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{{short description|Croatian professional basketball player and coach (born 1970)}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name            = Žan Tabak
| image           = Zan Tabak 2024.jpg
| width           =
| caption         = Tabak in 2024
| position        = [[Coach (basketball)|Head coach]]
| league          = 
| team            = 
| height_ft       = 7
| height_in       = 0
| weight_lb       = 245
| birth_date      = {{birth date and age|1970|6|15|df=y}}
| birth_place     = [[Split, Croatia|Split]], [[Socialist Republic of Croatia|SR Croatia]], [[Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia|SFR Yugoslavia]]
| nationality     = Croatian
| high_school     = 
| college         = 
| draft_year      = 1991
| draft_round     = 2
| draft_pick      = 51
| draft_team      = [[Houston Rockets]]
| career_number   = 55, 3
| career_position = [[Center (basketball)|Center]]
| career_start    = 1985
| career_end      = 2005
| coach_start     = 2006
| coach_end       = 
| years1          = 1985–1992
| team1           = [[KK Split|Jugoplastika / Pop 84 / Slobodna Dalmacija]]
| years2          = 1992–1993
| team2           = [[Libertas Livorno|Baker Livorno]]
| years3          = 1993–1994
| team3           = [[Olimpia Milano|Recoaro Milano]]
| years4          = {{nbay|1994|full=y}}
| team4           = [[Houston Rockets]]
| years5          = {{nbay|1995|start}}–{{nbay|1997|end}}
| team5           = [[Toronto Raptors]]
| years6          = {{nbay|1997|end}}
| team6           = [[Boston Celtics]]
| years7          = 1998–1999
| team7           = [[Fenerbahçe Men's Basketball|Fenerbahçe]]
| years8          = {{nbay|1999|start}}–{{nbay|2000|end}}
| team8           = [[Indiana Pacers]]
| years9          = 2001–2002
| team9           = [[Real Madrid Baloncesto|Real Madrid]]
| years10         = 2002–2004
| team10          = [[Joventut Badalona]]
| years11         = 2005
| team11          = [[CB Málaga|Unicaja Málaga]]
| cyears1         = 2006–2009
| cteam1          = Real Madrid (assistant)
| cyears2         = 2009–2011
| cteam2          = [[CB Sevilla|Sevilla]] (assistant)
| cyears3         = 2011–2012
| cteam3          = [[CB Sant Josep Girona|Sant Josep Girona]]
| cyears4         = 2012
| cteam4          = [[Trefl Sopot]]
| cyears5         = 2012–2013
| cteam5          = [[Saski Baskonia|Baskonia]]
| cyears6         = 2013–2015
| cteam6          = Real Madrid (assistant)
| cyears7         = 2015
| cteam7          = [[Baloncesto Fuenlabrada|Fuenlabrada]]
| cyears8         = 2015–2016
| cteam8          = [[Maccabi Tel Aviv B.C.|Maccabi Tel Aviv]]
| cyears9         = 2016–2017
| cteam9          = Sevilla
| cyears10        = 2019–2021
| cteam10         = [[Basket Zielona Góra|Stelmet Zielona Góra]]
| cyears11        = 2021
| cteam11         = [[CB Miraflores|Burgos]]
| cyears12        = 2022–2025
| cteam12         = Trefl Sopot
| highlights      = 
;As player:
* [[List of NBA champions|NBA champion]] ([[1995 NBA Finals|1995]])
* 3× [[EuroLeague champion]] ([[1989 EuroLeague Final Four|1989]]–[[1991 EuroLeague Final Four|1991]])
