Dražen Petrović and Pride 2: Difference between pages

Revision as of 06:48, 28 February 2007

Revision as of 18:54, 14 July 2007

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{{Infobox NBA Player

| image =

{{Infobox MMA event

| caption =

| name = PRIDE 2

| position = [[Shooting guard]]

| image = PRIDE FC II.jpg

| height_ft = 6

| promotion = [[PRIDE Fighting Championships]]

| height_in = 5

| date = [[March 15]], [[1998]]

| weight_lb = 200

| venue = [[Yokohama Arena]]

| nationality = Croatia

| birth_datecity = [[October 22]], [[1964Yokohama]]

| attendance =

| birth_place = {{flagicon|SFR Yugoslavia}} [[Šibenik]], [[Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia|SFR Yugoslavia]] (present-day Croatia)

| buyrate =

| death_date = [[June 7]] [[1993]]

| previousevent = [[PRIDE 1]]

| death_place = {{flagicon|GER}} [[Denkendorf, Bavaria|Denkendorf]],<br>[[Bavaria]], [[Germany]]

| followingevent = [[PRIDE 3]]

| draft = 60^th overall

| draft_year = 1986

| draft_team = [[Portland Trail Blazers]]

| career_start = 1979

| career_end = 1993

| former_teams = [[KK Šibenka|BC Šibenka]] (1979 &ndash; 1983)<br> [[KK Cibona|BC Cibona]] (1984 &ndash; 1988)<br> [[Real Madrid Baloncesto|Real Madrid]] (1988 &ndash; 1989)<br>[[Portland Trail Blazers]] (1989 &ndash; 1991)<br> [[New Jersey Nets]] (1991 &ndash; 1993)<br>

| halloffame = 2002

}}

'''PRIDE 2''' was a [[mixed martial arts]] event held by [[PRIDE|KRS-PRIDE]] (later renamed PRIDE Fighting Championships). It took place at [[Yokohama Arena]] in [[Yokohama]], [[Japan]] on March 15, 1998. Kazushi Sakuraba, Mark Kerr, Vernon White, and Marco Ruas all made their PRIDE debuts at this event.

'''Dražen Petrović''' ([[October 22]], [[1964]] &ndash; [[June 7]], [[1993]]) was a [[Croatia]]n [[basketball]] player. A tireless shooter and prolific scorer, Petrović is arguably the most celebrated basketball player to ever emerge from [[Europe]]. He is considered the crucial part of the vanguard to the present-day mass influx of European players into the [[NBA]].<ref>Stephen Rodrick, [http://insider.espn.go.com/insider/magazine/story?id=1843021 Spirit of the Game], ''ESPN Magazine'', August 8, 2005</ref><ref>Jim Huber, [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvTPx9rfT7U Drazen Petrovic], ''Inside the NBA'', January 12th, 2006</ref><ref>NBA.com, [http://www.nba.com/history/players/petrovic_bio.html Drazen Petrovic]</ref>

== Early years ==

Born in [[Šibenik]], a city on the [[Croatia]]n coast, in the former [[Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia|Yugoslavia]], Dražen Petrović was the second child of Jovan "Jole" and Biserka Petrović. The couple's first child, Aleksandar, would be the first one to tread the basketball path, providing a lead for young Dražen to follow. At the age of thirteen Dražen started playing in the youth selections of the local [[KK Šibenka|BC Šibenka]]; at the age of fifteen he had already made the first team, just as Šibenka earned a place in the [[YUBA Liga|national first division]].

With young Petrović as the star of the team, Šibenka reached the final of the [[FIBA Korać Cup|Radivoj Korać Cup]] twice ([[1982]] and [[1983]]), losing to [[Cercle Saint-Pierre de Limoges|CSP Limoges]] both times. In [[1983]] the 18 year-old Petrović hit two free throws for Šibenka's victory over [[KK Bosna|BC Bosna Sarajevo]] in the final playoff game of the [[Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia|Yugoslavian]] club championship, but the title was taken away from Šibenka the next day by the national basketball federation and awarded to Bosna shortly after, with irregularities in refereeing cited as the reason.

