Happy 51. birthday Dražen Petrović

If this basketball Mozart (it was his nick) was alive today, he would have 51. year.
Dražen Petrović was born in Šibenik (Croatia) and was one of the best European and world basketball players ever and is listed among the 50 people who have contributed most to the Euroleague.
He is one of the greatest Croatian athletes of all time. Also, he is considered as the leader of the wave of European players in the NBA.

Former clubs
KK Šibenka - Croatia (1979.-1983.)
KK Cibona - Croatia (1984.-1988.)
Real Madrid - Spain (1988.-1989.)
Portland Trail Blazers - NBA (1989.-1991.)
New Jersey Nets - NBA (1991.-1993.)

Awards and achievements
Dražen played on 3 Olympic games, 2 World championships and 2 European championship, all with medals:

Olympic games:
bronze from Los Angeles 1984. - played for Yugoslavia
silver from Seoul 1988. - played for Yugoslavia
silver from Barcelona 1992. - played for Croatia (after Croatia stopped all legal links with Yugoslavia 1991.)

World championships:
bronze from Madrid 1986. - played for Yugoslavia
gold from Buenos Aires 1990. - played for Yugoslavia

European championships:
bronze from Athene 1987. - played for Yugoslavia
gold from Zagreb 1989. - played for Yugoslavia


Dražen's tragic death
Drazen had an car accident in which he lost his life at age 29, in the prime of his career. His death reverberated like a real explosion in public.
At the wheel was Drazen's girlfriend, the German model of Hungarian origin - Klara Szalantzy, and in the car was also Turkish basketball player Hilal Edebal who ended with severe brain injuries; but only Dražen died.

Drazen's jersey with the number 3 was retired and raised under the roof of the hall the New Jersey Nets. The former coach of the Nets Chuck Daly at the ceremony said:
"I do not know whether the general words to describe what Drazen meant for the club, emotionally, physically and in other ways. We will all remember forever what we have just seen on the screen, that smile, that feeling, that competitive spirit, and, from the standpoint of basketball, that throw of the ball to the basket. We will not forget him, he was the biggest. "

---

Today many awards are called by him, streets, monuments, etc... Also, there are several songs for him and one of those is this one
(which is also on Dalmati's clanpage ---------- http://hr.atwar-game.com/cln/cln.php?cln_id=63):

---

Rest in peace

RIP

inb4 tito saying how petrovic was a serb :/

Általa írva Evic, 22.10.2015 at 07:39

inb4 tito saying how petrovic was a serb :/

he was.

Általa írva Croat, 22.10.2015 at 07:21

...

what is your opinion about bojan bogdanovic?

Általa írva Rock Lee, 22.10.2015 at 08:44

what is your opinion about bojan bogdanovic?

Very strong and usefull player, not because he is Croatian, but really, one of the best in Croatia at this moment.

Általa írva Croat, 22.10.2015 at 08:48

Általa írva Rock Lee, 22.10.2015 at 08:44

what is your opinion about bojan bogdanovic?

Very strong and usefull player, not because he is Croatian, but really, one of the best in Croatia at this moment.

do you watch NFL too?

Based on what you wrote he had a very fruitful basketball career. RIP.

Edit: He's still known to common people in Croatia?

I had one F to give but it flew away sorry

Általa írva Abraham, 22.10.2015 at 09:02

Based on what you wrote he had a very fruitful basketball career. RIP.

Edit: He's still known to common people in Croatia?

ofc he is known to people in croatia,its like saying do americans know who micheal jordan is.

I was old enough to have witnessed this great player in action. My father was a hardcore fan of yugoslav basketball players for some reason and we paid close attention to him. It was a very sad day when we lost him, i cried. We talked about him for months. Rip.

Now that i think of it, it was a sad year as a whole for Yugoslav basketball. We lost another great player and person Boban Jankovic https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boban_Jankovi%C4%87 He played in Greek league, and frustrated by a referee decision slammed his head and spent the rest of his life paralyzed in a wheelchair until he died.



Surprisingly both incidents happened in 1993 and one was Croat, one was Serb. Maybe you can honour both deaths as a sign of respect and friendship between Croatia and Serbia.

Általa írva Evic, 22.10.2015 at 09:09

Általa írva Abraham, 22.10.2015 at 09:02

Based on what you wrote he had a very fruitful basketball career. RIP.

Edit: He's still known to common people in Croatia?

ofc he is known to people in croatia,its like saying do americans know who micheal jordan is.

There's difference between these 2 people.

