Memorie.al / It is not easy to organize the memories and the right thoughts for friends and companions who, throughout their lives, gave all their physical, mental, and spiritual strength to the development and progress of Albanian society – as is the case with the unforgettable Luan Shatku.
It was 1956 when I enrolled in the first grade of high school in Shkodër. My physical education teacher was the late Esat Haxhi, the captain of Shkodër’s basketball team, “Puna.” My classroom (1-D) had windows overlooking the “Spartak” sports court, which allowed us to watch (free of charge) the national basketball championship matches, as well as the team’s practices, which at the time was among the best in Albania.
It was there, from a distance, that I first became acquainted with the young athlete of the Shkodër basketball team, Luan Shatku. Not just for me, but for anyone following the Shkodër basketball players of that era, without undervaluing anyone else, one’s gaze would fixate on the tall youth with the physique of a gladiator named Luan Shatku.
That period “planted” my passion for the sport of basketball, which remained primary throughout my entire life. In the starting five of the “Puna” team between 1956–1960 were Esat Haxhi, Muhamet Sokoli, Vebi Ademi, Luan Shatku, Skënder Osmani, and Sandër Laca – personalities of Albanian basketball among whom the two “tall centers” of the team, Luan Shatku and Skënder Osmani, stood out. The Shkodër team can be considered the “pioneer” of Albanian basketball for organizing play with “two centers.”
The individual characteristics of these two tall centers gradually led Luan Shatku to position himself in the “paint” (the zone) during play, while Skënder Osmani played around it. It should be remembered that Luan Shatku was among the first basketball players to successfully use the hook shot. His contribution to the team also came from his physical build; tall but also voluminous, which gave him an advantage, especially in the battle for the ball under the rim. Luan was noted for his strong defense, his organization of play according to the coach’s instructions, his winning spirit, and making very few mistakes during the game.
During that period, interest in basketball in Shkodër grew immensely. Thousands of sports fans followed not only the official matches but also the team’s practices. In this atmosphere, Luan Shatku’s contribution was undeniable because, with his physique, dynamism, and characteristic persistence, he inspired hope for victory among the sports fans of Shkodër.
Luan Shatku’s sporting career was crowned with two national championship titles (in 1964 with “Partizani” and in 1967 with “Vllaznia”) as well as four Republic Cups (in 1957, 1958, 1959, and 1967 with “Vllaznia”). He was an indisputable player for the Albanian national team and a member of the starting five. In 1960, he represented Albania in the Balkan Games held in Bulgaria. For his special merits in the field of basketball, he was declared a “Master of Sport” in 1958, and in 1995, after his passing, he was honored with the highest sporting title, “Merited Master of Sport.” He was also honored by the President of the Republic, Mr. Rexhep Mejdani, in 2000 with the “Honor of Albanian Sport” medal.
Although life’s circumstances meant that I only played alongside the late Luan Shatku as starters for the “Vllaznia” team in 1966, my personal friendship with Luan was special. We had full mutual understanding in all directions. I remember him affectionately calling me “Filo.”
In 1966, we served as mathematics teachers at the same school. My personal impressions – and those of others – of his abilities as an educator remain highly positive: he was beloved by his students, dear to his colleagues, tireless in helping anyone, precise, and cheerful. In every sense of the word, he was “the heart of the group.”
He was happy and very loving with his family. I remember one evening, while we were taking a “xhiro” (walk) on the main street of Shkodër, he said to me:
“Filo, people tell me: ‘don’t spoil the children,’ but I want to spoil them, and why not? Because there I find the greatest joy of my life. Besides, which child spoiled by our families ever went down a bad path?”
The premature loss of the great basketball player and distinguished mathematics teacher Luan Shatku was a tragic loss, not only for his respected family but also for Shkodër society and beyond. Luan was absent from his family during the most difficult moments, when he was needed more than ever for their progress. But he is also missed by us, his companions and friends. Today, I emotionally miss him as I write these few lines “In Memoriam” for the work and the positive tracks the unforgettable Luan Shatku left behind. “Rest in peace, Luan, may you always be remembered.”/Memorie.al
