Matjaž Smodiš
Matjaž Smodiš ( born December 13, 1979 in Novo mesto, SFR Yugoslavia) is a Slovenian former basketball player. The 2.05 m wide power forward was active for CSKA Moscow, among others, from 2005 to 2011 and won in his career total of three times the ULEB Euro League.
Smodiš began his career with Krka Novo Mesto. In the beginning he played with this club in the second Slovenian League, rose with him, however, in 1996 in the first division and led him in 2000 to the first Slovenian Cup. This was followed by a switch to Virtus Bologna, where he celebrated the treble of Italian championship, Cup victory and winning the Euro League in his first season. He remained there two years and won the Italian Cup one more time, even he reached again the final of the Euro League. After financial problems and relegation from Virtus Smodiš moved to city rivals Fortitudo Bologna, with whom he was Italian champion and also reached the Euro League final. For CSKA Moscow playing Smodiš took a total of four times on the Euro League final and won the title in 2006 and 2008, as well as he could in 2006, 2007 and 2010 to celebrate the Russian league and cup double. In the Euro League season 2006/ 07 he was also elected to the All Euro League Second Team. 2011 moved to Croatia to Smodiš KK Cedevita before he returned the following year to Krka Novo Mesto. After he had been with Krka won the Slovenian Cup and even voted most valuable player of the finals series, Smodiš ended his career.
With the Slovenian national Smodiš took part in the European Championships in 1999, 2001, 2007, 2009 and 2011, and was there in 2007 leading scorer of the team.
Matjaž Smodiš belonged in early 2008 to a circle of 105 basketball players who were nominated by the Euro League Basketball and / or basketball interested, actively fifty major personalities of the sport of basketball in Europe in the period 1958 to 2008, determine and subsequently in May 2008 in Madrid (Spain ) honor can. All nominated players have played a particularly prominent role in the European Cup competitions of FIBA Europe and the Euro League basketball and belonged respectively to the most prominent ' stars' of their national league teams.