Petar Skansi (23 November 1943 – 4 April 2022) was a Croatian professional basketball player and coach. During his playing career, he played for Jugoplastika and Maxmobili Pesaro. He was named one of FIBA's 50 Greatest Players in 1991. He was a member of the Yugoslavia national team that silver medalled at the 1968 Summer Olympics.
For his basketball achievements, he was awarded the Franjo Bučar State Award for Sport twice, in 1992 and 2003. He also had a political stint as a deputy minister of sports in Croatia.
Early life
Born in the Sumartin village, on the island of Brač, to Navy Captain Petar and teacher mother Marija, Skansi graduated from the Split streamlined maritime high school in 1961. Simultaneously, he took up water polo, playing it in the Jadran Split youth system.
Playing career
Club playing career
Skansi first played club basketball with the Yugoslav League club Jugoplastika, where he played from 1964 to 1972. He then played with the Italian league club Maxmobili Pesaro, from 1972 to 1973. After that, he returned to Jugoplastika, where he remained until he retired from playing basketball, in 1976.
He was a member of the FIBA European Selection in 1971, and he was the EuroLeague Finals Top Scorer in 1972.
National team playing career
Skansi was also a member of the Yugoslav national basketball team. With Yugoslavia, he won numerous medals at the major FIBA tournaments, including: the silver medal at the 1965 EuroBasket, the silver medal at the 1967 FIBA World Championship, the silver medal at the 1968 Mexico City Summer Olympics, and the gold medal at the 1970 FIBA World Championship. He also won the gold medal at the 1967 Mediterranean Games.
After Yugoslavia won the gold medal at the 1970 FIBA World Championship, Skansi was named the Croatian Athlete of the Year. After his retirement from playing basketball, in recognition of his playing career, he was named to the FIBA's 50 Greatest Players list, in 1991.
Club coaching career
Jugoplastika
Skansi became coach-player at Jugoplastika in the season 1973–74 and he remained in that status until his retirement from playing basketball in 1976. Then he continued his career in basketball only as head coach. In his first season as coach-player, Skansi led Jugoplastika in the semifinals of 1973–74 FIBA Korać Cup where his team was eliminated hardly by Partizan (97–108 loss in Belgrade and 85–75 win in Split). Also in the same season they won the Yugoslav Basketball Cup (92–85 against Crvena zvezda) and Jugoplastika ranked second in the First Federal Basketball League.
In 1974–75 season, still as coach-player of Jugoplastika, he led his team in the semifinals of 1974–75 FIBA European Cup Winners' Cup where his team was eliminated by the defending champions Crvena zvezda (88–76 win in Split and 63–81 loss in Belgrade). In the domestic competitions Jugoplastika reached the final of Yugoslav Basketball Cup but lost to Crvena zvezda and in the First Federal Basketball League once again ranked second behind the champion Zadar.
In 1975–76 season his last as player alongside coach, Skansi won his first European trophy the FIBA Korać Cup in a double final against the Italian club Chinamartini Torino. In the domestic league he led Jugoplastika in the second place.
The next year (1976–77) Skansi retired as player and continued his career in the city of Split as head coach of the Dalmatian club. This season was maybe his best over all his coaching career because he led his team in the success of the small Triple Crown after the winning of the FIBA Korać Cup (against Alco Bologna), the Yugoslav Cup (against Kvarner) and the First Federal Basketball League.
In 1977–78 season Petar Skansi led Jugoplastika as Yugoslav champion in the Semifinals group stage of FIBA European Champions Cup where they ranked 5th with a 5 wins–5 losses record. In the end of the season he left the club.