* 4× [[Yugoslav Basketball League|Yugoslav League]] champion ([[1987–88 Yugoslav First Basketball League|1988]]–[[1990–91 Yugoslav First Basketball League|1991]])
* 2× [[Yugoslav Basketball Cup|Yugoslav Cup]] winner (1990, 1991)
* [[Krešimir Ćosić Cup|Croatian Cup]] winner (1992)
* [[Copa del Rey de Baloncesto|Spanish Cup]] winner ([[2005 Copa del Rey de Baloncesto|2005]])
;As assistant coach:
* [[EuroLeague]] champion ([[2014–15 Euroleague|2015]])
* [[EuroCup Basketball|EuroCup]] champion ([[2006-07 ULEB Cup|2007]])
* 2× [[Liga ACB|Spanish League]] champion ([[2006-07 ACB season|2007]], [[2014-15 ACB season|2015]])
* 2× [[Copa del Rey de Baloncesto|Spanish Cup]] winner ([[2014 Copa del Rey de Baloncesto|2014]], [[2015 Copa del Rey de Baloncesto|2015]])
;As head coach:
* [[Polish Basketball League|PLK champion]] ([[2023–24 PLK season|2024]])
* 2× [[Polish Basketball Cup|Polish Cup]] winner ([[2021 Polish Basketball Cup|2021]], [[2023 Polish Basketball Cup|2023]])
* [[Israeli Basketball State Cup|Israeli Cup]] winner ([[2016 Israeli Basketball State Cup|2016]])
* [[Polish Basketball Supercup|Polish Super Cup]] winner (2012)
* [[PLK Best Coach|PLK Coach of the Year]] ([[2020–21 PLK season|2021]])
| stats_league    = NBA
| stat1label      = [[Point (basketball)|Points]]
| stat1value      = 1,233 (5.0 ppg)
| stat2label      = [[Rebound (basketball)|Rebounds]]
| stat2value      = 883 (3.6 rpg)
| stat3label      = [[Assist (basketball)|Assists]]
| stat3value      = 165 (0.7 apg)
| bbr             = tabakza01
| medal_templates = 
{{MedalSport|Men's [[basketball]]}}
{{MedalCountry|{{bk|YUG}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship|European Championship for Junior men]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[1988 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship|1988 Yugoslavia]]|[[Yugoslavia men's national under-18 basketball team|Team]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship|European Championship for Cadets]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[1987 FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship|1987 Hungary]]|[[Yugoslavia men's national under-16 basketball team|Team]]}}
{{MedalCountry|{{bk|CRO}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Olympic Games]]}}
{{MedalSilver|[[1992 Summer Olympics|1992 Barcelona]]|[[Basketball at the 1992 Summer Olympics|Team]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[EuroBasket]]}}
{{MedalBronze|[[EuroBasket 1993|1993 Germany]]|}}
}}
'''Žan Tabak''' (born 15 June 1970) is a [[Croats|Croatian]] professional [[basketball]] coach and former player who is now serving as the head coach for [[Trefl Sopot]] of the [[Polish Basketball League|PLK]]. His basketball career, spanning twenty years, was marked by several notable achievements, despite injuries. He was the first international player to play in the [[NBA Finals]] for two teams.<ref>[http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=49639 JS Online: Hall snubs leave a few questions<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Žan Tabak averaged 5.0 points in his 6-year NBA career.<ref name ="Zan Tabak">{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/832/zan-tabak|title=Zan Tabak|access-date=31 July 2016}}</ref>

