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Dragan Raca
Personal information
Born	3 March 1961 (age 63); Bosansko Grahovo, PR Bosnia-Herzegovina, FPR Yugoslavia
Nationality	Cypriot / Serbian
Career information
Playing career	1982–2002
Position	Head coach
Coaching career	2002–present
Career history
As player:
1982–1984	OKK Šabac
1984–1986	Kvarner
1986–1989	Šibenka
1989–1990	Prvi partizan
1990–1991	ETHA Engomis
1991–1992	AEK Larnaca
1992–1993	Aris Limassol
1993–2000	Keravnos
2000–2001	Achilleas Kaimakli
2001–2002	AEL Limassol
As coach:
2002–2005	AEL Limassol
2005	Sagesse - Al Hekmeh
2005–2006	Iraklis Thessaloniki
2006–2007	APOEL
2008	Olympias Patras
2009	AEL Limassol B.C.
2010–2019	Guangzhou Free Man/Chongqing Fly Dragons/Beijing Fly Dragons
2004–2005	Cyprus
2005	Andorra
2007–2009	Lebanon
2016–2017	North Macedonia
2010-2013	Guangzhou Free Man NBL
2013-2015	Chongqing Fly Dragons CBA
2015-2019	Beijing Fly Dragons CBA
2020-2021	Shandong Heroes CBA
2021-2024	Wuhan Dangdai NBL
Career highlights and awards
	As player: Cypriot League Champion (1996, 1997, 2000); Cypriot Cup Winner (1997–1999);

Dragan Raca (Serbian Cyrillic: Драган Раца; born 3 March 1961) is a Cypriot–Serbian basketball coach and former player. He used to be the coach of the national basketball teams of Lebanon, Cyprus and North Macedonia national basketball team. He is the current head coach of the Wuhan Dangdai in the Chinese Basketball Association.^[1]

Dragan Raca spent his professional career playing for Yugoslavia professional teams: KK Knin, BC December 22 - Belgrade, KK Zorka - Sabac, KK Sibenka - Sibenik. He continued his career in Cyprus in AEL - Limassol.

He was building a professional coaching career in Cyprus, Greece, Lebanon, Macedonia and China. He trained Cypriot AEL and Apoel, as well as Lebanese Hekmeh. Dragan Raca was named the best young coach in Europe by FIBA in 2002, and in 2005 FIBA named him the best coach in club competitions under her auspices. The basketball team of Lebanon led on the Asian's championships in 2007 and 2009 and won a silver medal at the 2007 championship. At the 2009 Chinese Championship, he was placed in the 2010 World Cup in Turkey.

The winner of the silver medal at the Williams Jones Intercontinental Cup in China in 2007 and 2008.

With the Cypriot national team, which he led in 2004-2005, he won the gold medal at the B Olympic Games of the European Championship in Andorra in 2005 - without a lost game.

The supervisor and also the coordinator of projects supported by China's Guangxi Teachers Education University and Guangxi University of Science and Technology, as well as 12 other faculties in China, cooperate with universities in the US, Australia and Russia.

For his contribution to humanitarian activities, he was decorated with the Order of the Republic of Serbia.

Education

Honorary Doctoral degree Alfa BK University - for his exceptional contribution in the field of sports, sports management, training technology, university education in the field of sports science, and humanitarian activities in the territory of Europe, Asia and America.

Basketball University of Belgrade (Highest Level)

University of mathematics and natural science in Belgrade.

Languages: English, Russian, Greek, Ex-Yugoslav republic languages

Playing career

Career player Dragan Raca spent in the following basketball clubs:

Zorka Sabac, Kvarner, Sibenik, First Partizan, Etea, AEK, Aris, Keravnos, Ahileas, AEL

He played for the representation of Cyprus from 1994 to 1999.

Achievements:

Three times best scorer of former Yugoslavia A1

Four times best scorer of Cyprus A1 and the best scorer in the history of Cyprus basketball

Coaching career

Coaching career – clubs

China

Wuhan Dangdai NBL (2021-2024) [1]

Shandong Heroes CBA (2020) [2]

Beijing Fly Dragons CBA (2015–2019)

Chongqing Fly Dragons CBA (2013–2015)

Guangzhou Free Man NBL (2010–2013)

Cyprus

AEL (A1), 2008–2009.

Greece

Olimpias Patra (A1), 2007–2008.

Cyprus

Apoel (A1), 2007.