Petrović regularly played for the Yugoslavian national team in the Balkan Championships, winning bronze and gold with the junior team and silver with the first team. In [[1982]] he also brought back the silver from the European Championship for Junior Men in [[Greece]].

== Rise to European stardom ==

=== Cibona ===

{{MedalTop}}

{{MedalCountry|{{YUG}} / {{HRV}}}}

{{MedalSport|Men's [[Basketball at the Summer Olympics|Basketball]]}}

{{MedalBronze|[[1984 Summer Olympics|1984 Los Angeles]]|[[Basketball at the 1984 Summer Olympics|Yugoslavia]]}}

{{MedalSilver|[[1988 Summer Olympics|1988 Seoul]]|[[Basketball at the 1988 Summer Olympics|Yugoslavia]]}}

{{MedalSilver|[[1992 Summer Olympics|1992 Barcelona]]|[[Basketball at the 1992 Summer Olympics|Croatia]]}}

{{MedalBottom}}

After spending a year serving the compulsory time in the military, Petrović followed his brother's footsteps and moved to [[KK Cibona|BC Cibona]] [[Zagreb]] to form, at that time, the best backcourt duo in Europe. The very first year in Cibona he won both the Yugoslav championship and the national cup. To top it all off, the 87:78 victory - to which Petrović contributed with 39 points - over [[Real Madrid Baloncesto|Real Madrid]] brought him and Cibona their first [[Euroleague|European Cup]] title. The second came the following year, as Petrović scored 22 points and Cibona defeated [[BC Žalgiris|BC Žalgiris Kaunas]], which starred the legendary [[Arvydas Sabonis]]. The same year brought another national cup title for Cibona, seeing Petrović score 46 against the old rival Bosna. In [[1987]] Petrović earned his third European trophy: a [[Saporta Cup|European Cup Winners Cup]] title against [[Victoria Libertas Pesaro|BC Scavolini Pesaro]], whose net he filled with 28 points.

With the Yugoslavian national team Petrović won the bronze in the [[1984 Summer Olympics]]. Third place was also earned at the [[Basketball World Championship|World Championship]] in [[1986]], remembered for the last minute thriller in the semi-final game against the [[Soviet Union]]. From the [[Eurobasket|European Championship]] in [[1987]] Petrović again returned with the bronze, as Yugoslavia lost to the hosts and gold medalists Greece. The [[Universiade|University Games]], held in [[Zagreb]] in [[1987]], saw the Yugoslavian squad with Petrović win the gold. In the [[1988 Summer Olympics]] Petrović earned 2nd place, as Yugoslavia lost once more to the Soviet powerhouse.

Petrović's scoring average during the four years with Cibona stood at 37.7 points in the Yugoslavian first division and 33.8 in European competitions, with personal one-time bests of 112 and 62 points, respectively <ref>www.drazenpetrovic.com, [http://www.drazenpetrovic.com/stats/ Statistics]</ref>. His scoring sheet was often known to show 40, 50, even 60 in a single game; in an [[1986]] [[Euroleague|European League]] game against [[Cercle Saint-Pierre de Limoges|Limoges]], Petrović scored nine 3-pointers, including seven in a row during a first half stretch, for a final tally of 45 points and 25 assists <ref>www.drazenpetrovic.com, [http://www.drazenpetrovic.com/teams/cibona.htm Cibona Story]</ref>. Self-admittedly, Petrović needed new challenges, which Cibona and the Yugoslavian league could not offer. Across the [[Atlantic Ocean|Atlantic]], the [[Portland Trail Blazers]] of the [[NBA]] had already used their third round pick on young Petrović in [[1986]]. However, he decided to postpone his departure to the [[United States]] and in [[1988]] signed with Real Madrid instead, for at that time a hefty sum of around US$ 4 million.

