Željko Šakić

Željko Šakić (born April 14, 1988) is a Croatian professional basketball player for Tofaş of the Turkish Basketbol Süper Ligi (BSL) and the Basketball Champions League (BCL). Standing at 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m), he plays the power forward position.

Željko Šakić
Šakić with Croatia in 2022
No. 33 – Tofaş
PositionPower forward
LeagueBasketbol Süper Ligi
Champions League
Personal information
Born (1988-04-14) April 14, 1988
Zagreb, SR Croatia,
SFR Yugoslavia
NationalityCroatian
Listed height6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Listed weight234 lb (106 kg)
Career information
NBA draft2010: undrafted
Playing career2006–present
Career history
2006–2007Kaptol
2007–2010Dubrava
2010–2011Zrinjski Mostar
2011–2013Široki
2013–2014Sutor Montegranaro
2014–2015Manresa
2015–2016Lukoil Academic
2016–2017Cibona
2017–2018U BT Cluj-Napoca
2018–2019Stelmet Zielona Góra
2019–2020Lietkabelis Panevėžys
2020–2022Avtodor
2022UNICS
2022–2023Lietkabelis Panevėžys
2023–presentTofaş
Career highlights and awards

Professional career

Šakić started playing basketball in the Cibona youth systems but never got an opportunity to play for the senior squad. After he almost quit basketball, in 2007 he got an offer from another club from Zagreb, Dubrava where he spent the next 3 seasons.[1] After that he spent 3 seasons in the Bosnian League and then moved to Sutor Montegranaro of the Italian League. He spent the 2014–15 season in Manresa of the Spanish League earning the 4th week Player of the Week award.

In August 2015 he moved to the Bulgarian champion Lukoil Academic.[2]

On June 29, 2016, Šakić signed with Cibona.[3] After a season spent playing in the Romanian League for U BT Cluj-Napoca, in September 2018 he moved to the Polish side Stelmet Zielona Góra.[4]

On 10 July 2019, Šakić signed a one-year deal with Lietkabelis Panevėžys of the Lithuanian Basketball League (LKL).[5]

On June 25, 2020, he has signed with Avtodor of the VTB United League.[6]

In March, 2022, Šakić signed with UNICS for the rest of the season.[7]

On 24 July 2022, Šakić returned to Lietkabelis Panevėžys for a second stint, signing a two-year (1+1) deal.[8] On 1 July 2023, he parted ways with the club.[9]

On July 11, 2023, he signed with Tofaş of Basketbol Süper Ligi (BSL).[10]

Croatian national team

Šakić was part of the Croatian national team youth selections. He was one of the leading Croatian players at the 2006 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship and the 2008 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship, but to play with the senior team he had to wait for the 2015 EuroBasket preparation games. At the age of 27, he was the oldest debutant in the history of the Croatian national basketball team.[11]

References
  1. "Željko Šakić je najstariji debitant za Hrvatsku". hercegovina.info (in Croatian). No. 22 July 2015. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  2. "Željko Šakić nakon sezone u Manresi preselio u redove najboljeg bugarskog kluba". sportnet.hr (in Croatian). No. 14 August 2015. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  3. "Cibona tabs Zeljko Sakic". Sportando.com. 29 June 2016. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  4. "Željko Šakić s Ciboninih treninga u Poljsku". basketball.hr (in Croatian). 12 September 2018.
  5. "Sunkiojo krašto puolėjo poziciją stiprina kroatas". kklietkabelis.lt (in Lithuanian). 10 July 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  6. Carchia, Emiliano (25 June 2020). "Avtodor Saratov signs Zeljko Sakic". Sportando. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  7. "Hrvatska kolonija u ruskom Kazanju se povećala; reprezentativac Željko Šakić pridružio se Mariju Hezonji i trenerskom tandemu". vtportal.hrecernji.hr (in Croatian). 22 March 2022. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  8. "Lietkabelis brings back forward Sakic". EuroLeague. 24 July 2022. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  9. "„7bet-Lietkabelis" atsisveikino su Šakičiumi". basketnews.lt (in Lithuanian). 1 July 2023. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  10. "Zeljko Sakic Tofaş'ta". tofasspor.com (in Turkish). July 11, 2023. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
  11. "Novi Perasov adut: Željko Šakić je najstariji debitant za Hrvatsku". vecernji.hr (in Croatian). 21 July 2015. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
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