Spain Honors Žeravica's Legacy! Our Legend's Name Adorns Famous Arena, Son's Tears Speak Volumes /VIDEO/

"The name of José Luis Abós couldn't be given to the arena itself, but this week it was raised to the rafters of the 'Principe Felipe' arena, alongside the name of another basketball legend from the Aragonese capital, Ranko Žeravica. They were honored this week during halftime of the exhibition game between the Aragonese club and UCAM Murcia," Spanish media reported.

This particular matchup already bears the name of the late Zaragoza coach—in fact, its eleventh edition was held today—but from now on, José Luis Abós will forever be present high above the arena where he triumphed, guiding Basket Zaragoza to what it always aspired to be: a stable ACB League club with "the right to dream" of anything, including participation in the Copa del Rey, European competitions, and the ACB League semifinals. Abós brought joy to the "Principe Felipe" arena, and Zaragoza will never forget him.

As soon as the halftime buzzer sounded, the ceremony was announced over the loudspeakers. Javier and Paloma, Abós's children, his widow Eva, and Duško, Ranko Žeravica's eldest son, appeared on the court. Banners bearing their names were raised behind one of the baskets, ascending to the very top of the arena. The crowd, on its feet, applauded tirelessly. Both teams remained on the court during the ceremony, and Sito Alonso, who remembers Abós every season, approached to greet both families.

"The name of Ranko Žeravica, a legend of Yugoslav and European basketball, was also raised to the rafters. He left an indelible mark on CAI Zaragoza—the former CBZ of José Luis Rubio—between 1987 and 1989. Afterward, he continued to live in the Aragonese capital and participated in the early stages of the new Basket Zaragoza 2002, coaching them for three games in their inaugural season," Spanish media stated.

Witness the emotional moment as his son, Dušan, couldn't hold back tears.

On Thursday, June 18th, in Novo Miloševo, his hometown, a bust of Ranko Žeravica, one of the greatest coaches in the history of domestic and world basketball, was ceremoniously unveiled.

The bust is positioned in front of the museum proudly bearing the name of our celebrated strategist. This monument is, in fact, a faithful replica of the bust unveiled in 2025 in front of the Ranko Žeravica Sports Hall in New Belgrade, a building also named after him, which was installed as part of Sportal's initiative.

The artwork is the creation of Slavenko Rakočević, a former basketball player and coach, who is also a painter and sculptor.

VIDEO: Ranko Žeravica's Bust Unveiled with Basketball Legends Present, Initiated by Sportal