1) Michael Jordan still alive and from time to time shows up on the TV screen in some host shows, or on commercials, or commentator. Whilst Drazen Petrovich is dead since 1993.

2) Michael Jordan was, and still is considered the best bakestball player ever. Whilst Drazen Petrovich is only local Croation superstar.
Even in Israel we don't remember our local superstars after a short time.

You see the difference between these two?

Általa írva Abraham, 22.10.2015 at 09:16

1) Michael Jordan still alive and from time to time shows up on the TV screen in some host shows, or on commercials, or commentator. Whilst Drazen Ptrovich is dead since 1993.

2) Michael Jordan was, and still is considered the best bakestball player ever. Whilst Drazen Patervich is only local Croation superstar.
Even in Israel we don't remember our local superstars after a short time.

You see the difference between these two?

Trust me, he was pretty known to basketball fans. That is atleast for Europeans, because all of us who loved basketball, were watching both European basketball and Nba and were pretty aware of all the talents. Being a talent and a European was all the more reason to pay close attention.

Általa írva Abraham, 22.10.2015 at 09:16

There's difference between these 2 people.



2) Michael Jordan was, and still is considered the best bakestball player ever. Whilst Drazen Petrovich is only local Croation superstar.
Even in Israel we don't remember our local superstars after a short time.

You see the difference between these two?

your first point is valid but second isnt,petrovic wasnt a local star,he was at the time on of the best basketball players in the world,you can go and check him out on wikipedia or youtube if you want

Általa írva Abraham, 22.10.2015 at 09:16

2.) Michael Jordan was, and still is considered the best bakestball player ever. Whilst Drazen Petrovich is only local Croation superstar.
Even in Israel we don't remember our local superstars after a short time.

You see the difference between these two?

Dont get this offensive, but I think you dont know much about basketball, especially not about gold time from 1985-1995 where most legends played.
Its enough to say Drazen is today in House of fame (since 2002.) and everyone who watched basketball scene knows for him, especially Europeans.
I dont need to say he played in America his best basketball years and he was threaten like a star.

Btw, Israel is country which isnt known as basketball country while Yugoslavia/Croatia are pretty known and mostly because of Drazen Petrovic.
I wont list other names because this is a post dedicated to Drazen, but there are plenty of them, believe me

Általa írva Croat, 22.10.2015 at 09:29

Általa írva Abraham, 22.10.2015 at 09:16

2.) Michael Jordan was, and still is considered the best bakestball player ever. Whilst Drazen Petrovich is only local Croation superstar.
Even in Israel we don't remember our local superstars after a short time.

You see the difference between these two?

Dont get this offensive, but I think you dont know much about basketball, especially not about gold time from 1985-1995 where most legends played.
Its enough to say Drazen is today in House of fame (since 2002.) and everyone who watched basketball scene knows for him, especially Europeans.
I dont need to say he played in America his best basketball years and he was threaten like a star.

Btw, Israel is country which isnt known as basketball country while Yugoslavia/Croatia are pretty known and mostly because of Drazen Petrovic.
I wont list other names because this is a post dedicated to Drazen, but there are plenty of them, believe me

Not offended. I admit I don't know a lot about this person, anyways I must say you're wrong about Israel.
Israel have one of the most decorated basketball team in Europe. It won plenty of EuroBaskets, and Euroleague since 1977. Its name is Maccabi electra Tel-Aviv.

Általa írva Abraham, 22.10.2015 at 09:34

Általa írva Croat, 22.10.2015 at 09:29

Általa írva Abraham, 22.10.2015 at 09:16

2.) Michael Jordan was, and still is considered the best bakestball player ever. Whilst Drazen Petrovich is only local Croation superstar.
Even in Israel we don't remember our local superstars after a short time.

You see the difference between these two?

Dont get this offensive, but I think you dont know much about basketball, especially not about gold time from 1985-1995 where most legends played.
Its enough to say Drazen is today in House of fame (since 2002.) and everyone who watched basketball scene knows for him, especially Europeans.
I dont need to say he played in America his best basketball years and he was threaten like a star.

Btw, Israel is country which isnt known as basketball country while Yugoslavia/Croatia are pretty known and mostly because of Drazen Petrovic.
I wont list other names because this is a post dedicated to Drazen, but there are plenty of them, believe me

Not offended. I admit I don't know a lot about this person, anyways I must say you're wrong about Israel.
Israel have one of the most decorated basketball team in Europe. It won plenty of EuroBaskets, and Euroleague since 1977. Its name is Maccabi electra Tel-Aviv.

yeah i remember maccabi. i was a little kid and was obessed with basketball and i remember the first time i heard Tel aviv was because you were hosting some European game. For some reason i was confusing Israel with Lithuania back then hue ( also had good team)

Általa írva Abraham, 22.10.2015 at 09:34

It won plenty of EuroBaskets, and Euroleague since 1977. Its name is Maccabi electra Tel-Aviv.

