Ivo Daneu


Ivo Daneu is a retired Slovenian professional basketball player and coach. During his playing career, at a height of tall, he played at the point guard and shooting guard positions. He represented the Yugoslavia national [basketball team] internationally.
He was voted the Best Sportsperson of the Year in Yugoslavia, in 1967, and the Slovenian Sportsperson of the Year, in 1969. He was named one of FIBA's [50 Greatest Players (1991)|FIBA's 50 Greatest Players] in 1991. He was enshrined into the FIBA Hall of Fame, in 2007. He was inducted into the Slovenian Athletes Hall of Fame, in 2012.

Playing career

Club career

During his club career, Daneu played with Branik Maribor at the junior levels, and with AŠK Olimpija, at the senior men's level. With AŠK Olimpija, he won the Yugoslav First Federal League championship six times.
In 1958, Daneu made his debut in the EuroLeague, averaging 17.3 points per game. In total, the Slovenian guard played 4 seasons in this competition, averaging 25.2 points per game. He twice led the Olimpija team to the EuroLeague semi-finals stage. In all 4 of his seasons in the EuroLeague, Daneu was ranked among the Top 20 scorers and in three of those seasons, he finished the season in Top 5. He finished his EuroLeague career with 656 points in 26 games, averaging 25.2 points per game.
He was a FIBA European Selection in 1967. After his playing career ended in 1970, his number 13 jersey was retired by Olimpija.

National team career

Daneu played in 209 games with the senior Yugoslavian national team, from 1956 to 1970. With Yugoslavia's senior team, he won the following medals: the gold medal at the 1970 [FIBA World Championship], the silver medal at the 1968 Summer Olympic Games, silver medals at the 1963 FIBA World Championship and the 1967 FIBA World Championship, silver medals at the 1961 EuroBasket, 1965 EuroBasket, and 1969 EuroBasket, and a bronze medal at the 1963 EuroBasket.

Coaching career

Daneu was the head coach of AŠK Olimpija, and Rudar Trbovlje.

Personal life

His son is former basketball player Jaka Daneu and his grandson Žiga is also a basketball player.