Dražen Petrović facts for kids
Petrović with the New Jersey Nets in 1992
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | 22 October 1964 Šibenik, SR Croatia, SFR Yugoslavia |
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| Nationality | Croatian | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 7 June 1993 (aged 28) Denkendorf, Germany |
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| Listed height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 195 lb (88 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NBA Draft | 1986 / Round: 3 / Pick: 60th overall | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Selected by the Portland Trail Blazers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 1979–1993 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1979–1983 | Šibenka | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1984–1988 | Cibona | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1988–1989 | Real Madrid | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1989–1991 | Portland Trail Blazers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1991–1993 | New Jersey Nets | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Career NBA statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Points | 4,461 (15.4 ppg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rebounds | 669 (2.3 rpg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assists | 701 (2.4 apg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Dražen Petrović (born October 22, 1964 – died June 7, 1993) was an amazing basketball player from Croatia. He played as a shooting guard. Dražen first became famous in Europe during the 1980s with teams like Cibona and Real Madrid. Later, in 1989, he joined the National Basketball Association (NBA) in the United States.
Dražen was a star on the world stage. He won two silver medals (in 1988 and 1992) and one bronze medal (in 1984) at the Summer Olympic Games. He also earned a gold medal (in 1990) and a bronze (in 1986) at the FIBA World Cup. At the FIBA EuroBasket, he won a gold medal (in 1989) and a bronze (in 1987). He was even named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) at the 1986 FIBA World Championship and the 1989 FIBA EuroBasket. With his team Cibona Zagreb, Dražen won two EuroLeague championships in a row in 1985 and 1986. He played for both the Yugoslavia national team and later the Croatian national team. He was recognized as one of Europe's best players many times.
After achieving so much in Europe, Dražen wanted to play in the NBA. He joined the Portland Trail Blazers in 1989. At first, he didn't play much. But after being traded to the New Jersey Nets, he became one of the best shooting guards in the league. In 1991, he was named one of FIBA's 50 Greatest Players. Sadly, Dražen's life and career ended too soon. He died in a car accident in Germany on June 7, 1993, when he was only 28 years old.
After his death, the Nets retired his jersey number 3 in 1993. The Dražen Petrović Basketball Hall was named in his honor. He also received the Olympic Order in 1993. In 2002, he was added to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. In 2007, he was also inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame. Many people see Dražen Petrović as a hero in Croatia. He helped open the door for many European players to join the NBA.
Contents
Early Life and Basketball Beginnings
Dražen Petrović was born in Šibenik, which was part of Yugoslavia at the time, and is now Croatia. His father, Jovan, was a police officer, and his mother, Biserka, was a librarian. Dražen's older brother, Aleksandar, also played basketball and became a top player in Yugoslavia.
Playing for Šibenka (1979–1983)
Dražen started playing basketball at age 13 for his local club, Šibenka. By the time he was 15, he was already playing for the club's main team. Šibenka had just joined the top Yugoslav national league. With young Dražen as their star, Šibenka reached the finals of a European club competition, the FIBA Korać Cup, twice (in 1982 and 1983). They lost both times to a French team called Limoges CSP.
In 1983, when he was 18, Dražen helped Šibenka win the Yugoslavian League championship. He scored two important free throws in the final game. However, the next day, the Basketball Federation of Yugoslavia took the title away from Šibenka. They said there were problems with the referees. Šibenka refused to play a rematch, so the championship was given to the other team, Bosna. Dražen's scoring got better every season he played with Šibenka.
Becoming a European Basketball Star
Playing for Cibona Zagreb (1984–1988)
After serving a year in the military, Dražen joined his older brother, Aco, at Cibona Zagreb. Together, they formed one of the best backcourt duos in Europe. In his first season with Cibona, Dražen helped the team win both the national Yugoslav League championship and the Yugoslav National Cup. He averaged 32.5 points per game in the league that season.
On December 6, 1984, in a top European club game, Dražen scored 44 points against Real Madrid. He scored 29 of those points in the second half. Dražen also scored 36 points in the 1985 EuroLeague Final against Real Madrid. Cibona won the game, 87–78, giving the club its first European Champions Cup title. That season, Dražen averaged an amazing 30.9 points per game in European games.
Record-Breaking Season (1985–86)
On October 5, 1985, Dražen Petrović scored an incredible 112 points in a Yugoslav League game against Union Olimpija Ljubljana. Cibona won the game 158–77. He scored 67 of his 112 points in the first half. During this game, Dražen made 40 of 60 shots from the field, 10 of 20 three-pointers, and all 22 of his free throws. This was the most points ever scored by a player in a single game in the history of the Yugoslav First Federal League. It broke the old record of 74 points set in 1962.
Union Olimpija Ljubljana had problems with their player registrations. This meant they had to play the game with much younger players from their youth teams. Cibona used a mix of youth players and their star, Dražen Petrović, who was 21. Dražen was one of only five Cibona players to score in that game.