Lebanon

Sageze (A1), 2006.

Greece

Iraklis (A1), 2005.

Cyprus

AEL (A1), 2002-2005.

Coaching career - National teams

Coach of Cyprus 2004-2005.

With a Cypriot national team, he won a gold medal at the B Olympics of the European Championship in Andorra in 2005, without a lost game. Coach of the national team of Lebanon 2007–2009.

The Silver Medal winner of the 2007 Asian Championship in Japan of 16 teams and thus won the right to participate in the FIBA Olympic Qualification Tournament Beijing - China 2008.

Winner of the Silver Medal at the Williams Jones Cup in 2007 in China.

At the Asian Championship in China in 2009 he qualified for the 2010 World Cup in Turkey.

Macedonian national coach 2016–2017.

Personal

Both his daughters Tiana and Ivana, are basketball players.^[2]

Achievements

As coach of Eka-AEL (Cyprus)

Champion of Cyprus (Eka-AEL) – club won the title after 15 years

Winner Championship season 2002/2003 – best defensive team (average 62 points)

Winner Championship season 2003/2004 – best defensive team (average 65 points) – best offensive team (86 points) – only one lost game in season

Winner Championship season 2004/2005-best defensive team (average 68 points)

Winner of the National Cup-after 18 years Season 2003/2004-no lost game

Winner of Super cup Season 2003/2004+ FIBA Euroleague-best defensive team (average 61 points)

Winner of FIBA Euro Challenge Cup Season 2002/2003 (10 straight victories in 10 games – unbeaten record)

Nominated for the Coach of the year in all sports in Cyprus in 2003, 2004, 2005

Nominated for The best basketball coach in Cyprus in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009.

As coach of SAGESSE (Lebanon)

Sagesse (Lebanon) (13 games – 11 victories), best defensive team season 2005/2006

National cup finalist and finalist of Championship

As coach of APOEL NOCOSIA (Cyprus)

Finalist of Championship Season 2007

Best defensive team (average 65 points)

WINNER – SUPER CUP 2008/2009

WINNER – NATIONAL CUP 2008/2009

AEL Proteas EKA – 1st Place after regular season

Best defensive team (average 67 points) – regular season

Best offensive team (average 88 points) – regular season

Awards

The Best Rookie Fiba Coach Europe – nominated by FIBA in 2003.
The Best European FIBA COACH – officially nominated by FIBA in Munich (June 2004)
The Best Coach Of The Year Eurobasket All League (2004)
Coach Of The European Team ( All star game) Europe vs. Rest of the world – Kyiv 2004
Coach Of The European Team ( All star game) Europe vs. Rest of the world – Nicosia 2005
Winner Of Super League FIBA Asian 2005/2006.
The Best Coach Of Super League FIBA Asian 2005/2006

His method for physical preparation is officially approved by Indiana University in USA.

Other achievements

Counsellor, professor and instructor in the coaches schools

Supervisor and organizer of the FREMA international camp 2004

(Europe – Cyprus, Asia – Lebanon, S.America – Brazil)

Instructor of the national program for sport infrastructure support (E.S.Y.A.A. Greece, Cyprus) for four consecutive years

Instructor of the coaches School China Basketball Federation National.

Previews coaches are Dell Harris and Pat Riley.

Books

Dragan Raca wrote several books about basketball.

First one "Basketball" (1998) was translated on eight languages and sold in 68.000 copies. All proceeds from the book Dragan Raca donated to charity, international organization "SOS Villages", children without parents.

Scouting (1999)
Physical preparation of professional teams(2000)
Basic of Basketball (2001)
Offence technical analysis (2008)
Defense technical analysis (2008)
Scouting analysis (2008)
Basketball Analysis (2013)
Basketball Camp (2013)
MTM Basketball Defense (2014)
Basketball Team Development (2016)
Basketball Player Development (2017)

Dragan Raca books are now used as school books on Sport Universities.

References

^ "Dragan Raca head coach Wuhan Dangdai". 1 March 2021. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
^ Η Ριάνα και η Ιβανα Ράτσα στον ΠΑΟΚ tsiotras.blogsport.com

Dragan Raca and Chongqing FLY DRAGONS – Video link
Serbian coach leads the Chinese “Fly Dragons” – Link Archived 2014-04-21 at the Wayback Machine
Dragan Raca to Lecture Chinese Basketball Federation Coaches Clinic – Link