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{{short description|Russian basketball player and coach}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2016}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Alexander Gomelsky
| image = Alexander Gomelsky.jpg
| image_size = 200px
| number = 
| position = 
| height_ft = 
| height_in = 
| weight_lb = 
| league = 
| birth_date = {{birth date|1928|01|18|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Kronstadt]], [[Leningrad Oblast]], [[Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic|Russian SFSR]], [[Soviet Union]]
| nationality = Soviet / Russian
| death_date = {{death date and age|2005|08|16|1928|01|18|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Moscow]], Russia
| high_school = 
| college = 
| draft_year = 
| career_start = 1945
| career_end = 1953
| career_position = [[Point guard]] / [[shooting guard]]
| career_number = 
| coach_start = 1949
| coach_end = 1991
| years1 = 1945–1948
| team1 = SKIF Leningrad
| years2 = 1949–1953
| team2 = SKA Leningrad
| cyears1 = 1949–1952
| cteam1 = [[BC Spartak Saint Petersburg|Spartak Leningrad]] (women)
| cyears2 = 1953–1965
| cteam2 = [[Rīgas ASK]]
| cyears3 = 1970–1979, 1985–1986
| cteam3 = [[PBC CSKA Moscow|CSKA Moscow]]
| cyears4 = 1988–1989
| cteam4 = [[Tenerife AB]]
| cyears5 = 1990–1991
| cteam5 = [[CSP Limoges]]
| highlights = 
'''As a head coach'''
* [[Basketball at the Summer Olympics|Olympics Games]] champion ([[Basketball at the 1988 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament|1988]])
* 2× [[FIBA Basketball World Cup|FIBA World Cup]] champion ([[1967 FIBA World Championship|1967]], [[1982 FIBA World Championship|1982]])
* 6× [[EuroBasket|FIBA EuroBasket]] champion ([[EuroBasket 1963|1963]], [[EuroBasket 1965|1965]], [[EuroBasket 1967|1967]], [[EuroBasket 1969|1969]], [[EuroBasket 1979|1979]], [[EuroBasket 1981|1981]])
* 4× [[EuroLeague]] champion ([[1958 FIBA European Champions Cup|1958]]–[[1959-60 FIBA European Champions Cup|1960]], [[1970–71 FIBA European Champions Cup|1971]])
* [[FIBA EuroStar]] (1999)
* Honored Coach of the USSR (1956)
* Master of Sports of the USSR International Class (1965) 
* 12× [[USSR Premier Basketball League|Soviet League]] champion (1955–1958, 1971–1974, 1976–1979)
* 2× [[USSR Basketball Cup|Soviet Cup]] winner (1972, 1973)
* 4× Soviet Union Men's Basketball Coach of the Year (1967, 1977, 1982, 1988)
* Honored Coach of the Lithuanian SSR (1982)
* [[Olympic Order]] (1998)
* [[Russian Gold Basket awards|Contributor to Russian Basketball]] (2004)
* [[50 Greatest EuroLeague Contributors]] (2008)
| bbr = 
| HOF_coach = aleksandr-j-gomelsky
| FIBA_HOF_coach = Alexander-Gomelsky
| medaltemplates = <!--removed Olympic medal templates where not a player-->
{{MedalSport | Men's [[Basketball]]}}
{{MedalSport | Head coach for {{bk|URS}} }}
{{MedalCompetition|[[EuroBasket|FIBA EuroBasket]]}}
{{MedalGold| [[EuroBasket 1963|1963 Poland]] | }}
{{MedalGold| [[EuroBasket 1965|1965 Soviet Union]] | }}
{{MedalGold| [[EuroBasket 1967|1967 Finland]] | |}}
{{MedalGold| [[EuroBasket 1969|1969 Italy]] | }}
{{MedalSilver| [[EuroBasket 1977|1977 Belgium]] | }}
{{MedalGold| [[EuroBasket 1979|1979 Italy]] | }}
{{MedalGold| [[EuroBasket 1981|1981 Czechoslovakia]] | }}
{{MedalBronze| [[EuroBasket 1983|1983 France]] | }}
{{MedalSilver| [[EuroBasket 1987|1987 Greece]] | }}
{{MedalCompetition|[[FIBA World Cup]] | }}
{{MedalBronze| [[1963 FIBA World Championship|1963 Rio de Janeiro]] | }}
{{MedalGold| [[1967 FIBA World Championship|1967 Montevideo]] | }}
{{MedalBronze| [[1970 FIBA World Championship|1970 Yugoslavia]] | }}
{{MedalSilver| [[1978 FIBA World Championship|1978 Philippines]] | }}
{{MedalGold| [[1982 FIBA World Championship|1982 Colombia]] | }}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Basketball at the Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]}}
{{MedalSilver| [[Basketball at the 1964 Summer Olympics|1964 Tokyo]] | }}
{{MedalBronze| [[Basketball at the 1968 Summer Olympics|1968 Mexico City]] | }}
{{MedalBronze| [[Basketball at the 1980 Summer Olympics|1980 Moscow]] | }}
{{MedalGold| [[Basketball at the 1988 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament|1988 Seoul]] | }}
}}
'''Alexander Yakovlevich Gomelsky''' ({{langx|ru|Александр Яковлевич Гомельский}}; 18 January 1928 – 16 August 2005) was a Russian professional [[basketball]] player and [[basketball coach|coach]].<ref>[http://www.yivoencyclopedia.org/article.aspx/Sport/Jews_in_Sport_in_the_USSR YIVO | Sport: Jews in Sport in the USSR] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150429023935/http://www.yivoencyclopedia.org/article.aspx/Sport/Jews_in_Sport_in_the_USSR |date=29 April 2015 }}. Yivoencyclopedia.org. Retrieved on 31 October 2016.</ref> The '''Father of Soviet and Russian basketball''', he was inducted into the [[List of coaches in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame|Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]] in 1995 and the [[List of members of the FIBA Hall of Fame|FIBA Hall of Fame]] in 2007.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Olympedia – Aleksandr Gomelsky |url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/1200697 |access-date=2025-04-15 |website=www.olympedia.org}}</ref>