==Early career==
Born in [[Split (city)|Split]], [[Socialist Republic of Croatia|SR Croatia]], [[Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia|SFR Yugoslavia]], Tabak's father-in-law [[Ratomir Tvrdić]] was a top European basketball player, his wife played first-division basketball for Croatia, and his younger brother played professionally in Croatia.<ref name="nbabio" />

Tabak began his basketball career in 1985, at the age of fifteen, making his debut with the [[KK Split|Jugoplastika Split]] organization.  Only a few years later, he and Split teammates [[Dino Rađa]] and [[Toni Kukoč]] led the club to three consecutive [[EuroLeague|European]] Championships (1989–91), a feat only equaled in EuroLeague's storied history by its first champions, [[Rīgas ASK]], some thirty years before.<ref>[http://www.realmadrid.com/articulo/rma33947.htm Real Madrid C.F. Web Oficial - Real Madrid C.F. Official Web Site<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

Rađa and Kukoč were 2nd-round selections in the [[1989 NBA Draft|1989]] and [[1990 NBA Draft|1990]] National Basketball Association (NBA) Drafts, respectively.

==Professional career==

=== Houston Rockets (1991–1995) ===
Tabak was selected by the [[Houston Rockets]] with the 24th pick in the second round (51st overall) of the [[1991 NBA draft]]. He did not immediately play for Houston, however, opting instead to spend another year in Croatia with SD Split.

=== Return to Europe (1991–1994) ===
On June 25, 1991, Croatia, along with [[Slovenia]], decided to end relationships with the other republics of the [[Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia|Yugoslavia]]. The newly independent state, then, was able to send its own athletes to the [[1992 Summer Olympics|1992 Summer Olympic Games]]; this delegation also included a national basketball team.

Along with previous Split teammates and [[Dražen Petrović]], Tabak and the Croatian team performed well and won the silver medal; they were bested only by the star-studded [[1992 United States men's Olympic basketball team|United States Dream Team]].

After Barcelona, Tabak continued with his career, spending two years in the [[Italy|Italian]] [[Serie A (basketball)|Serie A]] league. In his years there, Tabak shot the ball extremely well, with a field goal percentage of over 60%.  He also averaged a [[Double (basketball)#Double-double|double-double]] in points and rebounds in both the 1992–93 season for [[Libertas Livorno|Baker Livorno]] and in the 1993–94 season for [[Olimpia Milano|Recoaro Milano]].<ref>[http://195.56.77.208/player/pbd.phtml Lega A Basket<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

=== Return to NBA (1994–1998) ===
Over three years after he was drafted by them, Tabak was signed by the Rockets on July 20, 1994. With nine years of experience, he played his first NBA minutes on November 5, 1994.  As a rookie, he saw limited playing time, averaging less than five minutes per game in thirty-seven appearances.  He spent the season as a backup to [[Hakeem Olajuwon]], who led Houston to the franchise's second [[National Basketball Association Finals|NBA title]] that year as Tabak won his first and only [[NBA championship trophy|NBA championship]].

==== Toronto Raptors (1995–1998) ====
In the 1995 [[1995 NBA expansion draft|expansion draft]], Tabak was selected by the [[Toronto Raptors]].

On February 25, 1996, Tabak recorded a career high 16 rebounds in a 98–105 loss to the [[Dallas Mavericks]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Toronto Raptors at Dallas Mavericks Box Score, February 25, 1996|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/199602250DAL.html|website=Basketball-Reference.com|language=en|access-date=2020-05-29}}</ref>

On March 27, 1996, Tabak dropped a career high 26 points in a 94–103 loss to the [[Philadelphia 76ers]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Toronto Raptors at Philadelphia 76ers Box Score, March 27, 1996|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/199603270PHI.html|website=Basketball-Reference.com|language=en|access-date=2020-05-29}}</ref>

He started several games and saw increased playing time, but a strained left groin kept him from competing during the close of the [[1995-96 NBA season|1995–96]] season. As for the Raptors, the franchise had an expectably bad season ending with a sub-par 21–61 record and missing the playoffs. Tabak did not fare well in the [[1996–97 NBA season|following season]], either; [[plantar fasciitis]] in his left foot restricted his appearances to thirteen games.<ref name="nbabio">[http://www.nba.com/playerfile/zan_tabak/bio.html NBA.com: Zan Tabak Bio] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080302232225/http://www.nba.com/playerfile/zan_tabak/bio.html |date=2008-03-02 }}</ref>

After another average start and a transverse fracture to a metacarpal bone in his right hand, Tabak was traded in a seven-player deal to the [[Boston Celtics]] in February 1998.<ref name=nbabio/>

Tabak played in Turkey for [[Fenerbahçe Men's Basketball|Fenerbahçe]] during the next year.  He then returned to the NBA and signed with the [[Indiana Pacers]].  As back-up to [[Rik Smits]], Tabak contributed to the Pacers' appearance in the [[2000 NBA Finals]], which was ultimately won by the [[Los Angeles Lakers]].

