PBC CSKA Moscow

• 1. Founding And Early Years

  ›

  On the 29th of April 1923, soldiers and sportsmen fought in a football match to determine the first place of Moscow. This event marked the birth of what would become PBC CSKA Moscow. The club started as OPPV, which stood for Опытно-показательная военно-спортивная площадка всевобуча. It was a department within the General military education service. This group served as the first central sports department of the Red Army. They built upon the foundation laid by the pre-revolutionary Community of Amateur Skiers.

  The basketball department achieved its first success at the 1924 Soviet League championship. That competition took place between cities rather than clubs. Two additional titles followed in 1928 and 1935. In 1938, the Soviet League changed format to play between actual clubs. CSKA debuted under the name CDKA, meaning Central House of the Red Army. Stalin's son Vasily founded another club called VVS MVO that same year. CDKA merged with this new entity shortly after.

  By the end of the Great Patriotic War, CSKA had established itself as one of the most respected Soviet basketball teams. The club underwent several name changes during the 1950s. In 1953 and 1954, it operated as CDSA, or Central House of the Soviet Army. Between 1955 and 1960, the team was known as CSK MO. Finally, in 1960, they received their current designation: CSKA, standing for Central Sports Club of the Army.

• 2. Soviet Dominance Era

  ›

  CSKA won the FIBA European Champions Cup title in 1961, 1963, 1969, and 1971. These victories marked the beginning of a golden era for Soviet basketball. The team also secured the Soviet League championship 24 times across multiple decades. Their domestic dominance spanned from 1945 through 1984 with only brief interruptions. Specific winning years included 1960, 1962, 1964, 1966, 1969, 1974, and 1976, 1984.

  The club's European success continued into the late 1960s and early 1970s. They claimed another European title in 1969 and 1971. This period established CSKA as a powerhouse on both national and international stages. The team maintained consistency throughout the Soviet era, rarely missing top-tier competition. Their record shows 53 home league championships and 7 home cups accumulated over decades of play.

  Domestic titles came in waves during the 1960s and 1970s. The team won consecutive championships from 1969 to 1974 without interruption. Another streak followed between 1976 and 1984. These achievements demonstrated remarkable organizational stability and talent development. CSKA became synonymous with excellence in Soviet basketball culture. Their reputation grew alongside their trophy collection.

• 3. Modern EuroLeague Success

  ›

  In 2006, CSKA won its first major European title in decades by defeating Maccabi Tel Aviv 73, 69 in Prague. The final took place on the 30th of April 2006. This victory ended years of near-misses at the highest level. The following year, they lost to Panathinaikos 93, 91 on Greek soil at the Nikos Galis Olympic Indoor Hall in Athens. Despite this setback, CSKA returned to win again in 2008 against Maccabi Tel Aviv 91, 77 in Madrid.

  The club competed in eight consecutive EuroLeague Final Fours from 2003 to 2010. This streak represented an all-time record for continuous qualification. Later, they extended it further by reaching nine consecutive Final Fours from 2012 to 2021. The 2020 Final Four was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic situation. CSKA then claimed their seventh title in 2016 after beating Fenerbahçe 101, 96 in overtime during the Berlin Final Four.

  Their most recent European crown came in 2019 when CSKA defeated Anadolu Efes in Vitoria-Gasteiz. The team advanced to the EuroLeague Final Four 18 times throughout the 21st century alone. They finished as runners-up multiple times including losses to Panathinaikos in 2007 and 2009. These results cemented CSKA's status among Europe's elite basketball organizations.

• 4. Notable Players And Coaches

  ›

  Alexander Gomelsky served as head coach at CSKA for more than 20 years before his death. He earned induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame for his contributions to the sport. Under his leadership, the club achieved unprecedented success both domestically and internationally. His influence shaped generations of players who followed him through various eras of competition.

  Sergei Belov stands out as one of the greatest players in basketball history. He received recognition as the best FIBA Player ever voted by experts in 1991. Other legendary names include Gennadi Volnov, Viktor Zubkov, Yuri Korneev, Vladimir Andreev, Anatoly Myshkin, Stanislav Yeryomin, Ivan Edeshko, Armenak Alachachian, Alzhan Zharmukhamedov, Heino Enden, Jaak Lipso, Sergei Tarakanov, Rimas Kurtinaitis, Vladimir Tkachenko, Sergei Bazarevich, Sasha Volkov, Andrei Kirilenko, Trajan Langdon, Darius Songaila, Gordan Giriček, Dragan Tarlać, Marcus Brown, Matjaž Smodiš, Sergei Panov, Aleksey Savrasenko, Ramūnas Šiškauskas, Theo Papaloukas, Nenad Krstić, J.R. Holden, Sasha Kaun, Miloš Teodosić, Victor Khryapa, Nando de Colo, Kyle Hines, Cory Higgins, Sergio Rodriguez and Will Clyburn.

  Nando de Colo became a central figure during the 2015, 16 season when he won both EuroLeague MVP and Final Four MVP awards. His performance helped CSKA secure their seventh European title that year. The roster has included international stars from over twenty different countries throughout its history.

• 5. Ownership And Finances

  ›

  CSKA gained reputation as one of Europe's richest sports clubs under previous ownership by Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov. Current ownership belongs to Norilsk Nickel, an industrial company with significant financial resources. This backing allowed the club to maintain competitive rosters while investing in infrastructure and youth development programs.

  The team plays home games at multiple venues depending on competition type. From 1979 to 2015, all domestic and European matches occurred at the 5,500 seat Universal Sports Hall CSKA. They occasionally used larger facilities like the 13,344 seat Megasport Arena for special events such as a the 23rd of January 2008 EuroLeague game. Starting with the 2015, 16 season, regular EuroLeague fixtures moved to Megasport Arena while VTB United League games remained at the smaller venue.

  Financial stability enabled CSKA to compete consistently against wealthier Western European teams. Their ability to attract top talent stemmed directly from these economic advantages. The organization maintained strong performance metrics despite political pressures affecting other aspects of their operations.

• 6. Geopolitical Suspension

  ›

  On the 28th of February 2022, EuroLeague Basketball suspended all Russian teams following the invasion of Ukraine. This decision removed CSKA from international competition indefinitely. Several players left immediately after the outbreak began. Tornike Shengelia departed first stating that his family felt threatened even though fighting did not occur in Moscow. He explained that one second was enough for something unexpected to happen during wartime conditions.

  Johannes Voigtmann from Germany refused to continue playing for a Russian team because he could not reconcile himself with actions taken by the Russian president. Gabriel Lundberg from Denmark and Marius Grigonis from Lithuania also chose to leave. Canadian-Slovenian Kevin Pangos signed just one day before the war started but never joined the squad. Joel Bolomboy received clearance from FIBA to sign elsewhere when his contract expired in summer 2022.

  CSKA president Andrey Vatutin announced in October 2022 that owners and sponsors faced crisis situations reducing interest in spending large sums on participation. Budget cuts followed as the club withdrew from international scenes entirely. Their role in world basketball declined significantly after these developments. The team lost the VTB United League finals to Zenit St. Petersburg for the first time since 2010, 2011.