Alexander Gomelsky was awarded the [[Olympic Order]] by the [[International Olympic Committee]] in 1998. In 2008, he was named one of the [[50 Greatest EuroLeague Contributors (2008)|50 Greatest EuroLeague Contributors]].

==Playing career==
Gomelsky played [[sports club|club]] basketball in the [[Soviet Union]]. He played with SKIF Leningrad, from 1945 to 1948. He finished his playing career with SKA, where he played from 1949 to 1953.

==Club coaching career==
Gomelsky began his coaching career in 1949, in [[Saint Petersburg|Leningrad]], with the women's team of [[BC Spartak Saint Petersburg|LGS Spartak]]. In 1953, he became the coach of [[Rīgas ASK]], leading the team to three [[USSR Premier Basketball League|Soviet Union League]] titles (1955, 1957, 1958), and three consecutive [[EuroLeague|European Champions Cups]] (EuroLeague), from 1958 to 1960.

In 1970, he was appointed the head coach of [[PBC CSKA Moscow|CSKA Moscow]], leading the club to 8 Soviet Union national league championships (1971–1974, 1976–1979), 2 [[USSR Basketball Cup|Soviet Union Cups]] (1972, 1973), and one [[EuroLeague|European Champions Cup]] (EuroLeague) title in 1971. He also led the club to two more European Champions Cup (EuroLeague) [[EuroLeague Finals|finals]], in 1970, and 1973.

He also coached in Spain and France shortly before the [[Dissolution of the Soviet Union|dissolution of the USSR]].

==National team coaching career==
Gomelsky was the long-time [[head coach]] of the senior [[Soviet Union men's national basketball team|Soviet Union national team]], leading them to 6 [[EuroBasket]] titles ([[EuroBasket 1963|1963]], [[EuroBasket 1965|1965]], [[EuroBasket 1967|1967]], [[EuroBasket 1969|1969]], [[EuroBasket 1979|1979]], and [[EuroBasket 1981|1981]]), 2 [[FIBA World Cup]] titles ([[1967 FIBA World Championship|1967]], and [[1982 FIBA World Championship|1982]]), and the [[Basketball at the Summer Olympics|Summer Olympic Games]] gold medal in [[Basketball at the 1988 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament|1988]].

