FC Barcelona Bàsquet

FC Barcelona Bàsquet (English: FC Barcelona Basketball), commonly referred to as FC Barcelona () and colloquially known as Barça (), is a professional basketball club based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It is a part of the FC Barcelona multi sports club, and was founded on 24 August 1926, which makes it the oldest club in the Liga ACB. The club, which competes in the Liga ACB and the EuroLeague, is one of the most successful basketball clubs domestically as well as internationally. Two times European champions, Barça completed a triple crown in 2003 by winning the season's league, cup and EuroLeague. Their home arena is the Palau Blaugrana, which was opened on 23 October 1971. They share the facilities with the roller hockey, futsal, and handball teams of the club.

Some of the well-known players that have played with the team included Pau Gasol, Rony Seikaly, Marc Gasol, Anderson Varejão, Juan Carlos Navarro, Jaka Lakovič, Šarūnas Jasikevičius, Dejan Bodiroga, Gianluca Basile, Ricky Rubio, Juan Antonio San Epifanio, Saša Đorđević, and Tony Massenburg.

FC Barcelona also has a reserve team, called FC Barcelona Bàsquet B, that plays in the Spanish 2nd-tier LEB Oro.

History

Early years

Founded on 24 August 1926, the club entered its first competition in 1927, playing in the ''Campionat de Catalunya de Basquetbol'' (Catalan Basketball Championship). During these early years, basketball in Catalonia was dominated by clubs such as ''CE Europa'', ''Laietà BC'' and ''Société Patrie'' (later ''CB Atlètic Gràcia'') and it was not until the 1940s that FC Barcelona became established as a basketball team. During this decade they won six '' Copas del Generalísimo de Baloncesto'' and were runners-up once. In 1956 they were founding members of the Liga Española de Baloncesto and finished as runners-up. In 1959 they won Spanish basketball's first-ever league and cup double.

Decline in the 1960s

The 1960s and 1970s saw the team in decline. In 1961 the club president Enric Llaudet dissolved the team in spite of its popularity. However, in 1962, the club was reformed after a campaign by the fans. In 1964 the league's '' Primera División'' was cut from fourteen teams to eight and the club found themselves in the ''Segunda División'' after not finishing between the two first qualified teams in the relegation playoffs. However they quickly returned to the top division after being crowned ''Segunda'' champions in 1965. During the 1970s the club was persistently overshadowed by its rivals Real Madrid and Joventut.

Revival in the 1980s

In the 1980s club president Josep Lluís Núñez gave the team his full support with the aim of making the club the best in Spain and Europe. His support produced results and during the decade inspired by their coach Aíto García Reneses and players like Juan Antonio San Epifanio (better known as Epi), Andrés Jiménez, Sibilio, Audie Norris and Solozábal, the club won six Spanish championships, five Spanish cups, two European Cup Winners' Cups, the Korać Cup and the World Championship. However the European Cup remained elusive, ending as runners-up in 1984.

Champions of Europe

The club built on this success during the 1990s, winning a further four Spanish championships and two Spanish cups. They were still unable to win the European Cup despite playing in a further four finals in 1990, 1991, 1996 and 1997. They also made a record six EuroLeague Final Four appearances. The star player during this era was Juan Antonio San Epifanio.

Their persistence eventually paid off and in 2003, inspired by Dejan Bodiroga, Gregor Fučka, Šarūnas Jasikevičius and Juan Carlos Navarro, they won the EuroLeague, beating Benetton Treviso 76–65 in front of a packed Palau Sant Jordi in Barcelona. They repeated the feat in 2010, defeating Olympiacos by a wide 86–68 in Paris, and that October, they made further history when they beat the two-time defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers – including Kobe Bryant and FCB Bàsquet alumnus and Barcelona native Pau Gasol – 92–88 at the Palau Sant Jordi as part of the 2010 NBA Europe Live Tour. The match was also notable for being both a match-up between the reigning NBA and EuroLeague champions and the first time a European team had won against a defending NBA champion. Two FCB Bàsquet players in that game – captain Navarro and point guard Ricky Rubio – either had or went on to play in the NBA.

Recent years

In the following years, Barcelona would stay on top of Spanish basketball, playing almost all league and cup finals against rival Real Madrid. From 2012 until 2014, Barcelona managed to reach the Euroleague Final Four. However, it could not reach further than the semifinals. Barcelona won the Spanish Championship in 2014, but the next few seasons became absolute disasters, both in the Euroleague, and the Spanish League. However, the team saw a return to form in the Copa del Rey, which was won in 2018, in 2019 and in 2021 defeating Real Madrid on all three finals. In 2021 the Spanish Championship was won for the 19th time —the first in seven years— and only a narrow defeat against Anadolu Efes in the championship game of the 2021 EuroLeague Final Four prevented the Catalan giants from winning the competition for the third time.

