15.4 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 2.3 APG, 51 FG%, 44 3P%, 84 FT%
“Drazen Petrovic was the advent of one of the most far-reaching changes in the makeup of the NBA, — the international influence. During the 1980s there was the arrival of significant numbers of talented European players, a migration greatly accelerated by the fall of communist governments in Eastern Europe. But no arrival from the former Soviet bloc was more eagerly anticipated than that of Drazen Petrovic.
The Croatian native led the national team of the former Yugoslavia to gold medals at European and World Championships and a silver medal at the 1988 Olympics before developing into one of the NBA’s top shooting guards with the Portland Trail Blazers and New Jersey Nets. However, tragedy cut his career short when he died in an automobile accident in Germany at age 28.
His success elicited comments like this from NBA Commissioner David Stern: “Drazen Petrovic was an extraordinary young man, and a true pioneer in the global sports of basketball. I know that a lasting part of his athletic legacy will be that he paved the way for other international players to compete successfully in the NBA. His contributions to the sport of basketball were enormous. We are all proud of the fact we knew him.”
In four short seasons in the NBA, he was a blazing comet of tireless enthusiasm who made an everlasting mark. Petrovic had shooting skills to match his energy. In his two full seasons with New Jersey he averaged 21.4 points. In his best — and final — season, 1992-93, he led the Nets with 22.3 points per game.” [Read]
[Note: RSS readers, there is a video within this blog]
[Sources: NBA.com, YouTube, Basketball-Reference.com]
August 26th, 2008 at 2:29 am
PETROVIC!!! I have a rookie card of this guy! I saved it cuz he had a lot of potential before his untimely death.
I wonder if he would be as well-known without that tragedy?
September 30th, 2008 at 11:27 am
Hello! I have many Drazen Petrovic games on dvd ( 100 games ), Sibenka, Cibona,Real Madrid, New Yersy, Ex-Yu, Croatia,and more another games ( 1000 games ).If someone interesanting for this games, ,or have some games for exchange,please send me message on my E-mail: utakmica@net.hr
October 22nd, 2008 at 12:59 am
Na danasnji dan pre tacno 44 godine rodio se najbolji kosarkas svih vremena DRAZEN PETROVIC
May 18th, 2009 at 3:08 pm
RIP Petro, Croatia will never forget you.