He was originally the Soviet national team [[head coach]] in 1972, and was expected to coach the team at the [[Basketball at the 1972 Summer Olympics|1972 Summer Olympic games]], but the [[KGB]] confiscated his [[passport]], fearing that, since Gomelsky was [[History of the Jews in the Soviet Union|Jewish]], he would [[defection|defect]] to [[Israel]].<ref>[http://www.jewishsports.net/BioPages/AlexanderGomelsky.htm Aleksandr "Sascha" Gomelsky]. Jewishsports.net. Retrieved on 31 October 2016.</ref> The Soviet team, with [[Vladimir Kondrashin]] as their coach, won their first Olympic gold medal that year, after a [[1972 Olympic Men's Basketball Final|controversial game]] against the [[United States men's national basketball team|United States]].

==Individual awards==
For merits in the development of sports and basketball was awarded:

*Honored Coach of the USSR: 1956
*Master of Sports of the USSR International Class: 1965 
*4× Soviet Union Coach of the Year: 1967, 1977, 1982, 1988
*Honored Coach of the Lithuanian SSR: 1982
*[[Order of the Red Banner of Labour]]: 1982
*[[Order of the Red Star]]
*[[Order of Friendship of Peoples]]
*[[Order of the Badge of Honour|2 Orders of the Badge of Honour]]
*Honored Worker of Physical Culture of Russia: 1993
*[[Olympic Order|Silver Olympic Order]]: 1998
*[[FIBA EuroStar]]: 1998
*[[Order of Merit (Ukraine)]]: 2003

== Career achievements ==

=== Club competitions ===

* [[EuroLeague]]: '''4''' <small>([[Rīgas ASK]]: [[1958 FIBA European Champions Cup|1958]], [[1958-59 FIBA European Champions Cup|1959]], [[1959-60 FIBA European Champions Cup|1960]] & [[PBC CSKA Moscow|CSKA Moscow]]: [[1970–71 FIBA European Champions Cup|1971]])</small>
* [[USSR Premier Basketball League|Soviet League]]: '''12''' <small>([[Rīgas ASK]]: 1955, 1957, 1958, [[Latvia SSR|Latvian SSR Team]] 1956 & [[PBC CSKA Moscow|CSKA Moscow]]: 1971–1974, 1976–1979)</small>
* [[USSR Basketball Cup|Soviet Cup]]: '''2''' <small>([[PBC CSKA Moscow|CSKA Moscow]]: 1972, 1973)</small>

===National team competitions===

* [[1963 FIBA World Championship]]: {{bronze medal}}
* [[EuroBasket 1963]]: {{gold medal}}
* [[Basketball at the 1964 Summer Olympics|1964 Summer Olympics]]: {{silver medal}}
* [[EuroBasket 1965]]: {{gold medal}}
* [[1967 FIBA World Championship]]: {{gold medal}}
* [[EuroBasket 1967]]: {{gold medal}}
* [[Basketball at the 1968 Summer Olympics|1968 Summer Olympics]]: {{bronze medal}}
* [[EuroBasket 1969]]: {{gold medal}}
* [[1970 FIBA World Championship]]: {{bronze medal}}
* [[EuroBasket 1977]]: {{silver medal}}
* [[1978 FIBA World Championship]]: {{silver medal}}
* [[EuroBasket 1979]]: {{gold medal}}
* [[Basketball at the 1980 Summer Olympics|1980 Summer Olympics]]: {{bronze medal}}
* [[EuroBasket 1981]]: {{gold medal}}
* [[1982 FIBA World Championship]]: {{gold medal}}
* [[EuroBasket 1983]]: {{bronze medal}}
* [[EuroBasket 1987]]: {{silver medal}}
* [[Basketball at the 1988 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament|1988 Summer Olympics]]: {{gold medal}}

==Post coaching career==
[[File:Alexander Yakovlevich Gomelsky gravestone.jpg|thumb|upright=1.25|Grave of Gomelsky at the [[Vagankovo Cemetery]] in Moscow]]
In his later years, Gomelsky was the president of the [[Russian Basketball Federation]] from 1991-1992. In December 1997, he became president of the [[PBC CSKA Moscow|CSKA Moscow]]. In 1995, he was inducted into the [[List of coaches in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame|Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]]. In 2007, he was enshrined into the [[FIBA Hall of Famer|FIBA Hall of Fame]]. In 2008, he was named one of the [[50 Greatest EuroLeague Contributors]].