The [[2000–01 NBA season|2000–01 season]] was to be Tabak's last in the NBA, despite improved numbers and increased playing time.  When asked about his decision to return to European basketball Tabak said "...I wanted to come back [to Europe] because I felt I was 31 years old and I was feeling my career was coming to the end. I didn't want to finish my career being just one of the players. I wanted to be an important player in my team."<ref>[http://www.hoopshype.com/interviews/tabak_sierra.htm HoopsHype - Interviews - Zan Tabak: "Pitino made some wrong choices about players"<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

==Post-NBA career==
Tabak spent the remaining four years of his playing career in Spain with [[Real Madrid Baloncesto|Real Madrid]], [[Joventut Badalona|DKV Joventut]], and [[CB Málaga|Unicaja Málaga]].He maintained a high caliber of play during his later career.  Even as he won with Split and the Rockets in his earlier days, he ended twenty years of professional basketball also as a winner: along with [[Jorge Garbajosa]], Tabak helped Málaga to win the 2005 [[Copa del Rey de Baloncesto|King's Cup]], the Spanish national cup trophy.

In 2006, he worked for the [[New York Knicks]] as an international scout.<ref>[http://www.solobasket.com/contenido.php?id=10827 ¿Qué fue de Zan Tabak? - Solobasket.com 3.0<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

In 2011, he debuted as head coach with [[CB Sant Josep|Sant Josep Girona]] of the [[Liga Española de Baloncesto|LEB Oro]] league. In 2012, he moved to Poland where he became the head coach of the 2011–12 Polish league runner-up [[Trefl Sopot]]. In November 2012, he became head coach of [[Saski Baskonia]].<ref>[http://www.acb.com/redaccion.php?id=89243 Zan Tabak toma las riendas del Caja Laboral]</ref> With the Spanish squad, he achieved a 17-game winning streak for games played in both the [[EuroLeague]] and the [[Liga ACB]]. After being eliminated in the [[2012–13 ACB season|2012–13 season]] quarterfinals, Baskonia announced that Tabak would not continue as head coach.

Tabak was the head coach of the  [[Slovakia national basketball team]] from 2019 until 2021. He led them to the second round of [[2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup qualification (Europe)|pre-qualification for the 2023 World Cup]] and then led the position for personal reasons.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sport.aktuality.sk/c/484780/zan-tabak-skoncil-na-lavicke-slovenskej-basketbalovej-reprezentacie/|title= Žan Tabak skončil na lavičke slovenskej basketbalovej reprezentácie|date=21 February 2021|work=Šport.sk|access-date=18 November 2021|language=sk}}</ref> At the same time he was the head coach of the Polish [[Stelmet Zielona Gora]].

On June 30, 2021, Tabak signed with [[CB Miraflores|San Pablo Burgos]] of the [[Liga ACB]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://sportando.basketball/en/hereda-san-pablo-burgos-announces-zan-tabak/|title=Hereda San Pablo Burgos announces Žan Tabak|last=|first=|date=June 30, 2021|website=|newspaper=Sportando|language=En|access-date=June 30, 2021|last1=Maggi |first1=Alessandro }}</ref> In November, 2021, after a series of bad results, he left the club.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://slobodnadalmacija.hr/sport/kosarka/zan-tabak-ostao-bez-posla-spanjoljski-prvoligas-raskinuo-je-suradnju-nakon-deset-odigranih-kola-1143140|title=Žan Tabak ostao bez posla: španjolski prvoligaš raskinuo je suradnju sa splitskim stručnjakom nakon samo deset odigranih kola|date=15 November 2021|website=slobodnadalmacija.hr|access-date=17 November 2021|language=hr}}</ref>

On May 9, 2022, he has signed with [[Trefl Sopot]] of the [[Polish Basketball League|PLK]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sportando.basketball/en/zan-tabak-returns-to-trefl-sopot/|title=Zan Tabak returns to Trefl Sopot|last=|first=|date=May 9, 2022|website=|publisher=Sportando|language=En|access-date=May 9, 2022}}</ref>

