Miha Zupan Slovenian professional basketball player. Date of Birth: 13.09.1982 Country: Slovenia

1. Biography of Mihaj Zupan
2. Early Life and Deafness
3. Emerging Talent and National Success
4. Professional Career and Challenges
5. EuroLeague and International Recognition

Biography of Mihaj Zupan

Mihaj Zupan is a Slovenian professional basketball player who has achieved great success despite being deaf from birth. Standing at 205 cm tall and weighing 113 kg, Zupan plays as a power forward and can also play as a center if needed. In July 2010, he signed a two-year contract with the St. Petersburg Spartak in the Professional Basketball League.

Early Life and Deafness

Mihaj Zupan was born on September 13, 1982, in Kranj, Slovenia, which was formerly part of Yugoslavia. He spent a significant part of his childhood in a specialized school for deaf children and eventually learned to speak. With the help of hearing aids, he gained the ability to hear and understand speech. In his youth, Zupan was interested in volleyball and football, only starting to play basketball at the age of 14.

Emerging Talent and National Success

After catching the attention of his first coach on the school playground, Zupan quickly developed his skills and soon became a part of the Slovenian national basketball team for the deaf. The team reached the finals of the European Championships twice, establishing Zupan as a star player. At the age of 17, he signed his first professional contract with the KD Slovan team in Ljubljana.

Professional Career and Challenges

Zupan experienced a growth spurt during his teenage years, gaining 20 cm in height within a year and a half. This rapid growth caused knee problems, leading him to postpone his professional career for a few months. At Slovan, Zupan quickly became a promising player, representing Slovenia in junior and under-20 national teams.

In 2004 and 2006, Zupan participated in the Slovenian League All-Star Game and was named the league's Most Valuable Player in 2004. He also won the slam dunk contest during the same game. Zupan continued to play for the Slovenian national deaf basketball team, leading them to the European Championship in 2004.

In the 2005-2006 season, Zupan achieved an average of 11.5 points and 4.4 rebounds with Slovan. His statistics in the Adriatic League were even more impressive, considering he played only 23 minutes per game, averaging 13.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, and shooting 47.3% from three-point range.

After the 2006 season, Zupan signed a contract with Union Olimpija, fulfilling one of his dreams. However, he almost missed the opportunity to compete in the 2006 FIBA World Championship, becoming the last player removed from the Slovenian national team. Legal disputes between Slovan and Olimpija over his transfer prevented Zupan from playing in the EuroLeague for Olimpija.

EuroLeague and International Recognition

After a lengthy legal battle, Olimpija and Slovan reached an agreement in February 2007. Zupan became the first deaf player to compete in the EuroLeague when he finally joined Olimpija on October 24, 2007. In August 2009, Zupan joined the Greek team Trikala 2000 before moving to Spartak in Saint Petersburg, Russia, less than a year later.

In 2010, Zupan was named the Athlete of the Year by the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf, recognizing his exceptional achievements and contributions to the sport of basketball.