It was a showdown between two of the best players outside American borders and the late Croat claimed the win. Hoy habría cumplido 57 años Drazen Petrovic, ese genio que nos dejó demasiado pronto.

Petrovic's mother, Biserka, was waiting to pick him up at about 6 a.m., recalls Stojko Vrankovic, perhaps Petrovic's closest friend on the team. Vrankovic was continuing on to Zadar.

"Drazen Petrovic? Wow!" one of them said, to which LBJ gave a stoic nod. James then calmly explained his choice after another journalist asked what he admired about the late Croatian shooting guard.

Steph Curry sending a jersey from Finals to Drazen Petrovic's Mom who took care of him at the 1992 3pt contest.It'll go in Petro's museum — MarkJonesESPN (@MarkJonesESPN) June 20, 2015 ...

Drazen Petrovic is the only player in NBA history to average 20 pts per 36-minutes, shoot 50% overall and 40% from distance for a career. He was also the first European player to make an All-NBA team.

For starters, Petrovic averaged 19.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 51.1% from the field and 43.7% from three-point land during his time with the franchise.

Biserka Petrovic, staying in Drazen's apartment, heard the news around 10 p.m. She ran toward the balcony to jump. Jole tackled her and held her as she broke down in tears.

New Jersey's Anthony Morrow will wear a Petrovic jersey during his turn at the racks, fitting not only because Morrow plays for Drazen's old team, but because Morrow's career 3-point mark of (you ...

Petrovic had tasted life as a role player and scoffed at it. "Drazen was the first guy to carry himself like a star," said Harvey Araton of the New York Times. "It was his body language on the floor.

Click the pics below to read the bios of our top 12 Euroleague/NBA stars. Drazen Petrovic Croatia Drazen Petrovic New Jersey Nets Petrovic is arguably the best European player ever to play in the NBA.

Petrovic and Yugoslavia won bronze, and Phelps stuck with his pitch for Petrovic. He told the 6-foot-4 guard, then 19, that Notre Dame would “have the best backcourt ever” if he came to play ...