In the 1985–86 Yugoslav League season, Dražen scored 1,241 points in 30 games, averaging 41.4 points per game. He also helped Cibona win another Yugoslav National Cup title. In European Champions Cup games that season, Dražen continued to shine. He scored 44 points against Maccabi Tel Aviv and 47 points with 25 assists against Simac Milano. He also had 49 points and 20 assists against Real Madrid. In a game against Limoges, he made ten 3-pointers and scored 51 points with 10 assists. This 51-point game was his personal best in a EuroLeague game.
Dražen won his second straight EuroLeague title with Cibona. He scored 22 points in the 1986 Final, where Cibona beat Žalgiris Kaunas, a team with star player Arvydas Sabonis. In the 1985–86 EuroLeague season, Dražen averaged 37.0 points per game.
Later Cibona Years (1986–1988)
In the 1986–87 Yugoslav League season, Dražen averaged 37.3 points per game. That same season, Cibona played in the FIBA European Cup Winners' Cup. Dražen led Cibona to win this championship, scoring 28 points in the final. This was his third European club championship in a row with Cibona.
In 1988, Dražen helped Cibona win the Yugoslav National Cup again. He averaged 35.8 points per game in the Yugoslav League that season. He also scored 62 points in a FIBA Korać Cup game against KTP Kotka. Cibona reached the finals of the Korać Cup but lost to Real Madrid.
During his four seasons with Cibona, Dražen scored 3,911 points in 106 Yugoslav League games, averaging 36.9 points per game. He also scored 1,689 points in 50 European club games, averaging 33.8 points per game.
Playing for Real Madrid (1988–1989)
After his huge success with Cibona, Dražen wanted new challenges. The NBA's Portland Trail Blazers had already drafted him in 1986, but he decided to stay in Europe. In 1988, he signed with the Spanish team Real Madrid for about $4 million. At that time, Yugoslav laws said players couldn't move abroad until they were 28. Dražen was only 23. His agent had to work hard to get around this rule.
One Season in Spain (1988–89)
Dražen helped Real Madrid win the Spanish King's Cup in 1989, beating their rivals Barcelona. In the Spanish League finals, Real Madrid lost closely to Barcelona. Dražen was the top scorer in the Spanish League regular season that year. He scored 1,327 points in 47 games, averaging 28.2 points per game. Even though he only played one season in Spain, he still holds the record for most points (42) and most three-pointers (8) in a Spanish League Finals game.
In a European Cup Winners' Cup final game on March 14, 1989, Dražen scored 62 points. This tied his personal best in a European club competition. The Portland Trail Blazers kept pushing him to join the NBA. Dražen was excited by the new challenges the NBA offered. He left Real Madrid suddenly at the end of the season. The Blazers helped him by buying out his contract for $1.5 million. Dražen finally joined the Blazers for the 1989–90 season.
NBA Career
Portland Trail Blazers (1989–1991)
The Blazers saw Dražen as a great shooter. However, they worried he wasn't fast enough to play guard or defend well. They wanted him mainly to shoot three-pointers from outside. Dražen was used to creating his own shots and helping his teammates score. Being told to just stand and shoot was new to him. Also, the Blazers already had many good guards, so Dražen didn't get much playing time. In his first year, he averaged 7.4 points in 12 minutes per game.
The next season, his playing time dropped even more. Dražen was very frustrated. He said, "I have to leave to prove how much I am worth. Never in my life did I sit on the bench and I don't intend to do that in Portland." After 38 games into the season, Dražen was traded to the New Jersey Nets.
New Jersey Nets (1991–1993)
Dražen joined the New Jersey Nets on January 23, 1991. The Nets hadn't made the playoffs since 1986. But they had a talented rookie, Derrick Coleman. Dražen immediately got more playing time, averaging 20.5 minutes per game. His scoring went up to 12.6 points per game. The next year, Kenny Anderson joined the team. Dražen became a starter for the 1991–92 season, and he played in every game.
Americans called him "Petro." His hard work and aggressive style made him a team leader. He averaged 20.6 points in 36.9 minutes per game. Dražen led the Nets in field-goal and free-throw shooting. His success helped the team win 14 more games than the year before, and they made the playoffs. On April 23, 1992, Dražen scored a playoff career-high 40 points in a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The next season, Dražen's scoring average increased to 22.3 points per game, which was 11th best in the league. He was named MVP of the Week on December 6, 1992. He also shot 45% from the three-point line for the second season in a row. His field goal percentage of 52% was again among the best for all guards. He was chosen for the All-NBA Third Team. However, he did not get invited to the 1993 NBA All-Star game.
Career Statistics
Dražen Petrović played 290 NBA regular season games, starting 149 of them. He averaged 15.4 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game. He shot 50.6% from the field and 43.7% from three-point range. In 29 playoff games, he averaged 10.2 points.
