Gone too soon. Drazen Petrovich is considered as one of the best NBA snipers

Gone too early, Drazen Petrovich is widely regarded as one of the premier NBA sharpshooters in the early ’90s. Reggie Miller once acknowledged on a show that, in terms of shooting prowess, there was only one player superior to him, and that was the late and esteemed Drazen Petrovich.

Tragically, he lost his life in a car accident in 1993. Rest in peace, Legend!

During that season, Petrovich secured the 11th spot in scoring with an impressive 22.3 points per game, establishing himself as the league’s third-most efficient 3-point shooter at 44.9%.

His efficiency extended to his overall field goal percentage, making him the second-best guard in the league (20th overall) at 51.8%, trailing only Kenny Smith—a statistic typically dominated by big men.

In recognition of his outstanding performance, Petrovich earned a spot on the All-NBA 3rd team that year, boasting a versatile stat line of 22.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.3 steals, and 0.2 blocks per game.

While such stat lines are more commonplace today, in 1993, Petrovich’s efficiency across all three scoring levels with shooting splits of 51.8% FG, 44.9% 3PT, and 87.0% FT was highly coveted, propelling him to the 10th spot in effective field goal percentage.

His playing style can be likened to a prime 30-year-old All-Star Ray Allen with Seattle and a 27-year-old All-Star Klay Thompson in 2018.

Although slightly inferior on the defensive end compared to a peak Klay, Petrovich excelled in offensive facilitation.

Given today’s emphasis on shot selection and spacing in basketball, it’s likely that Petrovich would seamlessly fit into any pace-and-space system. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section about who you believe is the closest modern comparison to Petrović in the last five seasons.

The loss of Petrovich in 1993, at the peak of his game at the age of 28, remains a poignant moment.

Contemplate the likelihood of him being included in the top 75 NBA players of all time had he lived and played a full career into the late ’90s/early 2000s. Gone too soon, the Mozart of basketball!

“It was a thrill to play against Drazen. Every time we competed, he competed with an aggressive attitude. He wasn’t nervous; he came at me as hard as I came at him. So we’ve had some great battles in the past and unfortunately, they were short battles.” – Michael Jordan

“Dražen Petrovich was an extraordinary young man, and a true pioneer in the global sports of basketball. I know that a lasting part of his athletic legacy will be that he paved the way for other international players to compete successfully in the NBA. His contributions to the sport of basketball were enormous. We are all proud of the fact we knew him.” – David Stern

Drazen Petrovich medals:

OLYMPIC GAMES:
1984 – Bronze
1988 – Silver
1992 – Silver

FIBA WORLD CUP:
1986 – Bronze
1990 – Gold

FIBA EUROBASKET:
1983 – Silver
1987 – Gold

* All-NBA Third Team (1993)
* 2× EuroLeague champion (1985, 1986)
* EuroLeague Finals Top Scorer (1985)
* FIBA European Selection (1987)
* 4× Euroscar (1986, 1989, 1992, 1993)
* 2× Mr. Europa Award (1986, 1993)
* 2× FIBA Saporta Cup champion (1987, 1989)
* 2× FIBA Saporta Cup Finals Top Scorer (1987, 1989)
* FIBA Korać Cup Finals Top Scorer (1988)
* Spanish League Top Scorer (1989)
* Spanish Cup winner (1989)
* Spanish Cup Final Top Scorer (1989)
* Yugoslav League champion (1985)
* 3× Yugoslav Cup winner (1985, 1986, 1988)
* FIBA World Championship MVP (1986)
* FIBA EuroBasket MVP (1989)
* Best Athlete of Yugoslavia (1985)
* Yugoslav Sportsman of the Year (1985)
* Croatian Sportsman of the Year (1985, 1986)
* FIBA’s 50 Greatest Players (1991)
* Olympic Order (1993)
* 50 Greatest EuroLeague Contributors (2008)
* No. 3 retired by Brooklyn Nets
* No. 10 retired by Cibona