FIBA Hall of Famer mourned as Jorge Hugo Canavesi passes away
BUENOS AIRES - The basketball family is mourning the loss of former Argentina national team coach Jorge Hugo Canavesi, just months after he was honoured as an inductee of the 2016 Class of the FIBA Hall of Fame.
A legend of Argentinian basketball, Canavesi passed away on Friday at the age of 96 and leaves a powerful legacy. He was the first ever play-caller to mastermind a FIBA Basketball World Cup (formerly FIBA World Championship) success when he took his country to success at the inaugural event on home soil in 1950.
That special accomplishment was cherished even more by Canavesi as he led Argentina to their glorious moment in his home city of Buenos Aires. To this day, it still remains the only time that they have finished on top of the podium in the competition.
That wasn't the first time that Canavesi had captured attention or made ground-breaking progress. Two years earlier, he had led Argentina to a first-ever Olympic Games appearance in London and four years later in Helsinki, he masterminded a top four finish.
The news of his passing was delivered by Federico Susbielles, the President of the Argentinian Basketball Federation (CABB).
Nos dejó Jorge Canavesi. Campeón del Mundo e integrante del Salón de la Fama FIBA. Entrenador de relieve mundial. Hasta siempre profesor! pic.twitter.com/Kv2X0SjcV2
— Federico Susbielles (@fsusbielles) December 2, 2016
Also scooping a silver medal at the 1951 Pan-American Games, Canavesi guided Argentina to the World University Games title in 1955. A year later, he was at the helm of the team that secured the Junior South American Championship.
A trail-blazer during his era and beyond, he was hugely respected - not only within his homeland, but far beyond.
Canavesi's initial work put Argentina on the global basketball radar and his continued dedication afterwards with CABB further underline the passion he had for a sport he truly loved and served.
FIBA
