Kalemegdan Court
From Italy to Belgrade, one way, looking for some streetball. Belgrade is the Serbia’s capital city, a nation with a great b-ball tradition, and a key city of the european ball movement. The former Yugoslavian national team (Serbia & Montenegro from 2002 ’til 2006, Serbia right now) won tons of international trophies, one Olympic Title, five World Championships, eight European Championships, being (together with Croatia, Slovenia and Bosnia until 1991) a fundamental part of the european b-ball heritage. In Belgrade there are three professional teams always top ranked in Europe, Red Star (Crvena Zvezda), Partizan and FMP (recognized everywhere for its youth teams), and also an huge concrete ball movement.
The most famous court in the city is Kalemegdan, down the old fortress and right in front of the Main Street Knez Mihajlova, one of the big tourist’s attractions of the city. Right there, more than 60 years ago, the Yugoslavian Basketball League began to organize b-ball in the country, and right now at Kalemegdan the local ballers play hard. Some rash tourists try to take a stab at the court, but the level is very high and some of them are punctually posterized. But be careful, sometimes you can see people with sunday dress with a terrific ball skills or a great jumper, you don’t have to judge the ballers from the brand of their sneakers.
Another great court is Ada Cinganlija, a big sports center on a peninsula in the middle of Sava river, a complex with more than 20 ball courts. Right there the motto is “never play against three old men”. In fact at Ada Cinganlija you can find some 50-year-old men’s teams who can destroy, technically and physically, the 80% of the young ballers. “You will not like it” is the warning of people who know the motto to the guys who are gonna play the old men. The olds are nasty, dangerous elbows and intrinsic toughness are on their side, together with great fundamentals and superior b-ball IQ. The youngers who face them try to do a sort of flying circus on the court, but no way, the olds win, again and again and again.
These are just a little part of the infinite stories from the Belgrade street courts, a big b-ball heart who pulse in the middle of Europe…
Belgrade, Serbia, a city where concrete ball is life.
Thanks to Roberto Babini, an italian baller in Belgrade.
December 28th, 2008 at 8:17 am
Barney says:
Basketball is Peace, all around the world.
cheers
B
December 28th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
Bobbito Garcia a.k.a. Kool Bob Love says:
nice! we actaully ran an article about this court in Bounce maybe two or three years ago. it’s beautiful i really hope one day i get to see it with my own eyes. and as a 42 year old, i’d love to play against my own ‘old men’ at that other court!
December 29th, 2008 at 6:19 am
b42 says:
good to read about euroball, in serbia always good players, but also in spain greece and italy.
nice piece
December 29th, 2008 at 6:48 am
BB says:
you dan vecchi wrote on slam mag about euroball i remember your articles.
good to read you on bounce man
December 29th, 2008 at 7:18 am
klod says:
great stuff in Europe
December 29th, 2008 at 7:47 am
Dr.Dragan says:
in Serbia you can find the best tradition of basketball in Europe, and the best young players from the youth leagues of the big teams.
December 29th, 2008 at 7:56 am
Dr.Dragan says:
it’s true, “don’t mess with three old men on a basketball court”.
December 29th, 2008 at 10:09 am
popakippy86 says:
I always loved the old skull balla..
in USA and around the world.
respect
December 29th, 2008 at 10:29 am
Daniele Vecchi says:
yes, last year I wrote on Slam about Euroleague, the biggest b-ball tournament in Europe.
In 2009 the Euroleague Final Four will be in Berlin.
Peace
December 29th, 2008 at 2:18 pm
Roberto says:
hey Bobbito , let me knoW when you will get there! i want to see you play against old men .. hehe you shoud see how can be effective an orrible shooting tecnique!
December 29th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
Nemanija says:
serbian ballers kick ass !
December 29th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
Maja says:
i invite anyone to play there.. all serbian people can play well and all people are really friendly !
December 29th, 2008 at 7:00 pm
Daniele Vecchi says:
hey Bob, we can organize an “old-men-not-so-old” team, challenging the original Old Men in Ada Cinganlija!!!
We have to go there Bob, I ask to Rick if he comes with us???
eheheh.
peace and a sincer salute to all the serbian ballers.
D
December 29th, 2008 at 7:01 pm
Daniele Vecchi says:
and also a great salute to Roberto, vai alla grande man!!!
D
December 30th, 2008 at 6:11 am
Hanky Spanky says:
Hot stuff in Belgrade.
Cool.
December 30th, 2008 at 7:20 am
alegiust says:
Sempre interessanti le storie di Mr.Baby Face.
“concreto” bball is for real in a lotta of places in Europe too.
December 30th, 2008 at 12:36 pm
Sdaze85 says:
I like euroball I love streetball from Europe and other countries outside America they always have something to prove.
December 31st, 2008 at 8:28 am
eurocall911 says:
beautiful city Belgrade and good basketball movement, like all the balcanic countries.
December 31st, 2008 at 10:34 am
donald says:
you were the eurotripper on slam mag.
better here than there, better family.
yo bounce
January 1st, 2009 at 7:30 am
nova gorica says:
happy new year all you european ballers
January 1st, 2009 at 7:33 am
nova gorica says:
especially italians, slovenians, croatians, serbians, montenegro and greeks.
January 2nd, 2009 at 6:29 am
josif says:
don’t forget the italian ballers in italy bro
January 2nd, 2009 at 10:04 am
Roberto says:
i will not forget italian baller , i’ll back there in 15january. but in italy winter is really dead season for streetball, because is a bit cold and most of the bball lovers has theyr amateurs teams. So i use to play alone or sometimes 2 vs 2… ehheh Happy new year to anyone !!!!