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BC UNICS

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BC UNICS
BC UNICS logo
LeaguesVTB United League
Founded1991;33 years ago(1991)
HistoryBC UNICS
(1991–present)
ArenaBasket-Hall Kazan
Capacity7,482
LocationKazan,Russia
Team colorsGreen, White
PresidentYevgeny Bogachev
Team managerValery Kolesnikov
Head coachVelimir Perasović
Championships1EuroCup
1Russian Championship
3Russian Cups
1North European League
1EuroChallenge
Websiteunics.ru

BC UNICS(Russian:БК УНИКС) is a professionalbasketballclubinKazan,Russia, that plays in theVTB United League,and formerly played in theEuroLeague.On February 28, 2022,EuroLeague Basketballsuspended the team because of the2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[1]

Their home arena isBasket-Hall Kazan.

History

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1991-1999

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UNICS was established in 1991. Though officially the club's men's professional club was founded in 1991 (when it first began to play in the lowest level of the national pro leagues), UNICS traces its origins back toKSU'scollege teamBurevestnik,which participated in theUSSRstudent championships from 1957. Because of this, the name 'UNICS' is an abbreviation – UNIversity, Culture, Sport.[citation needed]

Between 1994 and 1997, UNICS secured a berth in Russia's first division. In 1997, UNICS was promoted to theRussian Basketball Super League A,which was at the time thetop-tier level Russian league.A year later, Yevgeny Bogachev, the chairman of the National Bank of theTatarstan,became the president of the club.[citation needed]

2000-2019

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The team placed second toCSKAin theRussian Basketball Super Leaguein 2001 and 2002, a year in which it also reached theSaporta Cupsemifinals, losing against the Greek clubMaroussiin the semifinals. UNICS' first title was theRussian Cupin March 2003, with an 81–82 overtime victory overCSKA.Kazanhosted theFIBA Europe Leaguefinal four, which was eventually named theFIBA EuroChallenge,in April 2004. UNICS won its regular season group, and advanced to the final four, where the club was crowned the FIBA Europe League champions. TheMVP of the tournament's final four.By the 2005–06 season, UNICS went one level up, and made itsULEB Cup(later named EuroCup) debut. However, things turned south quickly, as UNICS lost at home againstRomain the tournament's eighth finals’ second leg, and crashed out. The team the next season made it to theULEB Cupsemifinals, before losing to the eventual league champsReal Madrid.It also returned to theRussian Leaguefinals, losing againstCSKA.[citation needed]

In the 2007–08 season, UNICS made it to the ULEB Cup (now called EuroCup) Final Eight, but fell toAkasvayu Gironain the quarterfinals. UNICS finally broke through in the EuroCup in the 2010–11 season, by winning its regular season and Last 16 groups, before sweeping its quarterfinal series againstPepsi Caserta.UNICS beatKK Cedevita87–66, in the semifinals, behind 27 points fromTerrell Lyday,and registered a 92–77 win againstCajasol Sevilla,in the title game.Marko Popovićhad a EuroCup Finals record of 11assists,to lead UNICS to the title. In the Russian League, UNICS had a 21–6 record, to finish the regular season atop the standings, but then went out in the playoff semifinals, after a five-game duel againstBC Khimki.The club then competed in the Turkish AirlinesEuroLeaguein the following season.[citation needed]It made itsEuroLeaguedebut in the 2011–12 season. In the Russian League it finished first at the end of the regular season, and reached the playoff semifinals.[citation needed]

2020-present

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Jarrell Brantleyleft the team in early 2022 due to the2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[2]The team is suing him for $250,000, and trying to prevent him from signing with aG Leagueteam.[2]Similarly, AmericansIsaiah Canaan,John Brown,andJohn Hollandleft the team after the invasion.[3]

On February 28, 2022,EuroLeague Basketballsuspended the team because of the2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[1]

Lorenzo BrownandMarco Spissudecided not to break their contracts and stayed with the team until the end ofVTB League.[citation needed]

Honours

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Domestic competitions

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Champions (1):2023
Champions (3):2003, 2009,2014

European competitions

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Champions (1):2011
Champions (1):2004
Champions (1):2003