Its a team, Im talking about individual talents. I know for Maccabi

Általa írva Croat, 22.10.2015 at 09:54

Általa írva Abraham, 22.10.2015 at 09:34

It won plenty of EuroBaskets, and Euroleague since 1977. Its name is Maccabi electra Tel-Aviv.

Its a team, Im talking about individual talents. I know for Maccabi

Oh haha. Well we have Omri Casspi right now as our local superstar. He's playing in NBA in Sacramento Kings right now. Our most notrious basketball player is Oded Kattash, you might never heard of him but he was an excellent basketballer.

Általa írva Abraham, 22.10.2015 at 11:13

Oh haha. Well we have Omri Casspi right now as our local superstar. He's playing in NBA in Sacramento Kings right now.

I know Casspi, I am betting a lot so I know all formations and squads of each NBA, football, handball club

Általa írva Croat, 22.10.2015 at 11:44

Általa írva Abraham, 22.10.2015 at 11:13

Oh haha. Well we have Omri Casspi right now as our local superstar. He's playing in NBA in Sacramento Kings right now.

I know Casspi, I am betting a lot so I know all formations and squads of each NBA, football, handball club

Bet on handball too? lol. Does the games are broadcast on TV in Croatia? In Israel it doesn't.
Anyway that's nice habit!! Good way to earn money too if you got good ability at guessing.

Általa írva Abraham, 22.10.2015 at 12:01

Bet on handball too? lol. Does the games are broadcast on TV in Croatia? In Israel it doesn't.
Anyway that's nice habit!! Good way to earn money too if you got good ability at guessing.

Yea, you have very various options to play on.
I am playing pretty good, but there are falls too. Today I played 3 tickets, all are winning for now, Im waiting 4 more pairs to end match and money is mine

I am watching LiveStream on internet usually, but there are some brodcasts on TV in Croatia, depends when and what.

Is he the one who left Yugoslav team to join newly formed croatian team but Yugoslav team won 1# shortly afterwards?

That was smart decision.

Általa írva Skanderbeg, 22.10.2015 at 14:11

Is he the one who left Yugoslav team to join newly formed croatian team but Yugoslav team won 1# shortly afterwards?

That was smart decision.

No he was the one with who croatia was leading against USA dream team in the first half in 1992.

Died in car accident in 1993.

And im sure you know all this and dream team is of course Magic Johnson, Jordan, Barkely, Pippen...

Általa írva Croat, 22.10.2015 at 13:11

Általa írva Abraham, 22.10.2015 at 12:01

Bet on handball too? lol. Does the games are broadcast on TV in Croatia? In Israel it doesn't.
Anyway that's nice habit!! Good way to earn money too if you got good ability at guessing.

Yea, you have very various options to play on.
I am playing pretty good, but there are falls too. Today I played 3 tickets, all are winning for now, Im waiting 4 more pairs to end match and money is mine

I am watching LiveStream on internet usually, but there are some brodcasts on TV in Croatia, depends when and what.

I thought so. Handball games aren't very exciting for most people that's why it's so uncommon to broadcast these games on TV.
And it looks like lady luck is on your side so far.


BTW khaleesi, do you know Sharunas Jasikevichius the Lithuanian basketballer? He is more known as Sharas, he was a great baller.
In his first year in Maccabi he led the team to win the Euroleague of 2004.

Általa írva Croat, 22.10.2015 at 11:44

I am betting a lot so I know all formations and squads of each NBA, football, handball club

nice use of our oxygen. god would be proud

Általa írva Abraham, 22.10.2015 at 14:56

BTW khaleesi, do you know Sharunas Jasikevichius the Lithuanian basketballer? He is more known as Sharas, he was a great baller.
In his first year in Maccabi he led the team to win the Euroleague of 2004.

not really i stoped watching basketball and football for quite some time...

Általa írva Goblin, 22.10.2015 at 14:41

No he was the one with who croatia was leading against USA dream team in the first half in 1992.

Died in car accident in 1993.

And im sure you know all this and dream team is of course Magic Johnson, Jordan, Barkely, Pippen...

Yeah i know about American Dream Team, Serbia and Montenegro beat them in the final