CLUBS AND NATIONAL TEAMS

Everyone claimed a European player couldn't be successful in the NBA if he didn't spend four years in a college. Dražen knew he could play there. He was sure he could play as good as Americans. He said basketball there is no different to one in Europe, hoops are no smaller and NBA players are good but are not aliens. Dražen knew what he had to do for success – work, hard work and nothing else – that was Dražen's recipe. Filled with endless energy in pursuit for success, he improved his physical and technical abilities. At last he proved Europeans could play in the NBA. In four years Dražen spent in the NBA he had the best field goal (50.6%) and three points percentage (43.7%) out of all players on shooting guard position, leaving Michael Jordan and Reggie Miller behind. He is the best shooter in the history of Portland and third best player in the Nets history. In total, Dražen played 290 games in the NBA and scored 4.461 points, or 15,4 per game.

Portland Trail Blazers

To Portland, the city on the Western coast of USA, Dražen came on 17 August 1989 and stayed there for 18 months. Trail Blazers chose him in the third round (60^th pick) of the NBA draft. They were among the best teams during that period making the competition between the players palpable. Dražen played as a third guard due to the fact Portland had one of the strongest backcourt duos back then – Terry Porter and Clyde Drexler. Portland having full formation of guards and the fact Dražen was European were the reasons coach Rick Adelman didn't give Dražen an opportunity to continuously play, putting him in the game on average for 7 to 10 minutes, usually at the end of the match when everything was decided. Dražen described his position in the team ̶ “I have the best seats in the arena. On the bench.” Rick Adelman never cricitized Dražen, he was satisfied with his work ethic. Nevertheless, Adelman never explained why he didn't put Dražen in the game, all the while knowing how much he could have contributed. Even in the hardest period of his career Dražen remained strong, never giving up.

In Dražen's first season Portland Trail Blazers won the Western Conference. In 1990 Dražen became the first European player in the NBA finals. Wayne Thompson, journalist and Blazers longtime follower, proclaimed Dražen the best shooter in the history of the franchise. In 18 months Dražen stayed with Portland he played in 77 games, achieving 583 points – on average of 7.6 points per game.

Unsatisfied with back-up player status he had never been before, despite lucrative contract, Dražen wanted to change the team. He was ready to move from the team he played the NBA finals with to the lowest ranked team in the League, just to get a chance to play more. The trade was settled on 23 January 1991, so he spent the second half of the 1990/91 season as a New Jersey Nets member.

New Jersey Nets

In the new club, on the Eastern coast of the USA, he wore jersey with number three. New Jersey Nets were one of the lowest ranked NBA teams back then. Team which for four years didn't get in the Playoffs. In the 1990/91 season Dražen played 62 games and scored 623 points – on average 10.2 points per game. For two consecutive seasons Dražen and Nets reached Playoffs. In 1991/92 season he played 82 games and scored 1691 points, on average 20.6 points per game, making him the most valuable player (NETS MVP) and best New Jersey Nets player (Net of the year). In the following season he played even better thus ranking himself among the best NBA players. He appeared in 70 games, scored 1564 points, averaging 22.3 points per game. As the best New Jersey Nets shooter in 1992/93 season he was selected in All-NBA third team. He was posthumously voted the third best player in the history of the franchise.

Dražen's No. 3 Nets jersey was raised under the vault of Meadowlands Arena, home of the New Jersey Nets, on 11 November 1993. Before Dražen, only four players had their jerseys retired by Nets.