Career: Partizan Belgrade (Yugoslavia-YUBA liga 1990-95), Benetton Treviso (Italy-Lega 1995-1999), Panathinaikos Athens (Greece-ESAKE, 1999-01), selected by the Seattle Supersonics in the second round (54th pick overall) of the 1994 NBA Draft, Detroit Pistons (NBA, 2001-04), Atlanta Hawks (NBA 2004), LA Clippers (NBA, 2004-…)
Thousands of fans all over the Serbia & Montenegro have been expecting Zeljko Rebraca to return to the national team competitions scene for five years. He is one of the players who dominated Europe during the 90’s. “The new gods from Olimp”, Djordjevic, Danilovic, Divac, Paspalj, Savic, Bodiroga, Obradovic and Rebraca reclaimed the EuroBasket gold for Yugoslavia in Athens, 1995. In the next three years they took Olympic silver, another European gold and World Championship gold. Together with Bodiroga he was the best player at the World Championship 1998 in Athens and definitely the best in the final game. In the final seconds he scored two points for a 64-62 lead. The Russians had the last possession and a chance to take the game to overtime, but Rebraca blocked Mihailov and the game was over. Great defender, monstrous slam dunker and expert shot blocker. He got the nickname “Banana man” (Banana-Serbian slang for blocked shots). He won three European club titles, the European Champions cup in 1992 with Partizan, the Saporta cup in 1999 with Benetton and the Euroleague in 2000 with Panathinaikos. Two and a half years later his career was called into question. Playing in the NBA for the Detroit Pistons, he got sick during the game and the doctors found out that he has a serious heart problem. A big fighter, he decided not to quit and after surgery and several months of recuperation he was back on court. He isn’t the player he used to be but his experience is admirable. His personal trainer, Sead Krdzalic is one of the famous athletes (javelin) of the former Yugoslavia. Zeljko has a tattoo on his left arm. It’s a Marvel comic book character, the Silver shadow.
