The name Drazen Petrovic might not be familiar to many of today’s NBA fans. But for those who recall the early 1990s and the sudden rise of the then New Jersey Nets, Drazen Petrovic is a name that brings up memories of a sharpshooting guard, a star on the rise, and man whose life was tragically cut short in a head-on collision along the famed autobahn. Petrovic, born in Croatia, had a passion for basketball matched by few. Every waking second, every chance he had, he was practicing the game. Gym rat? That was Drazen Petrovic. And he didn’t just practice shooting. He practiced and drilled virtually every aspect of the game as often as possible from the time he was a young schoolboy. Drazen had a goal, he wanted to play in the NBA. And he worked hard. He played for his local Sibenik, Croatia team. He also played for Cibona and Rea Madrid. He olayed on the international stage. He caught the eye of Notre Dame’s Digger Phelps. He caught the eye of the Portland Trailblazers too and they made him a 3rd round selection in the 1986 NBA Draft. After legal battles, jumping through hurdles, and gaining his release from Real Madrid, Drazen finally made it to the NBA. At first, though it was quite disappointing. Drazen saw little playing time as the Blazers were a title contender. In fact, in Drazen’s first year, Portland made it to the NBA Finals against the Bad Boy Detroit Pistons. Drazen’s second year was even more disappointing as he slid further down the bench and he demanded a trade. Portland obliged and sent Drazen to the Nets. Drazen adapted to the Nets style of play, worked hard and ultimately became the team’s leader. Drazen had an electric personality and knew how to get a rise out of the crowd, could shoot the ball from virtually anywhere on the court, and gained the respects of his fellow players and coaches. He led the Nets to the playoffs. But that’s when tragedy struck. Author Todd Spehr, who wrote the book, “The Mozart of Basketball; The Remarkable Life and Legacy of Drazen Petrovic,” joins the podcast from Australia to talk about the man voted by his fellow players as the greatest European Basketball Player in history.
Links:
Sports' Forgotten Heroes website
Sports' Forgotten Heroes Patreon Page
Sports' Forgotten Heroes twitter
© 2020 Sports' Forgotten Heroes
