Sani Bečirović Biography: Parents, Age, Height, Net Worth, Wife, Children, Career, Awards

Sani Bečirović is a respected Slovenian basketball executive, coach, and retired professional player, acclaimed for his sharp playmaking and scoring touch as a guard across elite European circuits.

Transitioning seamlessly into leadership roles after a storied on-court tenure, he now shapes club strategies at Zenit Saint Petersburg, drawing on his championship pedigree to foster competitive squads in the VTB United League.

Profile

• Full Name: Sani Bečirović
• Stage Name: Sani Bečirović
• Born: May 19, 1981
• Age: 44 years old
• Birthplace: Maribor, Slovenia
• Nationality: Slovenian
• Occupation: Basketball Executive, Coach, And Former Professional Player
• Height: 6 ft 5 in (1.95 m)
• Parents: Memi Bečirović and Šadija Bečirović
• Siblings: Unknown
• Spouse: Simona Bečirović
• Children: Samija and Kiam
• Relationship: Married
• Net Worth: $3 million USD

Early Life and Education

Sani Bečirović is a respected Slovenian basketball executive, coach, and former professional player. He was born on May 19, 1981, in Maribor, Slovenia, during the era of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

Nurtured by his father, Memi Bečirović—a prominent coach who later led Slovenia’s senior men’s national team—and his mother, Šadija Bečirović, in a household rich with athletic drive, he embraced basketball early amid the region’s burgeoning sports culture.

Specifics of his schooling remain under wraps, yet his path emphasized rigorous youth training that honed his skills for professional demands. His ethnicity draws from Bosniak roots, and his religion stays private.

Career

Sani Bečirović embarked on his pro journey with Pivovarna Laško in Slovenia’s Premier League, quickly emerging as a versatile guard known for clutch performances.

Selected 46th overall by the Denver Nuggets in the 2003 NBA Draft, he opted for European prominence, joining Italy’s Fortitudo Bologna in 2004, where he clinched the Lega Basket Serie A title in 2005.

His standout phase unfolded at Panathinaikos Athens from 2006 to 2009, yielding the 2007 EuroLeague crown, two Greek League championships (2007, 2008), and dual Greek Cup triumphs (2007, 2008), capped by his November 2008 EuroLeague MVP nod.

Subsequent moves included CSKA Moscow (2009–2010), Armani Jeans Milano (2010), and Türk Telekom Ankara (2010–2012), blending high-level club duties with Slovenia’s national team outings at EuroBaskets and qualifiers.

Later stops spanned Iran’s Petrochimi Bandar Imam (2012), Italy’s Dinamo Sassari (2013), a return to Krka Novo Mesto (2013–2014), and lower-tier Italian sides like Fulgor Forlì and Piacenza (2014–2015), marking his 2015 retirement at age 34.

In administration, he founded the Sani Bečirović Basketball Academy in 2013 and served as Panathinaikos’ sports director before a three-year pact with Zenit Saint Petersburg in July 2025, where he recruits talent and steers operations toward VTB contention.

His legacy blends on-court flair with off-court acumen, influencing Slovenia’s basketball evolution.

Awards and Nominations

• EuroLeague Champion (2007 with Panathinaikos)
• EuroLeague MVP of the Month (November 2008)
• Italian Lega Basket Serie A Champion (2005 with Fortitudo Bologna)
• Greek League Champion (2007, 2008 with Panathinaikos)
• Greek Cup Winner (2007, 2008 with Panathinaikos)

Social Media

• Facebook Handle: Sani Bečirović

Personal Life

Sani Bečirović, 44, is a respected Slovenian basketball executive, coach, and former professional player. He tied the knot with Italian national Simona Bečirović in the mid-2000s after crossing paths during his Italian league days, a connection sparked by instant affinity.

The pair, who also share Italian citizenship, welcomed daughter Samija in 2005 and son Kiam in 2008, navigating relocations from Ankara and Athens to Moscow and Rome before settling in Ljubljana, Slovenia, for stability.

Their family emphasizes international schooling for the children amid his career shifts. Now rooted in Ljubljana with occasional St. Petersburg travel for Zenit commitments, he prioritizes quiet family routines, drawing on his heritage for grounded pursuits.

Net Worth

Sani Bečirović, is a respected Slovenian basketball executive, coach, and former professional player. His net worth stands at an estimated $3 million USD, amassed through playing contracts in top leagues, executive salaries, and academy ventures.