# Drazen Petrovic - A reminder of what could have been....



## kingofkings (Jun 9, 2002)

I know alot of you are going to be asking Drazen who... 

On June 7 1993 Drazen Petrovic, who was 28 years old at the time, was killed in a car accident. He led the New Jersy Nets in scoring the previous year.

He was a 6"5, 208 pound jump shooting scoring machine who never missed an open shot.

He was voted European player of the year in 1986, 1989, 1992 and 1993.

He started out his career with the Portland Trailblazers in 1990, averaging 4.4 points per game.

In 1991 he was traded to New Jersey, where he upped his avearge to 12.4 points per game.

With the increase in minutes he showed what he could do. In 1991-1992 he averaged 20.6 points per game shooting 50.8 percent from the floor, 80.8 percent from the line and an amazing 44.4% from three point territory.

The next season he blew out again. Averaging 22.3 points per game 51.8% shooting from the field,, 87% from the line and 44.9% from 3 point land.

He was named All-NBA third team, making him in the top 15 players in the league at that time. So after only 2 good years, he was already a top flight player and superstar.

The Nets team at the time featured, Petrovic, Derrick Coleman and Kenny Anderson, a solid and young base to build upon.

I can only imagine what numbers he would have put up, if we was not fatally killed in that accident. He was only just starting out in the league, really and shooting the lights out. He had a jump shot, that was pure technique and mechanics and also automatic.

He also won 3 Olympic Gold medals for Croatia, including a Silver in the loss to the US in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

Check out this quote from all time great Willis Reed.
"He would stand out on the perimeter and if he missed the shot, you would say, I cannot believe that. He did not miss a shot. It was rare to see him miss a wide open jump shot. He was dedicated. He worked to become a great offensive player."

He had moves that players today can only dream about. He was also developing his defensive side of his game. He was solid defensively,as he was voted to an All-NBA team, so defense, would be considered, in that selection.

So he upped his scoring to 22 points per game before he was killed, shooting more than 50% from the field and 45% from 3 point territory. If he played today, he would be a true superstar and be able to score even more on todays defenders. Imagine what scoring numbers he would have put up, in his next season, if not for that fatal accident.

Remember Goran Ivanisevic, praising him when he won his Wimbledon Trophy, saying that he was the best European player to ever play in the NBA.

I just watched some highlights of him, and in this game some of his moves were breathtaking. He was not a post up player, he liked to coast from the perimeter. He liked to be active on offense and make his defender work. He never really relied on pick and rolls to get free to score. He liked to go one on one and play you that way. He had unbelievable shot mechanics and could concentrate, which is why he could hit the open jump shot.

Can you imagine a guy in todays terms shooting the way he does to score, 22 points per game. The funny thing is, if you fouled him taking a shot, he would not miss the free throw as he was an 87% free throw shooter.

I do not expect many replies to this thread, as many people probably never heard or cared about him. But I just wanted to pay some respect to a guy that was taken from life to early, Before we all got a chance to see what he could have done in the NBA!!!


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## BizzyRipsta (May 25, 2002)

kingofkings, i really appreciate your post. drazen petrovic was the original reason why i became a nets fan. i was heartbroken when he died, but it's nice to see that his legacy lives on.


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## kingofkings (Jun 9, 2002)

*Exactly...*

You never forget what a guy like him gave to the game. I just want alot more people to know about how good he was and how good he could have been. I was only young when he was playing, but I liked what I saw. Current day players who want to dunk, etc can learn alot from this guy, about shot mechanics and taking the right shot at the right time.

One great story is that Chuck Daly once walked past the New Jersey arena at 3 in the morning and saw Petrovic sinking jumpers. It was not what he did in the league, it was what he was going to do that was the key issue.

He worked on his shot and showed that you do not need to dunk all the time to be an effective player. He showed that if you want to work on your shot, the rewards will come. 22 points per game, 50% shooting, 45% three point shooting ,almost 90% free throw shooting, 3rd team All-NBA player, etc.

He was all about fundamentals. Nothing flashy, but he got the job done, night in and night out. I just hope more people realise how good he was and how good that he could have been!!


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## NBA4life (Jul 29, 2002)

*Drazen Petrovic*

Great post kingofkings. Nice to see that Drazen is still getting some run, years after his horrible accident. I too was young when Drazen played for the Nets. I remember him somewhat, but I knew he was a young up and comer in the NBA. I always thought of Drazen(along with Sarunas Marcialonas-sp?) as pioneers of the European influence in the league today. Even before Kukoc and a little later with Nowitzki/Stojakovich,etc ....It was Drazen Petrovich who proved that European players could excel in the big show. Drazen showed that he had good skills and was a very good shooter.


