Dra?en Petrovi? was a Croatian professional basketball player. A shooting guard, he initially achieved success playing professional basketball in Europe in the 1980s before joining the National Basketball Association in the US in 1989. A star on multiple stages, Petrovi? earned two silver medals and one bronze in Olympic basketball, a gold and a bronze in the FIBA World Championship, and a gold and a bronze in the FIBA European Championship. He represented Yugoslavia and, later, Croatia. He earned four Euroscar Awards, and was named Mr. Europa twice. In 1985, he received the Golden Badge award for best athlete of Yugoslavia. Seeking a bigger arena after his career start in Europe, Petrovi? joined the NBA in 1989 as a member of the Portland Trail Blazers. After playing mostly off the bench that year, Petrovi? experienced a breakthrough following a trade to the New Jersey Nets. While starting for the Nets, he became one of the league's best shooting guards. Petrovi? died in a car accident at the age of 28. Petrovi? is considered the crucial part of the vanguard to the present-day mass influx of European players into the NBA. 

October 22nd, 1964 in ?ibenik  /  Died:   Jun 7th, 1993 - aged 28