=== Real Madrid ===

The 1988-1989 season saw Petrović wear the colors of the [[Spain|Spanish]] royal club, Real Madrid. Although the national championship barely escaped them, as they lost to [[Winterthur FCB|Barcelona]] in the fifth and decisive game of the final series, Petrović helped Real to the national cup title over their [[Catalonia]]n rivals. Petrović also lead the club to victory in the European Cup Winners Cup final against [[Snaidero Caserta]] by tying his previous best scoring performance in European competitions (62 points). His first season in the [[Asociación de Clubs de Baloncesto|ACB]] was also his last, but he still holds ACB single performance bests in a final series game in points made (42) and three-pointers made (8).

An excellent season in the club competitions was topped by Petrović's 1989 accomplishment with the national team: at the Eurobasket in Zagreb the young Yugoslavian team went all the way, defeating Greece more than comfortably in the championship game. Petrović was the tournament's second leading scorer and most valuable player.

Motivated by the challenge and pressured by the Portland Trail Blazers, who had drafted him 60th overall back in 1986, Petrović finally stood firm in the decision to try and establish himself in the NBA. He left Spain rather abruptly at the end of the season, bought his way out of the contract with Real, and joined the Blazers for the [[1989-90 NBA season|1989-1990 season]].

== NBA period ==

=== Portland ===

In his many statements prior to arriving in Portland, Petrović voiced lack of playing time as the only possible obstacle to his success in the NBA <ref>www.drazenpetrovic.com, [http://www.drazenpetrovic.com/teams/real.htm Real Madrid Story]</ref> <ref>www.drazenpetrovic.com, [http://www.drazenpetrovic.com/teams/portland.htm Blazers Portland Story]</ref>; in his first season with the Blazers, those concerns were realized. With Portland's starting backcourt of [[Clyde Drexler]] and [[Terry Porter]] already established, the reigning [[La Gazzetta dello Sport|European Player of the Year]] was reduced to playing 12 minutes per game - minutes collected largely in "[[garbage time]]" - allowing him a mere 7.4 points per game. The beginning of the [[1990-91 NBA season|1990-1991 season]] brought Petrović's frustration to a climax, as his playing time dropped to 7 minutes a game. At his insistence, 38 games into the season (20 of which Petrović didn't see any playing time in), a three-way trade with the [[Denver Nuggets]] sent him to the [[New Jersey Nets]].

The summer in between the two most frustrating seasons of his professional career, Petrović was again making history with the national team, as Yugoslavia became world champions, beating the Soviet Union for the gold in [[Buenos Aires]].

=== New Jersey ===

[[Image:Petrovic.jpg|thumb|Nets jersey of Dražen Petrović]]

On [[January 23]], [[1991]], Petrović became a member of the New Jersey Nets. Petrović was now a part of a team that featured two of the best young prospects in the league, [[Kenny Anderson]] and [[Derrick Coleman]], but a team that hadn't reached the playoffs since [[1985-86 NBA season|1986]]. Determined to not let the Portland episode repeat, he immediately responded to the increased playing time (20.5 minutes per game), holding a scoring average of 12.6 points per game in 43 games with the Nets. His first complete season with the Nets was truly stellar: not missing a single game, ''Petro'', as he had been dubbed, averaged 20.6 points in 36.9 minutes on the floor, leading all NBA [[Guard (basketball)|guard]]s in field goal percentage (51%); he established himself as the team leader and was proclaimed team's [[Most Valuable Player|MVP]]. More significantly, his success translated into team success, as the Nets recorded 14 more wins than the season before and made the playoffs. For his encore, in [[1992-93 NBA season|1992-1993 season]] Petrović increased his scoring average (22.3) and repeated the excellent three-point field goal percentage from the previous season (45%), again leading all guards in field goal percentage (52%). American media honored him with a selection to the All-NBA 3rd Team. However, a failure to receive an invitation to the 1993 [[National Basketball Association All-Star Game|All-Star game]] came as a great disappointment to Petrović; he was the only one among the top 15 scorers in the NBA that season who did not get invited.