National Team Career
Playing for Yugoslavia
Dražen first played for the Yugoslavia national team at age 15. He won a bronze medal with the junior team at the Under-18 Balkan Championship. He regularly played for Yugoslavia in other Balkan Championships, winning gold and silver medals. He also won a silver medal at the 1982 European Under-18 Championship.
The 1984 Summer Olympics was Dražen's first big competition with the Yugoslavia senior national team. They won a bronze medal in Los Angeles. He also won a bronze medal at the 1986 FIBA World Championship. Dražen was named the MVP of that tournament. At the 1987 EuroBasket, Yugoslavia won another bronze medal. In 1987, the Yugoslavian team, with Dražen, won gold at the University Games in Zagreb. At the 1988 Summer Olympics, Yugoslavia won a silver medal, losing to the Soviet Union.
In 1989, Dražen had a great season with Real Madrid. He then helped the Yugoslavia national team win the EuroBasket in Zagreb. They easily beat Greece in the final game. Dražen was the second-highest scorer and the MVP of the tournament. The next year, Yugoslavia became world champions at the 1990 FIBA World Championship in Buenos Aires, beating the Soviet Union for the gold.
Overall, Dražen played 155 games for Yugoslavia's senior national team. He scored 3,258 points, averaging 21.0 points per game.
Playing for Croatia
The 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona were special. It was the first time an independent Croatia competed in the Summer Olympics. Dražen was the leader of the Croatian national basketball team in the basketball tournament. They only lost to the famous American Dream Team in the group stage.
A strong Croatian team won their semifinal game against the Soviet team, thanks to Dražen's clutch free throws. They then faced the Americans for the gold medal. The Croatians played well at the start, even taking a 25–23 lead. But the American Dream Team, full of NBA stars, was too strong. The Americans won 117–85. Dražen was the top scorer in that game with 24 points, and he and his teammates took home silver medals.
From 1992 to 1993, Dražen played 40 games for the senior Croatian national team. He scored 1,002 points, averaging 25.1 points per game. Counting all his national team games for both Yugoslavia and Croatia, Dražen scored 4,260 points in 195 games, averaging 21.8 points per game.
Death and Lasting Impact
In the summer of 1993, after his best NBA season, Dražen went to Poland for a tournament with the Croatian national team. He was thinking about leaving the Nets because they hadn't offered him a new contract. He even considered leaving the NBA completely to play in Greece. There were Greek clubs ready to offer him large contracts. Dražen decided to skip his flight back to Zagreb and instead drive with a woman he knew.
Dražen Petrović died in a car accident at about 5:20 p.m. on June 7, 1993. It was raining on the Autobahn 9 near Denkendorf, Germany. A semi-truck broke through the highway divider and blocked all three lanes of traffic. Seconds later, the car carrying Dražen, who was sleeping in the passenger seat, crashed into the truck. Dražen was thrown from the car.
The autopsy showed that Dražen died from severe head injuries. The driver and another passenger were seriously hurt. It was found that visibility was very poor, and neither Dražen nor the other passenger were wearing seatbelts.
Dražen was buried on June 12, 1993, in Zagreb. His grave became a special place for people from his home country. The Cibona basketball stadium was renamed the Dražen Petrović Basketball Hall on October 4, 1993. Cities like Zagreb, Šibenik, and Vukovar also named squares or streets after him. Before Game 1 of the 1993 NBA Finals, the NBA held a moment of silence for Dražen. The Nets retired his number 3 jersey on November 11, 1993.
On April 29, 1995, a statue honoring Dražen was put up in front of the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland. This made him only the second athlete to receive this honor. In 2002, he was added to the Basketball Hall of Fame. In 2006, the Dražen Petrović Award was created for young athletes. In 2007, he was also inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame.
The 2010 documentary, Once Brothers, tells the story of the Yugoslavia national basketball team and how the Yugoslav Wars affected the players. It also explores Dražen's friendship with Serbian player Vlade Divac. In 2011, a statue of Dražen as a little boy sitting on a bench with a ball was unveiled in Šibenik. His old room was also renovated to look like it did when he was young.
Accomplishments and Awards
Club Competitions
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National Teams
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Silver
Bronze: 1984
GoldDražen Petrović Memorial Center
A museum called "The Dražen Petrović Memorial Center" was created to honor him. It was a joint effort by the Dražen Petrović Foundation, the Croatian government, the city of Zagreb, and the Croatian Museum of Sports. Dražen's parents, Biserka and Jole Petrovic, first had the idea for the center. All the items in the center were collected and organized by the Croatian Museum of Sports. The center is run by the Dražen Petrović Foundation, led by his family. It displays his No. 3 New Jersey Nets jersey and the watch that stopped when he died. The center has 1,000 items and a video of his basketball highlights.
The museum officially opened on June 7, 2006. It opened to the public in December 2006. The square where the center is located was renamed Dražen Petrović Square in his honor. In 2013, former NBA MVP Derrick Rose visited the museum.