The [[EuroLeague]]'s annual [[Alexander Gomelsky EuroLeague Coach of the Year]] award is named after him, and so is [[Alexander Gomelsky Universal Sports Hall CSKA]].<ref name="Club CSKA Moscow">[http://www.cskabasket.com/club/?lang=en Professional Basketball Club CSKA Moscow]. Cskabasket.com. Retrieved on 31 October 2016.</ref>

Every year the [[Gomelsky Cup]] is organized by CSKA in honor of its legendary coach.

==Personal life==
The Gomelsky family has been a driving force behind development of the Soviet/Russian basketball. Gomelsky's younger brother, [[Evgeny Gomelsky|Evgeny]], is also a well-known [[basketball coach]], and his son, [[Vladimir Gomelsky|Vladimir]], also worked as a basketball player and coach. His son Gomelsky [Alexandre] ran a sports association school in his father name, leading to several female Olympic basketball players. He was survived by his four sons and four grandchildren. His wife Tatiana, also a basketball player and coach, died from cancer.
Is [[Jewish]].

He died on the 78th year of his life on 16 August 2005 from [[Leukemia|leukaemia]]. Buried at the [[Vagankovo Cemetery]].

==See also==
* [[FIBA Basketball World Cup winning head coaches]]
* [[List of Jews in sports#Commissioners, managers/coaches, and owners|List of select Jewish coaches]]
* [[List of FIBA EuroBasket winning coaches]]
* [[List of EuroLeague-winning head coaches]]

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book|title=Team Management in Basketball|author=A. Ya. Gomelsky|publisher=[[Fizkultura i sport (publisher)|Fizkultura i sport]]|year=1985|location=Moscow|language=Russian|url=http://www.sportlib.ru/books/basket/upravlenie/|access-date=28 March 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070224225925/http://sportlib.ru/books/basket/upravlenie/|archive-date=24 February 2007|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110525141254/http://www.acb.com/entrenador.php?id=NA8 Alexander Gomelsky] at acb.com {{in lang|es}}
* [http://www.fiba.basketball/hall-of-fame/Alexander-Gomelsky Alexander Gomelsky] at halloffame.fiba.com
* [http://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/aleksandr-gomelsky/ Alexander Gomelsky] at hoophall.com

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{{Soviet Union squad EuroBasket 1961}}
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{{Footer 1968 Olympic Bronze Medalists Basketball Men}}
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{{Soviet Union Squad 1970 FIBA World Championship}}
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{{Soviet Union Squad 1978 FIBA World Championship}}
{{Soviet Union squad EuroBasket 1979}}
{{Footer 1980 Olympic Bronze Medalists Basketball Men}}
{{Soviet Union squad EuroBasket 1981}}
{{Soviet Union Squad 1982 FIBA World Championship}}
{{Soviet Union squad EuroBasket 1983}}
{{Soviet Union Men Basketball Squad 1984 Friendship Games}}
{{Soviet Union squad EuroBasket 1987}}
{{Footer 1988 Olympic Champions Basketball Men}}
{{Euroleague50}}
{{ASK Riga 1958 Euroleague champions}}
{{ASK Riga 1958-59 Euroleague champions}}
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{{PBC CSKA Moscow 1970-71 Euroleague champions}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Gomelsky, Alexander}}
[[Category:1928 births]]
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[[Category:Communist Party of the Soviet Union members]]
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[[Category:Recipients of the Order of Merit (Ukraine), 3rd class]]
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[[Category:Recipients of the Order of the Red Star]]
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