[[1992]] [[Olympic Games]] in [[Barcelona]] marked the first summer olympiad featuring the independent Croatia, and Petrović was the leader of the Croatian national basketball team at the Olympic basketball tournament. Losing only to the American [[Dream Team (basketball)|Dream Team]] in [[round-robin]] play, strong and inspired Croatian team made it to the finals - with clutch free throws executed by Petrović in the semi-final game against [[Unified Team|the revamped Soviet team]]. In the end, the now-legendary team composed of NBA stars proved too tough for Croatia, sending Petrović and his teammates home with silver medals.

== Death and posthumous glory ==

In the summer of [[1993]], after his best NBA season and the Nets' first-round elimination by the [[Cleveland Cavaliers]], Petrović travelled to [[Poland]], where the Croatian national team was playing a qualification tournament for the 1993 Eurobasket. He was contemplating departure from the Nets, disappointed with tension between himself and, to his belief, envious teammates, as well as the fact that the Nets had not yet extended his contract. He told American reporters that the lack of recognition in the league had him also considering leaving the NBA completely and playing club basketball in Greece; it was later rumored that Petrović had agreed on terms with [[Panathinaikos BC]], as the story of PAO's owner, Pavlos Giannakopoulos, allegedly offering a signed contract with blank honorarium terms became a part of Petrović's legend. For personal reasons, Petrović decided not to return to Croatia from Poland together with his teammates, but in a private vehicle.

Dražen Petrović died a passenger in a car involved in a traffic accident on the rain-drenched [[Autobahn]] 9 at [[Denkendorf, Bavaria|Denkendorf]], near [[Ingolstadt]], in the [[Germany|German]] state of [[Bavaria]], at approximately 17:20 on [[June 7]]th, [[1993]], four and a half months before his 29th birthday.

According to the report of the Ingolstadt police, that afternoon a truck broke through the Autobahn [[central reservation|median]]: the driver was trying to avoid a collision with a private vehicle in his own lane and lost control of the truck, which crashed through the highway barrier and finally came to a stop, only to block all three lanes of traffic in the [[Munich]] direction. It was seconds later that the [[VW Golf]] carrying a sleeping Petrović in the passenger seat crashed into the truck, killing only him, and leaving the driver - [[Klara Szalantzy]], a German model whom Petrović was romantically involved with - and the backseat passenger, a female [[Turkey|Turkish]] basketball player, with grave injuries <ref>HRT.hr, [http://www.hrt.hr/arhiv/ndd/06lipanj/0607%20DRAZEN.html Today in History - July 7th]</ref>. It was established that visibility on the road was very poor and that Petrović was not wearing a seatbelt <ref>Stephen Rodrick, [http://insider.espn.go.com/insider/magazine/story?id=1843021 Spirit of the Game], ''ESPN Magazine'', August 8, 2005</ref>.

Dražen Petrović's tomb at [[Mirogoj]] had instantly become a sanctuary for his compatriots. The Cibona stadium was renamed the [[Dražen Petrović Basketball Hall]] on [[October 4]], [[1993]], and the city of Zagreb dedicated a square in his name. The Nets retired his number 3 jersey on [[November 11]], 1993. Since [[1994]], the MVP award at the McDonalds Championship has borne the name Drazen Petrovic Trophy. On [[April 29]], [[1995]], a statue commemorating Petrović's significance to the world of sports was erected in front of the [[Olympic Museum]] in [[Lausanne]], [[Switzerland]], thus making him only the second athlete to receive this honor. Petrović was inducted into the [[Basketball Hall of Fame]] in [[2002]]. On [[July 9]]th [[2001]], having defeated [[Patrick Rafter]] at [[The Championships, Wimbledon|Wimbledon]], Croatian tennis player [[Goran Ivanišević]] dedicated the win to his late friend Petrović and wore Petrović's Nets jersey amidst the 100,000 strong crowd celebrating his victory in [[Split]]. In [[2006]], the 13th anniversary of Petrović's death was marked with the opening of the Dražen Petrović Memorial Center in Zagreb, a grand temple dedicated to Petrović's person and achievements, with ten themed galleries of multimedia content outlining his entire career.

