"Clyde would give me 20 at practice, and I couldn't figure it out" - Drazen Petrovic recalls being schooled by Drexler in his first year originally appeared on Basketball Network .
When we talk about basketball legacy, some players will be remembered for their clutch gene, others as winners, some as chokers, losers, or players with elite mentality, incredible work ethic and dedication.
Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant are the first names that come to mind when we talk about winning mentality, and the late Croatian Drazen Petrovic undoubtedly belongs in that category as well.
It's been 32 years since his tragic death, and the stories about him are slowly turning into legend.
The well-known tale is that when he arrived in the NBA as one of the best players outside the United States' borders, coach Rick Adelman didn't have much trust in him despite all the accolades and records he held. At the guard position, he had to compete with the likes of Clyde Drexler, Terry Porter and Danny Ainge—all proven names at the time. From the first practices, Petrovic realized what it would take to reach their level.
"In Portland , during my first days at practice, I played against Clyde Drexler. I couldn't manage at all. I would score a basket or two on him, and he would score twenty on me ," said Petrovic.
"I wondered what I was doing there, if I had made a mistake by leaving Europe. And then I realized: without strength, you are nothing. You don't even have time to think about shooting before they're on your hand, shoulder, back. If I had trained as much in Sibenka or Cibona as I did when I came to the NBA, I would have been a 30% better player," he concluded.
And so the story didn't just remain a myth — a frustrated Petrovic decided to prove everyone wrong, even though he knew Drexler was above him in the hierarchy. His mentality didn't allow him to admit that anyone could outwork him. Petro bulked up and eventually got traded from Portland to New Jersey, where he completely exploded.
In his second season with the Nets , he played all 82 games and averaged 20.6 points and 3.1 assists per game, shooting 50.8% from the field and an incredible 44.4% from three. The following season, which also turned out to be his last, he hit his peak, raising his averages to 22.3 points and 3.8 assists, while shooting 51.8% from the field, 44.9% from three, and 87% from the free-throw line.
NBA champion Vernon Maxwell best explains just how dominant he was during those two Nets seasons, saying Petrovic gave him nightmares .
"That MF gave me nightmares. He's bigger than me, he come off that MF, shooting that bit*h. Never seen that before... This MF used to give me buckets. I used to be so frustrated. I couldn't stop this MF. Can't give this MF an inch. Mid-range, all that," Maxwell once explained how good Petrovic was.
"You know how them MFs in Europe got that triple-threat sht going. He had that sht down to the teeth. He used to fuk me with that. He was killing my ass with that. I was jumping everywhere," Vernon added an insight into Drazen's skillset.
Petrovic's elite and fearless mentality was also reflected in the fact that he wasn't afraid at all of the then-infamous Mad Max, who was known as a great defender and very aggressive, always playing on the edge of a foul.
When it comes to The Glyde, his greatness is perhaps best highlighted by the fact that he was chosen to back up Michael Jordan on the 1992 Dream Team. If your name comes up alongside Jordan's, it says everything about the level you've reached.
Drexler eventually cemented his legacy by winning a title with the Houston Rockets alongside Hakeem Olajuwon. The two of them will be remembered as the only two superstars who got an NBA chip during Jordan's two-year absence.
On the other hand, Petrovic had the mentality that he was on the same level as both, and that says it all about what kind of competitor he was.
Related: Michael Jordan shows off his $115 million luxurious superyacht in Croatia
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