==Personal==
In the mid-1990s, Tabak married Gorana Tvrdić, daughter of former professional basketball player [[Rato Tvrdić]], having met her several years earlier while playing for [[KK Split]].<ref name="TPortal-jan-2018">{{cite news|last=R.|first=V.|url=https://www.tportal.hr/sport/clanak/zana-tabak-i-supruga-gorana-otvaraju-akademiju-nasa-su-djeca-imala-strog-odgoj-ali-foto-20180112|title=Žan Tabak i supruga Gorana otvaraju akademiju: Naša su djeca imala strog odgoj, ali...|agency=TPortal.hr|date=12 January 2018|access-date=2 May 2020}}</ref> The couple has three children and has been residing in [[Madrid]] since 2001.<ref name="TPortal-jan-2018"/>

In March 2020, Tabak's wife Gorana contracted [[COVID-19]] in Madrid and within weeks developed severe symptoms for which she was [[intubation|intubated]] and placed in a 16-day [[induced coma]].<ref name="slobodna-maj-2020">{{cite news|last=Marković|first=Ivica|url=https://slobodnadalmacija.hr/mozaik/zivot/potresna-ispovijest-supruge-zana-tabaka-koja-je-jedva-prezivjela-koronu-morali-su-mi-probiti-rupu-u-grlu-i-bila-sam-nepokretna-htjela-sam-umrijeti-1019139|title=Potresna ispovijest supruge Žana Tabaka koja je jedva preživjela 'koronu': Morali su mi probiti rupu u grlu i bila sam nepokretna, htjela sam umrijeti|agency=[[Slobodna Dalmacija]]|date=2 May 2020|access-date=2 May 2020}}</ref> By late April 2020, her condition improved and she got released for home rehabilitation.<ref name="slobodna-maj-2020"/>

==References and notes==
<references/>

==External links==
* [http://www.euroleague.net/competition/players/showplayer?pcode=AUU Žan Tabak] at euroleague.net
* [http://www.euroleague.net/competition/coaches/showcoach?pcode=AUU#!currentstats Žan Tabak] at euroleague.net (coach)

{{Navboxes|list1=
{{KK Split 1988-89 Euroleague champions}}
{{KK Split 1989-90 Euroleague champions}}
{{KK Split 1990-91 Euroleague champions}}
{{1991 NBA draft}}
{{Footer 1992 Olympic Silver Medalists Basketball Men}}
{{Croatia Squad EuroBasket 1993}}
{{Croatia Men Basketball Squad 1996 Summer Olympics}}
{{Houston Rockets 1994-95 NBA champions}}
{{Real Madrid Baloncesto 2014–15 Euroleague champions}}
{{Maccabi Tel Aviv B.C.}}
{{PLK Best Coach}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tabak, Zan}}
[[Category:1970 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Baloncesto Fuenlabrada coaches]]
[[Category:Baloncesto Málaga players]]
[[Category:Basketball players at the 1992 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Basketball players at the 1996 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Basketball players from Split, Croatia]]
[[Category:Boston Celtics players]]
[[Category:CB Miraflores coaches]]
[[Category:Centers (basketball)]]
[[Category:Croatian basketball coaches]]
[[Category:Croatian expatriate basketball people in Canada]]
[[Category:Croatian expatriate basketball people in Italy]]
[[Category:Croatian expatriate basketball people in Spain]]
[[Category:Croatian expatriate basketball people in Turkey]]
[[Category:Croatian expatriate basketball people in the United States]]
[[Category:Croatian men's basketball players]]
[[Category:Fenerbahçe men's basketball players]]
[[Category:Houston Rockets draft picks]]
[[Category:Houston Rockets players]]
[[Category:Indiana Pacers players]]
[[Category:Joventut Badalona players]]
[[Category:KK Split players]]
[[Category:Lega Basket Serie A players]]
[[Category:Libertas Liburnia Basket Livorno players]]
[[Category:Liga ACB head coaches]]
[[Category:Liga ACB players]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1992 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:NBA players from Croatia]]
[[Category:Olimpia Milano players]]
[[Category:Olympic silver medalists for Croatia in basketball]]
[[Category:Real Betis Baloncesto coaches]]
[[Category:Real Madrid Baloncesto players]]
[[Category:Toronto Raptors expansion draft picks]]
[[Category:Toronto Raptors players]]
[[Category:Yugoslav men's basketball players]]