The Legends

ALEKSANDAR GEC

Golden decade off Red Star (1945-1955) is atached to the name off Nebojša Popović. But, if you ask the witnesses of those days who was the greatest player off the champion team they will tell you in a flash - Aleksandar Gec.

He was just 17 (born in 1928, Belgrade) when he made it to the senior team. He almost became a goalkeeper for FC Red Star because off universal talent for sports. His game was an art-work, pure brilliance, a lot off fans came in those days to Mali Kalemegdan just to see him. He was one off a kind, great shooter, a virtuoso. Aleksandar Gec was the first star off Red Star.

After winning his 8th consecutive title with Red Star in 1953 he was called to the national team for the European Championship in Moscow 1953. There he was diagnosed a serious lung desease and had to call it a day. Too soon. A great loss.

Afterwards Gec became a very succesfull club president and coach. Won all the trophies at the end of the 60`s and beggining of the 70`s era. He withdrew from basketball after an incident in the Red Star – Partizan game.

Ljubodrag Simonovic

His career will be remembered as »Simonović riddle«. His skills as a shooter and scorer were never matched, but unfortunately also his bad temper and innability to make compromises whith anyone or anything that was against pure and basic ideals off sport.

Ljubodrag Simonović was born in Vrnjačka Banja in 1949. Learned basketball on the same court in Kraljevo as Vlade Divac will many years later. He joined Red Star in 1966 and stayed in Mali Kalemegdan for 11 years. He was the driving force off the famous team alongside Zoran Slavnić, Dragan Kapičić and Dragiša Vučinić. They won two domestic titles, two national Cups and one Cup Winners Cup off Europe in 1974.

It is believed that they were bound to do more than that. Many blamed Simonović as the reason they didn`t, because off his caracter off a great individual that never fited well in the team spirit. It wasn`t the whole truth, but not far from truth either. He was a preacher off true Olympic spirit, so when it was declared that Portorico beat Yugoslavia in 1972 Olympics in Munich with the use off ilegal substances, Simonovic decided never to play for national tim again. So he didn`t, later he wrote many books about the dark sides off professional sport.

Many believe that the brilliance he showed in the game against the greatest Red Star rival Partizan in 1976(scored 59 points) is the greatest individual performance off all time.

ZORAN SLAVNIĆ

In his early childhood a kid from Dorčol (part off Belgrade) had a great love for the moka-cake. He didn`t even dream that his sweet tooth will get him his knickname and that it will be rememberd around the basketball globe.

Zoran Moka Slavnić was the true playmaker and the greatest star off Red Star in it`s history. He had an aura off a great man, charisma and incredible talent through which he compensated the fact off being only 181,5 cm tall.

Had a mind off a winner, never was afraid to take responsobility in the key moments, he thrived on excitment.

Slavnić played for Red Star for 14 years, than for spannish club Joventut, Šibenka, Caserta from Italy, even in Partizan which Red Star fans never forgave him. He won two national champion titles with the red&whites, two national Cups and Cup Winners Cup off Europe in 1974. On the national Cup tournament in 1973 which Red Star won, he was proclaimed as the MVP. Some say that was the highlight off his carrer, that his game in those days was beautifull and a deadly weapon at the same time.

Through his career he was a memeber of the national team on 177 occasions an won everything that can be won. His biography could be a script for a great movie because his personality was colorfull and unique. 'was an incredible talent, life and basketball were always just a game for him,' great and late Aleksandar Nikolic once said.

Slavnić is now a head coach of Atlas, basketball club in Belgrade.

VLADIMIR CVETKOVIĆ

There isn`t a man who`s life is so strongly atached to Red Star like Vladimir Cvetković. As a player, a club president and a fan he served honorably to two colours: red and white.

A great lefthander played first time for Red Star in 1960, and soon afterwards became the leader and an icon of the supporters. In 1962 he became the best team scorer in the season which he managed to the seven times more afterwards. He remaind in the club for 12 seasons, his best year was 1966 in which he was scoring 34 points a night. With 5491 points Cvetković is the best scorer in Red Star history.

As all great players, he wasn`t just offense. Cvetković was famous for his defensive game and fighting spirit. He had fragile frame and not so great health, but his heart was so big and strong that sometimes Cvetkovic seemed unstopable. After his great career ended, he became the president off Red Star Footbal Club and led it to the 1991 European Champions Cup win using great wisdom and good tactics that he was known for in his playing days.

Cvetković retired in 2002. Even Partizan made him a farewell party. No Red Star man ever recieved such a recognition – from the toughest rival. One`s greatness can never be denied.