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

I know who he was. I really enjoyed watching him play. And i was saddened when i heard of his death. I can still picture him on the court with Sam Bowie in NJ. You are right, each year he got better and better. He is missed.


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## aquaitious (Jun 11, 2002)

My favorite country man, I didn't like basketball back then, but my father told me many great things about him. I hope I get a chance to see him play on ESPN Classic maybe, hopefully.

Even though people are praising Nowitzk to be the new Best European Player ever, I don't think that Petrovic will ever be forgoten.

Also they have a great article on him on the Nets official website.


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## kingofkings (Jun 9, 2002)

*Also...*

He showed that to be a real NBA player you can get by without real athleticism. If you have solid fundamentals, you can produce in the NBA. He did the hard yards in Europe, as well as with the National Croatian Team. He could dunk it, but that was hardly an important feature of his game.

Fundamentals, is the most important thing in basketball. It is putting together all the tools that you have learned in training, college, etc and putting them up against the best players in the world. That is the real deal.

Sure athleticism is a great tool to have, but does it matter if you cannot match your athleticism with the basic fundamentals of the game??

This guy did the hard yards in Europe and was one of the first guys to come in and show that he can belong in the NBA. I mean he was outshooting the more established shooting guards in the league and tearing quality NBA caliber defenses to shreads. Now that is something to point out.

He showed that it does not matter where you come from, all that matters, is that if you have the skills and the tools to be great, you will be great with hard work.


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## benfica (Jul 17, 2002)

*One of the Best pure shooters*

Even at a young age Drazen had a gift to score. It wasn't uncomman for him to score 60 or 70 points in games as a junior.

I loved his fist-pumping enthusiasm, he really loved to play. Was one of the hardest workers at improving his game, wanted to be the best. He was basically self taught.

I loved watching him play.

I know he had a horrible time with the Trailblazers because he was not able to show what he could do..playing behind Clyde Clyde Drexler..and that hurt him badly, especially being one of the world's best players. Being one of the first Foreigners, it was not easy for him. But you couldn't intimedate him, he loved a challenge and stepped up his game.

When he was traded to the Nets, he started with few minutes but he made them count and had one of the best points per minute in the NBA. There was no way he could be denied more time.

Yes, he had a short NBA career, but you can't forget that he was a pro in Europe since 15 and a legend outside of the NBA. He had accomplished everything and the only thing left was the NBA.
He should be in the Hall of Fame for bringing so much to the game. You look at the young Euros today and they were influence a great deal by Drazen.

"It was a thrill to play against Drazen. Every time we competed, he competed with an aggressive attitude. He came at me as hard as I came at him. So, we've had some great battles in the past and unfortunately, they were short battles."

Michael Jordan


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## untitled (Jun 22, 2002)

I really appreciate this thread in general. It brings questions to your mind, what if!?

I am fortunate enough to have some knowledge of Drazen. I am a slavic person from Europe not too far from where Drazen played. He was a fan favorite and when you heard people talk about basketball, his name was mentioned numerous times.

I remember him running to the three point line, faking a shot and taking the three. He possessed deadly shooting talents. Even though I was younger when he was still playing the game, I remember, though, he was one of the best.

A little tidbit, When he died I was situated in Zagreb, Croatia. There is a 6 hour differential so many people found out the next morning that he was pronounced dead. The people that I saw in pure disbelief shocked me at how much of an impact he had. Women, children, and even men had tears in their eyes. I will never forget this event.


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## starvydas (Jul 16, 2002)

*Just an anecdote on him*

I remember an anecdote on him that shows how great a shooter he was: during his youth when he was playing in Yugoslavia (now Croatia), his coach wanted to know how many attempts it would take him to make 100 three pointers.

It took him 104... Ridiculous


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## BizzyRipsta (May 25, 2002)

*Re: One of the Best pure shooters*



> Originally posted by <b>benfica</b>!
> 
> He should be in the Hall of Fame for bringing so much to the game.


he was named into the hall of fame this year.

i am amazed to see so many people respond to this thread. i was about 11 years old when petrovic died, so i was lucky enough to see him play. like i said above, he was the original reason why i became a nets fan.


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## Mem-fizz (Jun 29, 2002)

*Re: Drazen Petrovic*



> Originally posted by <b>NBA4life</b>!
> I always thought of Drazen(along with Sarunas Marcialonas-sp?) as pioneers of the European influence in the league today. Even before Kukoc and a little later with Nowitzki/Stojakovich,etc ....It was Drazen Petrovich who proved that European players could excel in the big show. Drazen showed that he had good skills and was a very good shooter.


