Ranko Zeravica was born on November 17, 1929, and died on October 29, 2015.

Ranko was a Serbian professional basketball coach.

With a career that spanned over 50 years, he is most noted for his work with the Yugoslav national team during the 1960s, 1970s, and early 1980s.

In particular, Ranko’s single biggest achievement is guiding the country to its first ever major competition win – gold medal on home soil at the 1970 World Championships – leading to a huge expansion of the game of basketball throughout Yugoslavia.

Born to father Milorad and mother Gordana in the village of Dragutinovo (before it merged with Beodra into Novo Milosevo), Ranko’s education started in his village and continued in Kikinda where he traveled every day by train.

His family stemmed from Herzegovina by ancestry, having moved to Mošorin area several generations before his birth, becoming wealthy farmers and landowners.

Ranko had a history of cardiac problems, In 2009, he suffered a heart attack and had a triple bypass surgery.

In early 2015, he was admitted to hospital due to chest pain and was diagnosed with a mild heart attack.

Ranko had a coronary stent surgery and was soon discharged from hospital.

Ranko died at the age of 85 on October 29, 2015 at his Belgrade home.