FC Bayern Basketball has extended the contract with head coach Dejan Radonjic ahead of schedule and a few days before the the first game of the playoffs against Löwen Braunschweig (Saturday, May 18th at 20:30 in the Audi Dome). The 49-year-old will continue to coach the German champions in the coming season after extending his contract through 2020.
Radonjic took charge of the Bavarian club at short notice a year ago and led them to the championship title in the 2018 playoffs and a season that saw two different title victories. In the current season, the FCBB was again able to win the regular season with only three losses and in the EuroLeague, the German team just missed the quarter-finals with 14 wins.
"Continuity is very important in basketball".
Bayern Sports Director Daniele Baiesi said: "What our team and our staff have achieved this season did not seem possible for a German team. But the players and all the staff members have navigated the club through a difficult and exceptionally challenging BBL and EuroLeague season so far, even though the club is still a rookie in the premier league. Coach Radonjic was and is the leader of this incredible journey and we are looking forward to further stabilising our club at a high level with him".
Dejan Radonjic said: "Continuity is very important in basketball, especially for a still young EuroLeague organisation, so I am more than happy that we will be able to continue on our common path here at FC Bayern. I feel very comfortable in Munich and in this big club and we want to move forward together. Now our whole focus is on the playoffs."
Before his engagement in Munich, Radonjic had led the traditional Serbian club Roter Stern Belgrade three times in a row (2015 - 2017) to the national title and a top finish in the Eastern European Adriatic League (ABA), which is decisive for the EuroLeague starting rights. Including the Serbian Cup, he won the "triple" twice before joining Bayern.
DEJAN RADONJIC (* April 2, 1970 in Podgorica, MNE/formerly Titograd)
STATIONS AS COACH: KK Boducnost Podgorica/MNE (2005 - 2013), Montenegro National Team (2011), KK Red Star Belgrade (2013 - 2017).
SUCCESS AS COACH: 6x national champion in Montenegro (2007 - 2012), 6x cup winner in Montenegro (2007 - 2012), 3x national champion in Serbia (2015 - 2017), 3x cup winner in Serbia (2014, 2015, 2017), 3x winner of the Adriatic League ABA (2015 - 2017), "coach of the year" in the Adriatic League 2015.
STATIONS AS PLAYER (1990 - 2004): Lovcen Cetinje/MNE, Buducnost Podgorica/MNE, Banatsko Novo Selo/SRB, Zeleznik Belgrad/SRB, Vojvodina Novi Sad/SRB.
SUCCESS AS PLAYER: 3x national champion in Yugoslavia (1999 - 2001), cup winner in Yugoslavia (2001).