Sponsorship naming

From 2004 until 2007 the club was sponsored by the Winterthur Group, a Swiss insurance company with offices in Barcelona since 1910, which led to the team featuring the birthplace of Joan Gamper, the club's founder, on their shirts. In 2006 the Winterthur Group was taken over by AXA, leading to a change in the club name. In the 2008–09 season, the club's sponsorship changed to Spanish insurer Regal (a division of Liberty Seguros, the Spanish subsidiary of American insurer Liberty Mutual). This sponsorship finished in June 2013.

* FC Barcelona Banca Catalana (1989–1998)
* Winterthur FC Barcelona (2004–2007)
* AXA FC Barcelona (2007–2008)
* Regal FC Barcelona (2008–2011)
* FC Barcelona Regal (2011–2013)
* FC Barcelona Lassa (2015–2019)

Home arenas

*Sol de Baix Sports Complex (1926–1940)
*Les Corts Court (1940–1971), located next to Les Corts football stadium
*Palau Sant Jordi (1990–1992), after 1992 occasionally used for home games
*Palau Blaugrana (1971–1990, 1992–present)
*Nou Palau Blaugrana (starting with the 2022–23 season)

Players

Retired numbers

Current roster

Depth chart

Notable players

Players at the NBA draft

Head coaches

Trophies

Domestic competitions

* Spanish League: 19
** 1958–59, 1980–81, 1982–83, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1998–99, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2013–14, 2020–21
**Runners-up (23): 1957, 1971–72, 1973–74, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1981–82, 1983–84, 1985–86, 1990–91, 1993–94, 1999–00, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2009–10, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2021–22
*Spanish Cup: 27
**1943, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1949, 1950, 1959, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1987, 1988, 1991, 1994, 2001, 2003, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022
**Runners-up (11): 1942, 1951, 1961, 1977, 1984, 1989, 1996, 2002, 2012, 2014, 2015
*Spanish Super Cup: 6
**1987–88, 2004, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2015
**Runners-up (8): 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
* Prince Asturias Cup: 1
**1988
**Runners-up (1): 1989

European competitions

* EuroLeague: 2
** 2002–03, 2009–10
**Runners-up (6): 1983–84, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1995–96, 1996–97, 2020–21
**3rd place (4): 2008–09, 2011–12, 2013–14, 2021–22
**4th place (6): 1981–82, 1988–89, 1993–94, 1999–00, 2005–06, 2012–13
**Final Four (15): 1989, 1990, 1991, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2021, 2022
*FIBA Saporta Cup (defunct): 2
** 1984–85, 1985–86
**Runners-up (1): 1980–81
**Semifinalists (3): 1977–78, 1978–79, 1979–80
*FIBA Korać Cup (defunct): 2
** 1986–87, 1998–99
**Runners-up (1): 1974–75
**Semifinalists (2): 1973, 1992–93
*European Basketball Club Super Cup (semi-official, defunct): 3
** 1983, 1986, 1986
**Runners-up (1): 1987
**3rd place (1): 1991
**4th place (3): 1988, 1989, 1990

Worldwide competitions

*FIBA Intercontinental Cup: 1
**1985
**Runners-up (1): 1987
**4th place (1): 1984
*McDonald's Championship
**3rd place (1): 1990
**4th place (1): 1989

Unofficial

*Triple Crown: 1
**2002–03

Regional competitions

* Catalan Championship (defunct): 9
**1942, 1943, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1950, 1951, 1955
**Runners-up (3): 1928, 1949, 1953
* Catalan League: 23
** 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1989, 1993, 1995, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2022
**Runners-up (13): 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2018

Other Competitions

*Pohlheim, Germany Invitational Game:
**2008
*Calonge, Spain Invitational Game:
**2008
*Bologna, Italy Invitational Game: 1
**2008
*Sant Julia de Vilatorta, Spain Invitational Game:
**2009, 2012, 2014
:''Runners-Up (2):'' 2018, 2019
*Sabadell, Spain Invitational Game:
**2011
*Palamós, Spain Invitational Game:
**2011
*Tarragona, Spain Invitational Game:
**2011
*Cordoba, Spain Invitational Game:
**2014
*Trofeo MoraBanc:
**2015
*Torneo de Fuenlabrada
**2015
*Trofeo Circuito de Pretemporada Movistar:
**2016
*Monzon, Spain Invitational Game:
**2017
*Platja D'Aro, Spain Invitational Game:
**2017
*Trofeo Memorial Quino Salvo:
**2017
*Torneig d’invitacions de Les Borges Blanques:
**2018
*Torneo Xacobeo:
**2019
*Badalona, Spain Invitational Game:
**2020

