3,344 articles
Valery Kravchenko
Valery Ivanovich Kravchenko (Валерий Иванович Кравченко), Soviet volleyball player born 1939 in Tajik SSR; Olympic gold 1968 and bronze 1972; European champion 1967 and 1971; distinct from powerlifter Valeri Kravchenko.
Valery Krivov
Valery Krivov (Валерий Михайлович Кривов, 1951–1994) was a Soviet volleyball setter, 1980 Moscow Olympic gold medalist, 1978 world and 1977 European champion with Zvezda Voroshilovgrad; later coached Dynamo Luhansk and Syria's national team.
Valery Tikhonenko
Valery Tikhonenko (Валерий Тихоненко), born 1964 in Angren, Uzbek SSR, is a Soviet and Russian basketball forward, 1988 Seoul Olympic champion, three-time Russian champion with CSKA, later coach and BC Astana director.
Valley Suns
Valley Suns: NBA G League team in Tempe, Arizona, affiliate of the Phoenix Suns, announced February 2024, playing at Mullett Arena since 2024-25; inaugural 20-14 season, 2025 playoff berth.
Vancouver Grizzlies
Vancouver Grizzlies, NBA expansion team in Vancouver, British Columbia, 1995-2001, alongside the Toronto Raptors; 101-359 record, worst six-year span in NBA history; relocated to Memphis in 2001 as the Memphis Grizzlies.
Vanja Ivanović (Вања Ивановић)
Vanja Ivanović (Вања Ивановић), born 2004 in Leskovac, is a Serbian women's volleyball outside hitter; MVP of the 2024–25 Serbian league with Železničar Lajkovac, later VK Korabelka and VakıfBank, and a 2026 VNL Serbia player.
Vasa Mijic
Vasa Mijić (Vasilije Mijić, Васа Мијић), Serbian volleyball libero born 1973 in Novi Sad; Olympic gold with Yugoslavia at Sydney 2000 as best libero, =5 at Athens 2004, European gold 2001 and bronze 1999, club career with OK Vojvodina.
Vasilije Micić (Василије Мицић)
Vasilije Micić (Василије Мицић), Serbian point guard born 1994 in Kraljevo; two-time EuroLeague champion and 2021 MVP with Anadolu Efes, later NBA guard for Thunder, Hornets, and Suns, now with Hapoel Tel Aviv.
Vasilijus Matuševas
Vasilijus Matuševas (Vasilij Matušev, Василиюс Матушевас), Lithuanian volleyball spiker and coach, 1945–1989; won 1968 Olympic gold with the Soviet Union and later coached Vilniaus Kuro aparatūra.
Vasily Ilyin
Vasily Ilyin (Василий Петрович Ильин), Soviet handball left wing, born 1949, died 2015. Olympic champion 1976 with the USSR, MAI Moskva club player, 101 national-team caps.
Vasily Kudinov
Vasily Kudinov (Василий Кудинов), Russian handball left back (1969-2017); two Olympic golds (1992 Unified Team, 2000 Russia), 2004 bronze, World Champion 1993 and 1997, European champion 1996.
Vassilis Spanoulis (Βασίλης Σπανούλης)
Vassilis Spanoulis (Βασίλης Σπανούλης), born 1982 in Larissa, Greek guard, EuroLeague all-time scoring leader (4,455 points) and three-time champion; later coach of Greece, Monaco, and Aris.
Vazha K'ach'arava
Vazha K'ach'arava, also Vazha Kacharava (ვაჟა კაჭარავა, born 1937 in Tbilisi), is a Georgian volleyball player who won gold with the Soviet Union at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and later coached national teams.
VCU Rams men's basketball
VCU Rams men's basketball: Virginia Commonwealth University's Division I program in Richmond, Atlantic 10 member. Known for 2011 First Four-to-Final Four run, Shaka Smart's Havoc press, and the 7,500-seat Siegel Center.
Venio Losert
Venio Losert, born 1976 in Zavidovići, is a Croatian handball goalkeeper with 211 national caps, two Olympic golds (1996, 2004), bronze 2012, and a later goalkeeper-coaching career.
