Dino Meneghin
 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born |
18 January 1950 Alano di Piave, Italy |
| Nationality | Italian |
| Listed height | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) |
| Career information | |
| NBA draft | 1970 / Round: 11 / Pick: 182nd overall |
| Selected by the Atlanta Hawks | |
| Playing career | 1966–1994 |
| Position | Center |
| Career history | |
| 1966–1980 | Pallacanestro Varèse |
| 1980–1990 | Olimpia Milano |
| 1990–1993 | Pallacanestro Trieste |
| 1993–1994 | Olimpia Milano |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Basketball Hall of Fame as player | |
| FIBA Hall of Fame as player | |
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Dino Meneghin (Italian pronunciation: [ˈdino meneˈɡin]; born January 18, 1950) is an Italian former professional basketball player. He is widely considered as the best Italian player ever, as well as one of Europe's all-time greats. A 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) tall center, Meneghin was born in Alano di Piave, Veneto (northeast Italy). On November 20, 1966, when he was 16 years old, he played his first match in the Italian League with Ignis Varese. He played the last match of his career at the age of 45. Today, he works for the Italian Basketball Federation and for the club Olimpia Milano. On August 20, 2010, Meneghin was inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame, in recognition of his play in international competition.[1]
Playing career
In total, he played in 836 games and scored 8,560 points in the Italian Championship. With the Italian national basketball team, he played in 271 games and totaled 2,847 points scored. Meneghin became the second player from a European league to be drafted by an NBA team when the Atlanta Hawks manager Marty Blake selected him with a late-round pick in the 1970 NBA Draft. He never played in the USA, however.
In 1980 and 1983, he was elected European Player of the Year: Mr. Europa, and also won the Euroscar European Player of the Year award in 1983. In 1991, he was named the greatest European basketball player of all time by Giganti del Basket.[2] On September 5, 2003, he became the second Italian player to enter into the Basketball Hall of Fame after Cesare Rubini, who served Olimpia Milano, both as player and coach between the 1940s and the 1970s.
One of the greatest records of his career is his number of Finals appearances in the European Champions Cup (Euroleague). He played in 10 consecutive finals with Ignis Varese, winning 5; and later in 2 more consecutive finals with Olimpia Milano, winning both. Finally, before his playing career ended, Dino Meneghin played in the Italian League against his son Andrea, who was also a great international player.
Honours
Clubs
- 4x World Cup for Clubs Champion: (1967, 1970, 1973, 1987)
- 7x European Champions Cup (Euroleague) Champion: (1970, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1987, 1988)
- 2x European Cup Winners Cup Winner: (1967, 1980)
- Korać Cup Winner: (1985)
- 12x Italian League Champion: (1969, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1977, 1978, 1982, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989). He was also on the runner-up team 9 times.
- 6x Italian Cup Champion: (1969, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1986, 1987)
Italian national team
- EuroBasket 1971:
Bronze - EuroBasket 1975: Bronze
- 1980 Summer Olympic Games:
Silver - EuroBasket 1983:
Gold
Individual
- 3x European Player of the Year:
- 2x Mister Europa European Player of the Year: 1980, 1983
- Euroscar European Player of the Year: 1983
- FIBA's 50 Greatest Players: 1991
- Italian Basketball Hall of Fame: 2006
- 50 Greatest Euroleague Contributors: 2008
References
External links
- Euroleague.net 50 Greatest Contributors
- Fibaeurope.com Profile
- Dino Meneghin Player Profile (InterBasket)
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