Bright stars of international basketball headline FIBA Players' Commission

MIES - Some of the biggest names in international basketball have been brought together to make up FIBA's Players' Commission for the current term of office (2014-2019).

The commission, whose responsibility it is to represent all players - men, women and youth across all types of basketball - is chaired by Former Yugoslavia and Serbia star Vlade Divac and consists of 14 members.

Last September, Divac became the first-ever players representative and as such serves on the 26-member FIBA Central Board.

Thirteen of the members of FIBA's Players' Commission have been named, with a representative to be appointed by the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) still to follow.

Chairman:
Divac, Vlade (SRB)

Members:
Alapag, Jim (PHI)
Dos Santos, Adriana Aparecida (BRA)
Egnell, Elisabeth (SWE)
Korstin, Ilona (RUS)
Mottola, Hanno (FIN)
Ndong, Boniface (SEN)
Nesterovic, Radoslav (SLO)
Oberto, Fabricio (ARG)
Oyedeji, Olumide (NGR)
Screen, Jenni (AUS)
Smith, Katie (USA)
Valdemoro Madariaga, Amaya (ESP)
Van Den Spiegel, Tomas (BEL)
IWBF representative - TBD

Here is more information about the personalities who make up FIBA's Players Commission and their major accomplishments during their playing careers:
- Vlade Divac had a long and distinguished career which saw him play both in Europe and the NBA. He won two FIBA Basketball World Cups (1990, 2002) and three EuroBaskets (1989, 1991, 1995). He was inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2010.
- Jimmy Alapag, a born-to-thrill guard who spent more than a decade playing professionally in the Philippines, also wore the Gilas shirt at FIBA Asia Championships and at last year's FIBA Basketball World Cup.
- Adriana Aparecida Dos Santos represented Brazil at major events, beginning at the 1992 FIBA Olympics and ending at the 2002 FIBA World Championship for Women. She celebrated a title triumph at the 1994 FIBA World Championship for Women, and a silver medal at the 1996 Olympics.
- Elisabeth Egnell has played in Sweden and also represented the country in international competition, helping the Scandinavian side reach the Quarter-Finals of the EuroBasket Women 2013. That followed on from Egnell being honored as the MVP of the Swedish top flight for the 2012-13 campaign.
- Ilona Korstin was a vital part of Russia squads that captured European titles in 2001, 2007 and 2011, and she was also in the side that upset the United States in the Semi-Finals of the 2006 FIBA World Championship for Women.
- Hanno Mottola, Finland's most famous-ever player, followed up a successful college spell at Utah with a stint in the NBA before having a long career in Europe and also playing for the national team.
- Boniface Ndong will always be remembered for his heroics at AfroBasket 2005 when he led Senegal to the Final and was named as the tournament MVP.
- Radoslav Nesterovic, who competed in both Europe and the NBA during a long career, also captained a Slovenia national team that has grown into a force.
- Fabricio Oberto, a member of Argentina's 'Golden Generation', helped his country reach the Final of the 2002 FIBA Basketball World Cup and win the 2004 Olympics. He played professionally in Argentina, Europe and the NBA.
- Olumide Oyedeji competed for Nigeria's national team and helped them reach the Olympics for the first time in 2012.
- Jennifer Screen was in the Australian Opals sides that claimed the title at the 2006 FIBA World Championship for Women, and reached the podium at the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games.
- Katie Smith was a three-time Olympic champion with the United States, a guard who had a terrific career in the WNBA.
- Amaya Valdemoro capped a long and prestigious career with Spain that began in 1995 at the EuroBasket Women with a title-winning performance at the EuroBasket Women 2013. The EuroBasket Women 2007 MVP, Valdemoro played at two Olympics and four FIBA World Championships for Women.
- Tomas Van Den Spiegel, in addition to representing Belgium in international basketball, grew to prominence as a member of the CSKA Moscow teams that won Euroleague titles in 2006 and 2008.

The chairmen and deputy chairmen of FIBA's commissions will meet at the end of February at which time they will decide the dates for these bodies to convene in the coming months.

FIBA