12th August 2026
Author: Maree DeGeorge
More than 450 games. Over two decades in Victorian basketball. Countless teammates,
clubs and memories. As Ivan Platenik calls time on a remarkable playing career, the numbers tell only part of the story.
Melbourne, VICTORIA – Ivan Platenik could have kept playing.
At 42, Platenik remained one of the Big V's most productive and respected big men, still matching it with opponents half his age and proving that experience, basketball IQ and professionalism never go out of style.
But after more than 450 Big V games and over two decades competing at the highest level of Victorian basketball, Platenik knew the time was right to walk away.
"It's surreal to even be thinking about playing that many games," Platenik said.
"When you look back over it all, you realise how lucky you've been to play the game for so long."
Teammates and coaches speak just as quickly about his professionalism, humility, willingness to mentor younger players and the respect he's earned throughout the basketball community.
It's a legacy that began with a basketball in the hands of a five-year-old boy.
Growing up in a proud Croatian family where soccer was the first love, Platenik picked up a basketball at five. Wanting to support his son's new passion, his father learned the game alongside him, laying the foundation for a journey that would eventually take Ivan around the world.
As a teenager, he earned his chance with Eltham before an unexpected moment during a pre-season tournament with Waverley changed the course of his career. When a teammate suffered a broken nose, Platenik was called into the game, seized his opportunity and cemented his place in the starting line-up.
That opportunity eventually opened doors overseas, including time at the University of Alaska Anchorage and a professional career in Croatia, experiences that taught him resilience, independence and the physicality of the international game.
Looking back, Platenik smiles at how much his game evolved.
"I've never really been super athletic," he said.
"My game has always been based on making good decisions, getting to the right spots and understanding the game.
"As I've got older, that's actually become an advantage."
Then he laughs.
"I've probably been perfecting one move for 20 years."
It's a line that perfectly captures the player he became. Never the highest jumper or quickest player on the floor, just someone who mastered his craft.
Remarkably, the final chapter of his career almost never happened.
Four years ago, Platenik stepped away from basketball to focus on family and didn't touch a ball during that time.
Then, with just seven games remaining in the 2025 season, he returned at Blackburn.
Despite four years away, he announced himself with a triple-double and a 40-point performance.
"I surprised myself," he admitted.
"I hadn't touched a basketball for four years. It made me realise I could still compete."
Returning also reminded him why he'd fallen in love with basketball in the first place.
Platenik joined Blackburn midway through the 2025 season under head coach Matt Brooks before following Brooks to Warrandyte in 2026. Alongside teammates including close friend James Legan, he found another opportunity to simply enjoy the game.
"I'm really glad I came back," he said.
"It's been so much fun. I've loved being part of this group and it's given me another chance to enjoy basketball before finishing on my own terms."
For Platenik, that's what Big V has always represented.
"The clubs are really community-minded," he said.
"Everyone gets involved. The fans are close to the court, families are part of it and you really feel connected to the community. That's what makes it special."
After more than two decades in the competition, he also understands the responsibility experienced players have to those coming through.
"Younger players are always watching," he said.
"You don't just teach them basketball. You show them how to be a good teammate, respect your coaches, work hard and contribute to your club.
"That's how you help build the game."
Those values extend well beyond basketball.
Away from the court, Platenik works with disengaged young people through a Victorian Pathway Certificate program, helping students reconnect with education and build brighter futures.
Whether he's in a classroom, locker room or on the training court, his focus is the same, to help people believe in themselves and leave them better than he found them.
Coaching is the next chapter he hopes to pursue now his playing career has come to an end.
For all the milestones and more than 450 Big V games, however, the memory Platenik treasures most came just a few weeks before his final game.
Before Warrandyte's clash with Hume at Broadmeadows, his children ran onto the court alongside him, standing proudly by his side during the national anthem.
As he spoke about the moment, Platenik paused. His voice softened and it was clear this wasn't just another basketball memory, it was one that meant everything to him.
"It was amazing," he said quietly.
"My kids are old enough now to understand. They've never really seen what basketball has meant to me or what I did for so many years.
"To have them run out with me before the game... that's something I'll never forget."
It was, in many ways, the moment that made coming back worthwhile.
Later this year, Platenik is preparing to welcome his third child, with family firmly at the centre of what comes next.
His two older children are beginning their own basketball journeys through Aussie Hoops and whether they follow in their father's footsteps or forge a different path, he's grateful they had the chance to experience a part of his life that meant so much.
"I don't regret anything," he said. "I'm excited for whatever comes next. I'm just happy my kids got to see this part of my life."
When Ivan Platenik walked off the court for the final time last weekend, it marked the end of more than two decades playing the game he loves.
More than 450 Big V games, countless teammates and memories but the numbers tell only part of his legacy.
They can't measure the teammates he inspired, the young players he mentored, the students whose lives he continues to shape or the example he's set for his own children.
For more than 20 years, basketball helped shape Ivan Platenik's life.
In his final season, it gave him something even more special the chance for his children to finally see the player their dad had always been.
-Ends-
For Media Enquiries:
Maree DeGeorge
Media & Communications Specialist - Basketball Victoria
maree.degeorge@basketballvictoria.com.au
0499 851 266