==Accomplishments and awards==

===Club competitions===

{| class="wikitable" border="3" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;"

|-

!| '''Year'''

!| '''Competition'''

!| '''Achievement'''

!| '''Club'''

|-

| [[1982]] || [[FIBA Korać Cup|Korać Cup]] || Finalist || [[BC Šibenka]]

|-

| [[1983]] || Korać Cup || Finalist || BC Šibenka

|-

| [[1985]] || [[European Cup]] || Winner || [[KK Cibona|BC Cibona]]

|-

| 1985 || Yugoslavian Championship || Winner || BC Cibona

|-

| 1985 || Yugoslavian Cup || Winner || BC Cibona

|-

| [[1986]] || European Cup || Winner || BC Cibona

|-

| 1986 || Yugoslavian Championship || Finalist || BC Cibona

|-

| 1986 || Yugoslavian Cup || Winner || BC Cibona

|-

| [[1987]] || [[Saporta Cup|European Cup Winners Cup]] || Winner || BC Cibona

|-

| 1987 || Yugoslavian Championship || Finalist || BC Cibona

|-

| [[1988]] || Yugoslavian Cup || Winner || BC Cibona

|-

| 1988 || Korać Cup || Finalist || BC Cibona

|-

| [[1989]] || [[Copa del Rey (basketball)|Spanish Cup]] || Winner || [[Real Madrid Baloncesto|Real Madrid]]

|-

| 1989 || [[Asociación de Clubs de Baloncesto|Spanish Championship]] || Finalist || Real Madrid

|-

| 1989 || European Cup Winners Cup || Winner || Real Madrid

|-

| [[1990]] || [[NBA Playoffs]] || Finalist || [[Portland Trail Blazers]]

|-

|}

* YUBA most points scored by an individual in a league game (112)

* ACB most points scored by an individual in a final series game (42)

* ACB most 3PT field goals made by an individual in a final series game (8)

* NBA 1992 field goal percentage leader among guards (1st)

* NBA 1993 field goal percentage leader among guards (1st)

* NBA most 3PT field goals made with none missed in a three-game playoff series (tied with 2)

== Results ==

* NBA All-Time 3PT field goal percentage leader (3rd)

==={{flagicon| BRA}} [[Royler Gracie]] vs. {{flagicon| JPN}} [[Naoki Sano|Yuhi Sano]]===

Gracie defeated Sano by armbar at 33:14 of round 1.

==={{flagicon| BRA}} [[Juan Mott]] vs. {{flagicon| JPN}} [[Akira Shoji]]===

===National teams===

Shoji defeated Mott by submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 3:47 of round 1.

==={{flagicon| JPN}} [[William Roosmalen]] vs. {{flagicon| USA}} [[Ralph White]]===

{| class="wikitable" border="3" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;"

William Roosmalen defeated Ralph White by KO (knee to the body).

|-

!| '''Year'''

!| '''Event'''

!| '''Host'''

!| '''Placement'''

!| '''Country'''

|-

| [[1980]] || Balkan Championship for Junior Men || [[Istanbul]], [[Turkey]] || 3rd || [[SFR Yugoslavia]]

|-

| [[1981]] || Balkan Championship for Cadets || [[Thessaloniki]], [[Greece]] || 1st || SFR Yugoslavia

|-

| [[1982]] || Balkan Championship for Junior Men || [[Patras, Greece]] || 1st || SFR Yugoslavia

|-

| 1982 || European Championship for Junior Men || [[Dimitrovgrad]] and [[Haskovo]], [[Bulgaria]] || 2nd || SFR Yugoslavia

|-

| [[1983]] || [[Universiade|University Games]] || [[Edmonton]], [[Canada]] || 2nd || SFR Yugoslavia