Completely agree. 

I watch him many times when he played with Cibona Zagreb. He killed my team (Real Madrid) many times in Euroleague finals and semi-finals (It was not named this way). He was a nightmare... so we signed him, after this he went to Portland.

I have read anywhere European b-ball is developing cause 1992 Olympic Dream Team in Barcelona, Europe. Not true at all. There were a lot of huge european talents born from 1962 to 1968; They made this game bigger in Europe and they were a big example for youngers. Petrovic, Sabonis, Divac, Marciulionis have been pioneers and well known in NBA. Kukoc, Radja, Djordjevic, F. Martin, Volkov, and many others put European b-ball higher and better than ever.

Now Nowitzki and Stojakovic are leading the "second wave". These young players learned from those European legends.

Sadly, the tragic death of Drazen and the unrecovered early injurie of Sabonis didn´t allow USA fans delight with the biggest European talent ever. 

Petrovic marked the way.


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## ScottVdub (Jul 9, 2002)

When I was 6 years old I started collecting basketball cards and I had a book for basketball cards and I ordered the cards based on what team the card is for, I remember seeing Drazen Petrovic's rookie card in there from when he played for the blazers and at the time I had no idea of who he was and then he got traded to the nets and I was told that he isnt a blazer anymore and he is playing phenominel. Over the past several years I completely forgot about this guy because i was just a little 6 year old then and Im 18 now but my friend was tellin me about some of the players in the NBA who died during their careers and petrovic was one of them and I automatically remembered his rookie card and when he was inducted into the hall of fame i looked through all 7 shoeboxes I have full of basketball cards and found it, Now its at the top of the box and im making sure I keep that card in mint condition, its just sad when a player that good who hasnt even maxed out his potential yet dies like that, if he were alive I think the european influence on the NBA could have swept through the league quicker. Im glad to see that hes in the hall of fame and now will forever be immortalized, you cant take that away from him.


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## kingofkings (Jun 9, 2002)

*Man...*

I am proud to see all the thoughts and memories that everyone had about Drazen Petrovic. Whenever I talk about the greatest players that I have seen, in my young life, I always mention Hakeem, Jordan and Petrovic. For some reason, I am always drawn to what he did in his brief but unbelievable time in the NBA.

I am sure guys like Peja and Nowitzki, grew up wanting to play like him and accomplish what he did in his career. Hopefully, these guys can go one step better.

But what makes me proud, is hearing people giving Petrovic some respect for what he did. You do not need to be an NBA All-Star to see how good he was and was going to get. For those that never saw him, or want to know what he was like. Picture a mix between Peja Stojakovic and Reggie Miller, but with a more consistent and smooth jump shot, if you can believe that. Now that is one combination that is remarkable in itself, but a totally realistic comparison.

He is still huge in Europe, even 9 years since his death. I just hope, that more people can show some appreciation for him and know that he was going to explode in his future years in the NBA.

So, all I ask is to search for a biography or profile about him and then, hopefully you can all post your thoughts and opinions about his career.

It says something about a person, that even when they die, people still show you respect. Petrovic earned this and then some.

I remember one game, when he was clobbered going in for a drive and like all champions, he got up shaken and dazzled, but I can clearly remember him hitting something like 3 long field goals in a row, which was his money in the bank. There is nothing quite like a jump shooter that cannot be stopped, no matter who you put on them. He was one of these guys!!


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## Kobeshaq0834 (Aug 6, 2002)

Dražen was born in my city,in Šibenik.

I usto played bball against him.


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## Genjuro (Jul 17, 2002)

Petrovic was one of the fiercest competitors of all times. He didn't just want to win, he also enjoyed humiliating the rival back in his days in Jugoslavia. He didn't know the meaning of the word enough.

When he came to Spain, he learned to be a little more polite, and in the NBA his rudeness was gone.

It has been said that he was the European Jordan, and until a certain point it was true, because being a guard, he was able to dominate the game in Europe just as Jordan dominated the NBA.

Here in Spain, playing with Real Madrid, he starred in 1989 one of the most remembered games in Europe. It was the final of the Champions Cup, and the rival was Snaidero from Caserta (Italy), featuring players like Oscar Schmitz (best shooter of all times), Gentile or Glouchkov (the first European that played in the NBA not from a college). In that game, including the overtime, Petrovic scored 62 points (12-14 2 pointers, 8-16 3 pointers, 14-16 free throws), some of them in the last minute.

His death is perhaps the worst tragedy in basketball history.


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