Venus Lacy
Venus Lacy (Venus Milette Lacy), born 1967, American basketball center; Louisiana Tech star and 1988 NCAA champion, 1996 Olympic gold medalist, first ABL draft pick, later New York Liberty.
Vera Galushka Duyunova
Vera Galushka Duyunova (Вера Илларионовна Галушка-Дуюнова), Soviet volleyball player, two-time Olympic champion 1968 and 1972, 1970 world champion, later coach and Uzbek sports official.
Vera Lantratova
Vera Lantratova, born in Baku in 1947, was a Soviet volleyball player who won gold at the 1968 Olympics, the 1970 World Championship, and the 1967 European Championship.
Vern Fleming
Vern Fleming (Vernon Fleming, born 1962), American point guard, 1984 Olympic gold medalist, Indiana Pacers first-round pick (18th, 1984), 12 NBA seasons, 11.3 points and 4.8 assists per game.
Vernon Maxwell
Vernon Maxwell, "Mad Max," born 1965 in Gainesville, Florida, is a former NBA shooting guard, 47th pick in 1988, who won titles with Houston in 1994 and 1995, scored 10,912 career points, and was Florida's restored all-time college scoring leader.
Veronica Kristiansen
Veronica Egebakken Kristiansen (born 1990), Norwegian handball left back for Győri ETO KC and Norway; Olympic champion 2024, world champion 2015, 2021, 2025, European champion 2014, 2016, 2020.
Veselin Vujovic
Veselin Vujović (Веселин Вујовић), born 1961 in Cetinje, Montenegrin handball left back and coach; Olympic gold 1984, world champion 1986, IHF World Player of the Year 1988, later coach of six national teams including Qatar.
Veselin Vukovic
Veselin Vuković (Веселин Вуковић), born 1958, Serbian handball pivot; Olympic gold 1984 and world title 1986 with Yugoslavia, Metaloplastika star, later Serbia head coach with Euro 2012 silver; distinct from a Montenegrin Paralympic triple jumper and a volleyball coach of the same name.
Vicky Bullett
Vicky Bullett (Victoria Andrea Bullett, born 1967) is an American basketball player, 1988 Olympic gold and 1992 bronze medalist, Maryland record-holder, and WNBA Charlotte Sting and Washington Mystics forward.
Victor Oladipo
Victor Oladipo (born 1992) is an American basketball guard, Indiana star and 2013 draft's 2nd pick; 2018 Most Improved Player, two-time All-Star, 16.9 career ppg, comeback attempts after knee injuries.
Victor Wembanyama
Victor Wembanyama, born 2004, is a 7'4" French forward-center for the San Antonio Spurs, first overall pick of the 2023 NBA draft, 2024 Rookie of the Year, unanimous 2025-26 Defensive Player of the Year, and 2026 Western Conference Finals MVP.
Viktor Pankrashkin
Viktor Pankrashkin (Виктор Александрович Панкрашкин), Soviet basketball center, 1988 Seoul Olympic champion with the USSR, six-time Soviet champion with CSKA Moscow; born 1957 in Moscow, died 24 July 1993 of tuberculosis at 35.
Viktoriya Kalinina
Viktoriya Viktorovna Kalinina (Виктория Викторовна Калинина), born 1988 in Maykop, Russian handball goalkeeper; Olympic gold Rio 2016 and silver Tokyo 2020; clubs Astrakhanochka, Kuban, Rostov-Don.
Vilde Ingstad
Vilde Mortensen Ingstad, Norwegian handball line player (pivot) born 1994 in Oslo; plays for FTC-Toyota Kovács and Norway. Olympic gold 2024, World Championship gold 2015, 2021, 2025; ex-Esbjerg, CSM Bucuresti.
Viljar Loor
Viljar Loor (Вильяр Лоор, 1953–2011), Estonian volleyball middle blocker, Soviet national team 1975–1983; Olympic gold 1980, world champion 1978 and 1982, five-time European champion, CSKA Moskva star.