Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 9, 1993 TAG: 9306090029
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. LENGTH: Medium
One day after New Jersey Nets star Drazen Petrovic was killed when a car driven by his girlfriend slammed into a truck on a German highway, the Nets held a news conference to talk about the tragedy.
Nearly everybody on hand had a hard time coping. They remembered Petrovic's dedication and exuberance, two traits that helped him become one of the NBA's best shooters and its top European star.
Reed, the Nets' general manager, said it was like "losing a son."
"He left no stones unturned trying to make himself the best player he could be," Reed said, mentioning Petrovic's frequent weight-room visits on road trips and extra shooting practice. "We don't have enough players in this game that care that much about it."
"He's just a great player in the prime of his career," Daly said, almost unable to refer to Petrovic in the past tense. "I can only remember him as a happy kid smiling, wanting to win and playing the game he loved.
"I never had a player other than [Detroit Pistons forward] Dennis Rodman who worked as hard as he did. I guess this kind of touches on how precious life is."
Petrovic, 28, was killed the day after he played for his native Croatia in a tournament in Poland. His German girlfriend, Klara Szalantzy, 23, and a female passenger in the car, Hilal Haene, 53, were hospitalized.
"It was a complete shock to me when I got the news," said Nets teammate Derrick Coleman. "Drazen was a great teammate and great person as well."
Petrovic was coming off his best NBA season, although he was disappointed he wasn't chosen as the first European to play in the All-Star Game. He made the All-NBA third team after averaging a team-leading 22.3 points on 52 percent field-goal shooting and was one of the league's top 3-point shooters.
After the Nets lost to Cleveland in the first round of the playoffs, Petrovic said he probably would return to Europe to play next season.
Petrovic's NBA career followed his starring role on the Yugoslav team, which dominated non-NBA basketball in the 1980s. During the 1984-85 season, he scored 112 points in a Yugoslav League game, making 40 of 60 shots from the field. He also played for the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers.
"If you lose a person like him, it's tough for the people," said a fellow Croatian and friend, tennis star Goran Ivanisevic. "It's tough for sport in Croatia."
After the breakup of Yugoslavia, Petrovic became a prominent spokesman for Croatia and led his country to a silver medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. His patriotism cost him his friendship with Los Angeles Laker and former Yugoslav teammate Vlade Divac, a Serb.
Against the Dream Team, coached by Daly, Petrovic ran back with his hands in the air after hitting a 3-pointer, perhaps trying to impress his new coach.
"I felt of all the European players, he was the one who competed the most against us. He really fought us," Daly said. "He was not afraid of trying to win. That was what was really impressive."
NBA Commissioner David Stern issued a statement that read: "Drazen was an extraordinary young man and a true pioneer in the global sport of basketball. Hopefully, a lasting part of his athletic legacy will be that he paved the way for other international players to compete successfully in this league."
His death also was felt in Phoenix, site of tonight's first game of the NBA Finals between the Suns and the Chicago Bulls.
"NBA players are a tightknit fraternity," Suns star Charles Barkley said. "It's like a death in the family."
Reed said Petrovic left a void that can't be filled.
"He came from a small country, learned to play like an American, and that's very hard to do," the Nets' general manager said. "We'll get another player, but we'll never replace Drazen Petrovic."
by CNB