Ibon Navarro, new coach of Estrella Roja after leaving Unicaja
The Serbian Red Star has signed the Spaniard Ibon Navarro as its new coach for next season, after announcing days ago his departure from Unicaja de Málaga after four and a half years, as confirmed by the club this Friday.
The coach, the most successful in the history of the Malaga team with the conquest of seven titles, will join the Belgrade team, a participant in the Euroleague, and will replace Milan Tomic, coach who had taken charge of the team at the end of May after the departure of Sasa Obradovic.
“Navarro opens a new chapter in his career as a coach in Belgrade. Until now he has been characterized by a style in which the teams he led played very fast and high-intensity basketball, using a large number of players in rotation. We wish him much success, happiness and victories,” the club said in a statement, in which it does not clarify the duration of the contract.
The 50-year-old coach from Vitoria has extensive experience in Spanish basketball as an assistant and first coach and reached his best moment at Unicaja (2022-2026), with which he won two FIBA Champions Leagues, two Intercontinental Cups, two Copas del Rey and a Spanish Super Cup.
In Belgrade he will meet again with the American guard Tyson Carter, whom he also coached during a campaign in Malaga.
His arrival at the club coincides with the recent incorporation of Serbian legend Milos Teodosic, announced last week as Red Star’s new sporting director.
Navarro, who agreed to leave with Unicaja despite having one more year on his signed contract, will thus begin his first experience on the bench outside of Spain.
