Nikola Kalinic officially announced his retirement from professional basketball on Monday at the age of 34, despite having a year remaining on his contract.
However, he won’t leave Crvena Zvezda altogether. According to the club’s press release, Nikola Kalinic is set to transition into coaching, joining Ibon Navarro’s staff as an assistant for the upcoming season.
During his three stints and a total of four seasons spent at Crvena Zvezda, the Serbian forward appeared in 287 official games.
During his recently concluded campaign, Kalinic averaged 5.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists across 39 EuroLeague appearances, playing 23 minutes per contest.
Our legend, Nikola Kalinić continues his basketball story in red and white! Thank you for all the unforgettable memories, energy, trophies and moments! Let’s go together into the next chapter! 🔴⚪️
— KK Crvena zvezda Meridianbet (@kkcrvenazvezda) August 18, 2026
Један од највећих играча у историји Црвене звезде, Никола Калинић завршио је у… pic.twitter.com/nhhbDCbAzS
The Serbian forward began his career at Spartak Subotica, before playing for Novi Sad, Vojvodina, and Radnicki Kragujevac, prior to joining Crvena Zvezda for his first stint.
He spent only one season wearing the red-and-white jersey, but quickly became a fan favorite in Belgrade.
He spent the next five seasons playing for Fenerbahce, where he won the 2017 EuroLeague title, as well as three Turkish Super League titles and two Turkish Cups.
Before his second stint at Crvena Zvezda, Kalinic played for Valencia. He returned to Crvena Zvezda in 2021, winning the ABA League MVP award and title, alongside the Serbian League and Serbian Cup.
From 2022 to 2024, he played for Barcelona, helping the Spanish powerhouse win their last Liga Endesa title to date, when they lifted the trophy under Sarunas Jasikevicius in 2023.
A return to Crvena Zvezda followed, where he spent the next two seasons, though a noticeable decline in his performance occurred, mostly caused by frequent injuries.
Nikola Kalinic will now take the next step in his career, spending the season as an assistant coach at Crvena Zvezda while simultaneously completing his coaching degree.
