KK Bosna BH Telecom Sarajevo returned to EuroCup after 19 years and wanted to pay tribute to Selver Džigal, former player of the club, by dedicating the EuroCup game against PAOK to his memory and his contribution to basketball.
Before tip-off of the EuroCup second-round game between KK Bosna and PAOK, a special tribute was held in memory of Selver Džigal. His No. 5 jersey, the number he wore during his time with Bosna, was presented to his family, as well as to his former colleague and one of his closest basketball friends from the EuroLeague office.
Although KK Bosna fell short in the end (72-75), they fought with pride and determination for all 40 minutes in front of their home crowd. It was the kind of passionate, hard-fought basketball that Selver himself would have appreciated and enjoyed watching.
Selver Džigal was born on January 17, 1984, in Sarajevo. He began playing basketball with KK Bosna and, at just 15 years old, moved to Barcelona after being invited to join FC Barcelona. As a member of Barcelona’s youth team, he won the Spanish U16 championship.
His professional career later took him into the world of European basketball administration. From 2008, he worked for Euroleague Basketball, eventually becoming Competition Department Manager and Supervisor. Barcelona became his second home, and he spoke Catalan, Spanish, English, Italian and French, alongside his native Bosnian.
His contribution to European basketball was recognized even after his passing on February 11, 2020, when Euroleague Basketball named one of the rooms at its Barcelona headquarters the Selver Džigal Game Center in his memory.
But Selver was remembered for much more than his professional achievements. Despite spending most of his adult life in Barcelona, he remained deeply connected to Sarajevo and Bosnia and Herzegovina. He regularly helped young athletes from Bosnia, connecting them with clubs and people across Europe, while also supporting humanitarian causes and donating monthly to Save the Children.
His commitment to his homeland was particularly evident during the devastating floods in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2014. He helped organize a humanitarian campaign involving Euroleague, sports clubs and journalists, took time off work and personally travelled to Bosnia with a convoy delivering aid to some of the hardest-hit areas.
Selver was also known for his love of Bosnian culture, especially sevdalinka. He shared that passion with his international friends and colleagues, introducing many of them to Bosnian music and taking them to concerts by Dubioza Kolektiv across Europe.
His life was tragically short, but the impact he left behind was lasting. He is remembered by the people he helped, the athletes he supported, the colleagues and friends he connected across borders, and by a European basketball community that continues to carry his name and memory.
This text was written with the help of late Selver Džigal‘s sister Azra Džigal.
