CLUBS AND NATIONAL TEAMS
National teams
Throughout his career Dražen regularly played for the national basketball teams of Yugoslavia and later Croatia. He was the first captain of Croatian national team for which he played 40 games and scored 1004 points, averaging 25 points per game. Dražen scored his first points against Slovenia on 20 May 1992. Interestingly, Slovenian basketballers were on the other side of the court when he played his last game in a Croatian jersey, on 6 June 1993.
Dražen's first national team trophy, a bronze medal, came in 1980 at the Balkan Junior Championship held in Istanbul. The first game he played for the senior Yugoslav national team was a friendly game against Italy on 21 June 1982.
At the World University Games (Universiade) Dražen participated three times: in 1983 in Edmonton (silver), in 1985 in Kobe (5th place) and in 1987 in Zagreb (gold). Zagreb was the host of XIV. Summer Universiade from 8 to 19 July 1987. Dražen had an honour, as one of the most successful student athletes in Yugoslavia, to light the torch and officialy open Universiade on Maksimir football stadium. Thanks to the Universiade, after numerous successes and back-to-back European titles, Cibona finally, on 30 June 1987, got its own arena. Since 4 October 1993 arena is named after Dražen, as well as the square where the gym is located.
In his extremely successful career Dražen participated in World and European Championships. Yugoslav national team won bronze medal at the World Championship in Madrid in 1986. Dražen was the third best scorer and third best passer and was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament. Next World Championship was held in Buenos Aires in 1990 and Yugoslav national team won gold medal.
Dražen took part in four European Championships: in 1983 in Nantes (7th place), in 1985 in Stuttgart (7th place), in 1987 in Athens (3rd place) and in 1989 in Zagreb (1st place).
At the biggest international sporting event, the Olympic Games, Dražen participated three times and won three medals: in 1984 in Los Angeles (bronze), in 1988 in Seoul (silver) and in 1992 in Barcelona (gold).
Croatian national team played in the finale of Olympic Games in Barcelona against the world’s strongest team ever assembled – the legendary Dream Team. That was the first time United States have sent professional athletes to the Olympic Games since up to that point USA were usually represented by student athletes. Croatia was the only team at the tournament that had the lead against the notorious team, score being 25:23 with nine minutes left in the first half. Final score was 117:85 and that was the smallest margin by which the Dream Team won a game at that tournament. Dražen was the best scorer of the game with 24 points compared to Michael Jordan’s 22 points.
Dražen’s last game in national team’s jersey was at the qualifying tournament for European Championship, played in Wrocław. Games in Wrocław are the perfect example of Dražen’s character. Coming to the tournament he had an injured leg and everybody advised him to skip the qualifications so he could be ready for the European Championship. Dražen did not want to hear about that and said: “All my friends are going to be there. I can’t be the first one who is not going to show up.” In six matches Dražen averaged 33.6 points, 168 in total. He was voted as the top scorer, top passer and the Most Valuable Player of the tournament. His 1000th point for the Croatian national team came against Slovenia on 6 June 1993. Dražen’s last basket was a free throw, and he finished the game in his own style – with 30 points.