2008RethymnoAs coach:2015–2016SZTE-Szedeák (assistant)2017–2020Crvena zvezda (assistant)2018Crvena zvezda (interim)2021–2022DEAC (assistant) Career highlights and awardsAs player:

• FIBA Saporta Cup champion (2002)
• Adriatic League champion (2005)
• 3× FR Yugoslav League champion (1998, 2000, 2001)

As coach:

• 2× Serbian League champion (2018, 2019)
• Adriatic League champion (2019)
• Adriatic Supercup winner (2018)

Milenko Topić (Serbian Cyrillic: Миленко Топић; born 6 March 1969) is a Serbian professional basketball coach and former player.

Playing career

A power forward, Topić spent most of his professional career playing in the YUBA League, representing Profikolor, BFC Beočin, Crvena zvezda, Budućnost, and Hemofarm. In the later career, he also played in Italy for Montepaschi Siena and Olimpia Milano, as well as in Greece for Rethymno, until his retirement in 2008.^[1]

National team career

Topić was a member of the Yugoslavia national team (representing FR Yugoslavia) that won the silver medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, US. Over five tournament games, he averaged 2.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and one assist per game.^[2] Topić won the gold medal at EuroBasket 1997 in Spain. Over nine tournament games, he averaged 5.8 points, 2.6 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game while shooting 72.7% from the field.^[3] He was a member of the Yugoslavia team that won the gold medal at the 1998 FIBA World Championship in Athens, Greece. Over eight tournament games, he averaged 6.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game.^[4] Topić won the bronze medal at EuroBasket 1999 in France. Over nine tournament games, he averaged 3.9 points, 2.1 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game.^[5]

Coaching career

Topić spent the 2015–16 season working as an assistant coach for the Hungarian team SZTE-Szedeák.

Crvena zvezda

On 21 July 2017, Topić joined Crvena zvezda coaching staff after Serbian coach Dušan Alimpijević become their head coach for the 2017–18 season.^[6] On 8 May 2018 he became an interim head coach for the Zvezda after Alimpijević was sacked.^[7][8] On 10 May he made his debut in an 84–74 home win against Borac Čačak.^[9] He finished his stint undefeated with a 10–0 record. In July 2018, Milan Tomić became the head coach for Crvena zvezda while Topić was moved back to the assistant coach role. In June 2020, Crvena zvezda parted ways with him.

Career achievements and awards

As head coach

• Serbian League champion: 1 (with Crvena zvezda: 2017–18)

As assistant coach

• Adriatic League champion: 1 (with Crvena zvezda: 2018–19)
• Serbian League champion: 1 (with Crvena zvezda: 2018–19)
• Adriatic Supercup winner: 1 (with Crvena zvezda: 2018)

As player

• FIBA Saporta Cup champion: 1 (with Montepaschi Siena: 2001–02)
• Adriatic League champion: 1 (with Hemofarm: 2004–05)
• FR Yugoslav League champion: 3 (with Crvena zvezda: 1997–98; with Budućnost Podgorica: 1999–00, 2000–01)

Individual

• Adriatic League season steals leader: 2006–07

Personal life

His son Nikola (born 2005 in Novi Sad) is a junior basketball player. In June 2020, Nikola signed a scholarship contract with the Crvena zvezda youth system.^[10][11] His son made a debut for Crvena zvezda in March 2022, at age 16.^[12]

See also