Individual awards

ACB Most Valuable Player
*Nikola Mirotic – 2020
* Juan Carlos Navarro – 2006

ACB Finals MVP
*Xavi Fernández – 1996
*Roberto Dueñas – 1997
*Derrick Alston – 1999
*Pau Gasol – 2001
*Šarūnas Jasikevičius – 2003
*Dejan Bodiroga – 2004
* Juan Carlos Navarro – 2009, 2011, 2014
*Erazem Lorbek – 2012
* Nikola Mirotić – 2021

Spanish Cup MVP
*Pau Gasol – 2001
*Dejan Bodiroga – 2003
*Jordi Trias – 2007
*Fran Vázquez – 2010
* Alan Anderson – 2011
*Pete Mickeal – 2013
*Thomas Heurtel – 2018, 2019
* Cory Higgins – 2021
* Nikola Mirotić – 2022

Supercup MVP
*Dejan Bodiroga – 2004
* Juan Carlos Navarro – 2009, 2010, 2011
*Pau Ribas – 2015

ACB Slam Dunk Champion
*Francisco Elson – 2001

EuroLeague MVP
* Juan Carlos Navarro – 2009
* Nikola Mirotić – 2022

EuroLeague Final Four MVP
*Dejan Bodiroga – 2003
* Juan Carlos Navarro – 2010

EuroLeague Rising Star
* Ricky Rubio – 2010
* Álex Abrines – 2016

All-EuroLeague First Team
*Dejan Bodiroga – 2003, 2004
* Juan Carlos Navarro – 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011
*Erazem Lorbek – 2011
* Ante Tomić – 2013, 2014
* Nikola Mirotić – 2021, 2022

All-EuroLeague Second Team
*Pau Gasol – 2001
*Erazem Lorbek – 2010
* Juan Carlos Navarro – 2012, 2013
* Ante Tomić – 2015
*Brandon Davies – 2021

All-ACB First Team
*Dejan Bodiroga – 2004
* Juan Carlos Navarro – 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010
*Fran Vázquez – 2009
*Erazem Lorbek – 2010, 2012
* Ricky Rubio – 2010
* Ante Tomić – 2013
* Nikola Mirotić – 2020
*Nicolás Laprovíttola – 2022

All-ACB Second Team
*Tomáš Satoranský – 2016
* Ante Tomić – 2017, 2018
*Thomas Heurtel – 2018, 2019
*Ádám Hanga – 2020
* Cory Higgins – 2021
* Nikola Mirotić – 2021, 2022

Records

*Most points scored in a game: FC Barcelona 147–106 Cajabilbao (1986–87)
*Biggest point differential: 74 – FC Barcelona 128–54 Mataró (1972–73)
*Biggest point differential (against): 60 – Real Madrid 125–65 FC Barcelona (1973) and Real Madrid 138–78 FC Barcelona (1977)
*Most games played with FC Barcelona: Juan Antonio San Epifanio (421)
*Most minutes played with FC Barcelona: Juan Antonio San Epifanio (11,758)
*Most career points scored with FC Barcelona: Juan Antonio San Epifanio (7,028)
*Most assists: Juan Carlos Navarro (932)*
*Most rebounds: Roberto Dueñas (2.113)
*Most blocked shots: Roberto Dueñas (266)
*Most three-point shots made: Juan Carlos Navarro (684)*
*Most steals: Nacho Solozábal (611)

Season by season

International record

Matches against NBA teams

*On 5 October 2006, it became the first European team -second of the FIBA, beyond the Maccabi of Tel Aviv and the National Team of the Soviet Union- to win an NBA rival. It defeated the Philadelphia 76ers in the Palau Sant Jordi of Barcelona.
*On 18 October 2008, it played the first game of an ACB League team on the court of an NBA rival, the Staples Center of Los Angeles against the Los Angeles Lakers.
*On 7 October 2010, FC Barcelona, current champion of the Euroleague, became the first European team and the second FIBA in the History of Basketball to beat the reigning NBA champion, L.A. Lakers, for 92–88, in a match played at the Palau Sant Jordi in Barcelona. Pete Mickeal with 26 points and Juan Carlos Navarro with 25 were the best of the match. In the Lakers, Pau Gasol, former Barça player, was the best with 25 points scored.
*On 5 October 2016 it faced the finalist of the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder. Barcelona lost the match by a narrow margin despite being reduced by the quantity and quality of their injured players. Two basketball players from the subsidiary -Stefan Peno and Pol Figueras - had to occupy the base position.

See also

*FC Barcelona Bàsquet B
* FC Barcelona–Real Madrid rivalry
* FC Barcelona–Joventut rivalry

References

External links

*
FC Barcelona
at ACB.com
FC Barcelona
at Euroleague.net

{{DEFAULTSORT:Barcelona Basquet

Basquet
Liga ACB teams
Basketball teams established in 1926
EuroLeague clubs
EuroLeague-winning clubs
1926 establishments in Spain
Catalan basketball teams