|-

| [[1984]] || Balkan Championship || [[Athens]], Greece || 2nd || SFR Yugoslavia

|-

| 1984 || [[Olympic Games]] || [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]], [[United States]] || 3rd || SFR Yugoslavia

|-

| [[1986]] || [[Basketball World Championship|World Championship]] || [[Madrid]], [[Spain]] || 3rd || SFR Yugoslavia

|-

| [[1987]] || University Games || [[Zagreb]], SFR Yugoslavia || 1st || SFR Yugoslavia

|-

| [[1987]] || [[Eurobasket]] || Athens, Greece || 3rd || SFR Yugoslavia

|-

| [[1988]] || Olympic Games || [[Seoul]], [[South Korea]] || 2nd || SFR Yugoslavia

|-

| [[1989]] || Eurobasket || [[Zagreb]], SFR Yugoslavia || 1st || SFR Yugoslavia

|-

| [[1990]] || World Championship || [[Buenos Aires]], [[Argentina]] || 1st || SFR Yugoslavia

|-

| [[1992]] || Olympic Games || [[Barcelona]], [[Spain]] || 2nd || [[Croatia]]

|-

|}

==={{flagicon| JPN}} [[Kazushi Sakuraba]] vs. {{flagicon| USA}} [[Vernon White]]===

* Balkan Championship for Junior Men 1982 Best Player

Sakuraba defeated White by submission (armbar) at 6:53 of round 3.

==={{flagicon| BRA}} [[Renzo Gracie]] vs. {{flagicon| JPN}} [[Sanae Kikuta]]===

* World Championship 1986 MVP

Gracie defeated Kikuta by submission (guillotine choke) at :43 round 6.

==={{flagicon| TRI}} [[Gary Goodridge]] vs. {{flagicon| BRA}} [[Marco Ruas]]===

* European Championship 1989 MVP

Ruas defeated Goodridge by submission (Heel Hook) at 9:09 of round 1.

==={{flagicon| CRO}} [[Branko Cikatic]] vs. {{flagicon| USA}} [[Mark Kerr]]===

==Notes==

Cikatic was disqualified for grabbing the ropes at 2:14 of the first round.

<div class="references-small">

<references/>

</div>

==ReferencesSee also==

* [[List of PRIDE events]]

* Stephen Rodrick, [http://insider.espn.go.com/insider/magazine/story?id=1843021 Spirit of the Game], ''ESPN Magazine'', August 8, 2005.

* Jim Huber, ''Inside the NBA'', January 12th, 2006 [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvTPx9rfT7U Drazen Petrovic]

== External links==

* [http://www.pridefc.com/ Official PRIDE Website]

* [http://www.hoophall.com/halloffamers/petrovic_drazen.htm Dražen Petrović at the Basketball Hall of Fame]

* [http://www.drazenpetrovicsherdog.com/ wwwfightfinder/fightfinder.DrazenPetrovicasp?search=yes&eventid=47 Sherdog.com]

* [http://www.nba.com/nets/history/drazenpetrovic.html In Honor of Dražen Petrović]

* [http://www.interbasket.net/players/petrovic.htm Dražen Petrović Player Profile (InterBasket)]

* [http://www.petro3.com/DrazenPetrovicStoryPage1.htm Dražen Petrović Story]

[[Category:1964 births]]

[[Category:1993 deaths]]

[[Category:Basketball Hall of Fame]]

[[Category:Croatian basketball players]]

[[Category:Olympic silver medalists for Croatia]]

[[Category:Olympic silver medalists for Yugoslavia]]

[[Category:Olympic bronze medalists for Yugoslavia]]

[[Category:Basketball players at the 1984 Summer Olympics]]

[[Category:Basketball players at the 1988 Summer Olympics]]

[[Category:Basketball players at the 1992 Summer Olympics]]

[[Category:New Jersey Nets players]]

[[Category:Portland Trail Blazers players]]

[[Category:ACB league players]]

[[Category:Real Madrid basketball players]]

[[Category:Road accident victims]]

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