One of the most exceptional athletes from Šibenik was Dražen Petrovič, the Croatian basketball wizard. Born in Šibenik in 1964, was the best European basketball player ever. Dražen's legendary journey to stardom begun 25 years ago in Šibenik, when he was only 13 years old. Šibenka was still then in the second division. Two years later “Petro” wins his first medal at the cadet state championship for 3 rd place, and Šibenka manages to enter the first division. Dražen was already in the starting five, for Šibenka's coach Zoran Slavić there was no doubt whether a 15 years old was ready for first division competition. It didn't take long for results, Šibenika played in the final of the Koraća Cup against Limoge twice, and in1983 they made it to the state playoffs final against Bosna. In that final game Dražen's free throw points changed the outcome of the game. Šibenka was champion, the medals were handed out, and the basketball virtuoso in front thousands of Šibenka fans gave a speech on the Poljana. His brother Aleksander would later say that Dražen had an ability to gather older people around him, because at the age of 18 he was already a leader of his team.

But, only a day later, the chiefs of the Yugoslavian Basketball Union annulled the game and it was decided that a new game would be played in Novi Sad . Dražen, his teammates and the management of the club refused to go to Novi Sad , and the title was taken away, better said stolen. The medal was never returned. After that Dražen went to serve in the army. In the spring of 1984, everyone already knew that Dražen was leaving Šibenka and many clubs wanted to see him on their court. He signed for Cibona. He brought Zagreb 8 state championships and 2 European championships; he had become “Mozart”. Those 4 years were phenomenal, that kind of basketball frenzy will maybe never ever repeat itself in Zagreb again.

The time had come for a new step in his career. “The King's Club“ from Madrid needed a new king, Dražen. With Real he wins the state championship and the Champions cup. In the final against Snaider, he scores an unbelievable 64 points.

The new goal was across “The Big Pond”- the NBA. Which in that time had amazing players; they were half human, half gods. For the first time in his career he had a minor part in the team. The Portland coach used him to draw the maximum out of Porter and Drexler. Porter would play injured just so Dražen couldn't play. Portland made it to the finals, where the “bad boys” from Detroit stopped them.

Some players with a million dollar contract in their pocket would be satisfied on the bench. Dražen just couldn't handle that. Money wasn't important, he wanted to leave, he wanted to play. Finally in January 1991, his manager told him the great news, he was transferred to the New Jersey Nets. “Petro” once more devoured his opponents, he became the first player in his team, he leaded them to the playoffs. After his arrival in New Jersey , matches were not only played on the court. Croatia becomes independent, and also a victim of Serbian aggression. Dražen and his friend Stojko Vranković protested in front the UN building in New York . A new national team was born, a new basketball superpower, Croatia , lead by Dražen. In the times when the recognition of Croatia was very distant, his thoughts were in Barcelona and the great final against the Dream Team. Finally it happened, Croatia was in Barcelona , in the final, against Jordan , Magic Johnson, Bird, Barkley and where Croatia even took the lead in the first half of the first quarter.

Dražen as a 17 year old brought the championship to Šibenik. One on one with his brother Aleksander he would score over 30 points and even push the ball through his legs several times. His mother would get angry at him “How can you do that to your brother?”

Nikad prežaljeni majstor košarkaške igre za hrvatsku reprezentaciju odigrao je 38 utakmica, posljednju na kvalifikacijama za EP 1993. u Wroclawu protiv Slovenije. Zanimljivo, i prva mu je bila upravo protiv Slovenije. Igrao je kvalifikacije, iako nije bio potpuno zdrav i bez obzira što bi i bez njegove pomoći Hrvatska osigurala nastup na EP-u. Nije mogao biti negdje drugdje - morao je biti sa svojim prijateljima iz reprezentacije.

Također, tog ljeta trebalo je donijeti odluku o nastavku karijere. Pričalo se da će prema New Yorku. Pat Riley trebao je pobjednika, čovjeka s kojim će otići do kraja. Trebao mu je netko, tko bi dvije sekunde prije kraja šeste utakmice finala mogao pogoditi "tricu" vrijednu naslova. John Starks to definitivno nije bio.

Na žalost, to nismo dočekali. Probudila nas je vijest o Draženovoj smrti u prometnoj nesreći. Sudbina nam je uzela našeg kapetana.

Dražen played 38 games for the national team and his last was the European qualifier against Slovenia 1993 in Wroclaw . That was his first game against Slovenia . He played in all of the qualifiers even though he was injured and even though the team would have qualified without his help. He couldn't be anywhere else; he had to be with his teammates.

Moreover that summer he was to decide in which club he would play. It was rumored that he was signing for New York . Pat Riley needed a winner, a player who would go that extra mile. He needed someone, who would two seconds to the siren score a three pointer. John Starks was definitely not that player.

Unfortunately we were woken by the news that Dražen was killed in a fatal automobile accident. Fate had robbed us of our team captain.

Ten years after the final in Barcelona our once national team captain Dražen Petrović became a member of the Hall of Fame in Springfield .

The class of 2002, how the Americans call this year's members of the Hall of Fame, are: Magic Johnson, coaches Larry Brown, Lute Olson, Kay Yow, the Harlem Globetrotters and the finest European basketball player of all time Dražen Petrović. Selection into the Hall of Fame is a very rigorous procedure, this year there were 24 candidates, which is a record. To be elected candidates have to obtain 18 out of 24 votes from the Council of Recognition. Two players were elected as well as three coaches and the Harlem Globe Trotters.

From the 27 th of September 2002 , the basketball “Mozart” is in the company of the legendary Krešimir Čosić, who from 1996 is also a member of the Hall of Fame, and another Croat, George Mikan, the first true star of the NBA, who earned the title of the best basketball player in the first half of the century.(HINA)

On the 25th of September 2002 , which is St Michaels day, the day of the town of Šibenik. The Šibenik town council awarded Dražen Petrović posthumously.