Jiří Zídek Sr.

Jiří Zídek
Zídek with the Czechoslovak national team in 1970
Personal information
Born(1944-02-08)8 February 1944
Prague, Bohemia and Moravia, Germany
Died21 May 2022(2022-05-21) (aged 78)
NationalityCzech
Listed height6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Listed weight220 lb (100 kg)
Career information
Playing career1962–1979
PositionCenter
Number5
Coaching career1985–2004
Career history
As a player:
1962–1969Slavia VŠ Praha
1969–1970Dukla Olomouc
1970–1977Slavia VŠ Praha
1977–1979Slavia VŠT Košice
As a coach:
1985–1990Slavia VŠ Praha
1992–1993Sparta Praha
2003–2004Sparta Praha
Career highlights
As player:
FIBA Hall of Fame
Medals
Representing  Czechoslovakia
Men's Basketball
FIBA EuroBasket
1967 Finland
1969 Italy

Jiří Zídek Sr. (8 February 1944 – 21 May 2022) was a Czech professional basketball player and coach. At 2.06 metres (6 ft 9 in) tall, Zídek was a talented center who was named the Best Czech Player of the 20th Century, and was the Czechoslovak League's all-time leading scorer. He was also among the 105 nominees to the 50 Greatest EuroLeague Contributors list. His son, Jiří "George" Zídek Jr., also won the EuroLeague title with Žalgiris, in 1999. To this day, they are the only father and son to have reached a EuroLeague title game as players. In 2019, he became the first Czech to be inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame.