Dino Meneghin
(Born 1950)
Hall of Fame Induction: 2003
Card Shown:
2003-04 Upper Deck Legends
Hall of Fame Induction Inks
Position: Center
Height: 6’9″
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Dino Meneghin is widely regarded as one of the best international basketball players and the best Italian basketball player to ever play the game. He was a tremendous athlete and an engaging personality who had the opportunity to leave Italy and play basketball in the NBA. He decided to remain in Europe and that decision benefited his teammates and the sport of basketball in Italy.
Awards and Honors
- Meneghin led his Italian Club teams to a record twelve Cup of Champions Finals and his teams won seven championships.
- Dino won four championships (Italian League, Italian Cup, European Cup, and Intercontinental Cup) in the same year three times (1970, 1973, and 1987).
- Meneghin was named the European Player of the Year in 1980 and 1983.
- In 1991 Giganti del Basket named Dino the greatest player in European history.
- In 2008 Meneghin was named one of the 50 Greatest Contributors in the History of European Club Basketball.
- Dino was elected to the Italian Basketball Hall of Fame when it was founded in 2006 and the FIBA Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010.
Points of Interest
- Dino became a professional basketball player at the age of 16. Twenty-eight years later he retired from at the age of 44 after having played 836 games in Italy’s top division.
- In 1970 Meneghin was drafted in the 11th round by the Atlanta Hawks, making him one of the first two European players ever drafted into the NBA. In 1974 the New York Knicks also drafted Meneghin. However, Dino decided to remain in Europe.
- Dino appeared in four Olympics for Italy (in 1972, 1976, 1980, and 1984), winning a silver medal in 1980 in Russia.
- He played in a record 271 games with the Italian National Team from 1969-1984. In addition to the four Olympics, Dino also played in two World Championships and eight European Championships. In the European Championships Italy was a two time bronze medal winner (Germany in 1971 and Yugoslavia in 1975) and they won the championship in France in 1983.
- Meneghin became President of the Italian Basketball Federation (FIP) in 2009.
Statistics
Dino Meneghin Olympic Statistics
provided by Basketball-Reference.com