Season by season

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Season Tier Division Pos. Russian Cup European competitions Other competitions
1997–98 1 Superleague A 7th 3Korać Cup GS
1998–99 1 Superleague A 5th 2Saporta Cup R32
1999–00 1 Superleague A 3rd 3Korać Cup EF
2000–01 1 Superleague A 2nd 2Saporta Cup SF
2001–02 1 Superleague A 2nd 2Saporta Cup QF
2002–03 1 Superleague A 3rd Winner 3FIBA Champions Cup QF NEBL C
2003–04 1 Superleague A 2nd Third place 3FIBA Europe League C
2004–05 1 Superleague A 3rd Runner-up 3FIBA Europe League QF
2005–06 1 Superleague A 4th Third place 2ULEB Cup EF
2006–07 1 Superleague A 2nd Runner-up 2ULEB Cup QF
2007–08 1 Superleague A 6th Semifinals 2ULEB Cup QF
2008–09 1 Superleague A 3rd Winner 2Eurocup T16
2009–10 1 Superleague A 3rd Runner-up 2Eurocup T16 United League RU
2010–11 1 PBL 3rd 1Euroleague QR2 United League 3rd
2Eurocup C
2011–12 1 PBL 5th 1Euroleague QF United League RU
2012–13 1 PBL 6th 1Euroleague QR2 United League QF
2Eurocup QF
2013–14 1 VTB United League 3rd Winner 2Eurocup RU
2014–15 1 VTB United League 6th Second qualifying 1Euroleague RS
2Eurocup SF
2015–16 1 VTB United League 2nd First qualifying 2Eurocup EF
2016–17 1 VTB United League 5th Round of 64 1EuroLeague RS
2017–18 1 VTB United League 4th 2EuroCup QF
2018–19 1 VTB United League 3rd First round 2EuroCup SF
2019–20 1 VTB United League 4th 2EuroCup R16
2020–21 1 VTB United League 2nd 2EuroCup RU
2021–22 1 VTB United League 3rd 1EuroLeague SP United League Supercup 3rd
2022–23 1 VTB United League 1st United League Supercup 7th

Players

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Current roster

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Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility atFIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed.

UNICS roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Nat. Name Ht. Age
F 1 United States Akoon-Purcell, DeVaughn 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) 31 –(1993-06-05)5 June 1993
SG 2 Russia Belenitskii, Mikhail 2.04 m (6 ft 8 in) 22 –(2002-09-12)12 September 2002
C 3 United States Reynolds, Jalen 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) 31 –(1992-12-30)30 December 1992
SG 4 Russia Komolov, Artem 1.94 m (6 ft 4 in) 31 –(1993-06-01)1 June 1993
SG 5 Russia Kulagin, Dmitrii 1.97 m (6 ft 6 in) 32 –(1992-07-01)1 July 1992
PF 7 France Labeyrie, Louis 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) 32 –(1992-02-11)11 February 1992
PG 9 United States Knight, Marcos 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) 35 –(1989-09-24)24 September 1989
PG 12 United States Taylor, Tony 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) 34 –(1990-08-09)9 August 1990
F/C 15 Russia Toropov, Sergey 2.05 m (6 ft 9 in) 35 –(1989-10-15)15 October 1989
C 21 Belgium Bako, Ismaël 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) 29 –(1995-10-10)10 October 1995
F 22 Russia Stulenkov, Alexandr 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) 32 –(1992-08-09)9 August 1992
F/C 27 Russia Lopatin, Andrey 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) 26 –(1998-08-27)27 August 1998
G 28 Russia Platunov, Alexandr 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in) 27 –(1997-07-06)6 July 1997
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Team manager
  • RussiaMikhail Kolesnikov

Legend
  • (C)Team captain
  • InjuredInjured

Updated:October 5, 2024

Depth chart

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Pos. Starting 5 Bench 1 Bench 2
C Ismaël Bako Jalen Reynolds
PF Andrey Lopatin Louis Labeyrie Aleksandr Stulenkov
SF DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell Dmitry Kulagin Sergey Toporov
SG Mikhail Belenitskii Artem Komolov Aleksandr Platunov
PG Tony Taylor Marcos Knight

Notable players

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Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility atFIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed.

Criteria

To appear in this section a player must have either:

  • Set a club record or won an individual award while at the club
  • Played at least one official international match for their national team at any time
  • Played at least one officialNBAmatch at any time.
bold – FIBA World and FIBA Europe champions and medalists

Russian

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Foreign

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bold – former NBA players; Olympics, FIBA World and FIBA Europe champions and medalists

Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility atFIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed.

Criteria

To appear in this section a player must have either:

  • Set a club record or won an individual award while at the club
  • Played at least one official international match for their national team at any time
  • Played at least one officialNBAmatch at any time.

SerbiaMilan Gurović(2004) andTurkeyHüseyin Beşok(2005) shortly were under contract with UNICS Kazan, but never played a single game for the team.

(*) former NBA champions

Head coaches

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bold – Olympics, FIBA World and FIBA Europe champions and medalists

References

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  1. ^ab"EuroLeague suspended Russian teams".basketnews.
  2. ^ab"Unics Kazan reportedly suing Jarrell Brantley for $250,000".Eurohoops.March 4, 2022.
  3. ^"More than 50 people. Which of the foreigners left the Russian sports clubs:: Football:: RBC Sport".March 5, 2022. Archived fromthe originalon March 5, 2022.RetrievedMarch 5,2022.
  4. ^"Unics Kazan tabs Pedoulakis for bench".Archivedfrom the original on 2014-10-06.Retrieved2014-11-28.
  5. ^"Unics releases Pedoulakis, welcomes back Pashutin".Archivedfrom the original on 2014-12-04.Retrieved2014-11-28.
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