Franjo Arapović (born 2 June 1965) is a Croatian former professional basketball player who played as a center. A tall, he won the silver medal with the Croatia national team at the 1992 Summer Olympics. Four years earlier he was a member of the Yugoslavia national team, that won the silver medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics.
Arapović was born in Mostar, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina, SFR Yugoslavia. In his professional career, he played for KK Lokomotiva Mostar, after which he moved to Croatian clubs Cibona, Croatia Osiguranje Split and Zrinjevac. He then moved to Pallacanestro Trapani in Italy, BC Žalgiris in Lithuania, Krka Telekom in Slovenia, Fenerbahçe in Turkey, Hapoel Migdal Jerusalem in Israel, again Žalgiris, and again Zrinjevac, Croatia Osiguranje Split and Cibona.
One of Arapović's most well-known moments was during the first half of the gold medal game between Croatia and the United States at the 1992 Summer Olympics, when Arapović caught a pass from Toni Kukoč while driving toward the basket and made a running two-handed slam dunk to give Croatia a 25–23 lead over the Dream Team. David Robinson was whistled for a foul on the play, and Arapović demonstratively hung on the rim for several moments before giving the cheering crowd several fist-pumps.
Member of Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), Arapović was their MP in the Croatian Parliament from December 2003 until January 2008. His son Marko is also a professional basketball player.
References
External links
1965 births
Living people
Basketball players from Mostar
Atlanta Hawks draft picks
BC Žalgiris players
Basketball players at the 1988 Summer Olympics
Basketball players at the 1992 Summer Olympics
Centers (basketball) Croatian Democratic Union politicians Croatian expatriate basketball people in Lithuania Croatian men's basketball players Croatian sportsperson-politicians Hapoel Jerusalem B.C. players Israeli Basketball Premier League players KK Cibona players KK Krka players KK Lokomotiva Mostar players KK Split players KK Zrinjevac players Medalists at the 1988 Summer Olympics Medalists at the 1992 Summer Olympics Olympic basketball players for Yugoslavia Olympic silver medalists for Croatia in basketball Olympic silver medalists for Yugoslavia Representatives in the modern Croatian Parliament FISU World University Games gold medalists for Yugoslavia Universiade medalists in basketball Yugoslav men's basketball players 1986 FIBA World Championship players KK Kvarner players Croatian expatriate basketball people in Italy Croatian expatriate basketball people in Turkey Croatian expatriate basketball people in Israel Croatian expatriate basketball people in Slovenia Goodwill Games medalists in basketball