Glavni grad Hrvatske Zagreb, tijekom posljednja je dva dana bio ‘košarkaškom mekom’  Europe i svijeta! Naime, obitelj Petrović i Sportska udruga Dražen Petrović, uloživši nadnaravni napor uspješno su realizirali sjajni event u spomen na svjetsku košarkašku legendu – Dražena Petrovića, Našeg Malog koji bi 22.10. ove godine napunio 60 godina.

Dvodnevni je event, nakon gala večere u srijedu navečer, kulminirao spektakularnom revijalnom utakmicom između Team Croatia i Team Dražena u prepunoj Areni Zagreb. U istoj su nakon uzbudljive završnice igrači trenera Željka Obradovića (Team Dražen) slavili rezultatom 107-110. Najboljim strijelcem susreta bio je hrvatski reprezentativac Mario Hezonja (Real Madrid) sa ukupno 37 poena, pobjednik natjecanja u tricama bio je njegov klupski suigrač Džanan Musa, a posebnu težinu susretu dao je dolazak u prepunu dvoranu još jednog (nekadašnjeg) igrača Reala – NBA superstara Luke Dončića.

Uz sjajnu moderaciju od strane obitelji Petrović, Ace, Marka i Biserke, stanke ovog jedinstvenog susreta poslužile su za odlično osmišljenu retrospektivu Draženove karijere. O njemu i njegovim igračkim dosezima biranim su riječima, često superlativima, govorili njegovi suigrači i treneri iz redova njegovih klubova – KK Šibenke Šibenik, Cibone Zagreb, Real Madrida, Portland Trail Blazersa te New Jersey Netsa.

Teško je zaista nabrojiti sve košarkaške legende koje su ovom prigodom, uz golemi logistički napor domaćina, došle odati dvodnevnu počast Draženu no pokušajmo: Nikos Galis i Panagniotis Giannakis (Grčka), Terry Porter i Kenny Anderson (SAD), Vlade Divac, Žarko Paspalj, Dejan Bodiroga, Predrag Danilović (Srbija), Doron Jamchy (Izrael), Richard Dacoury (Francuska). Da ne zaboravimo trenere Nevena Spahiju, Željka Pavličevića, Željka Obradovića, Vladu Đurovića, Zorana Slavnića, Rusmira Halilovića, Dejana Srzića…

Tijekom poluvremena susreta specijalno instalirani spektakularni LED parket poslužio za prvo javno prikazivanje službenog trailera za nadolazeći igrani film o Draženu (Šibenik, 22.10.2024.). Biranim riječima o Draženu govorili su stoga producenti filma Ljubo Zdjelarević i Ivor Šiber, redatelj Danilo Šerbedžija, te glumica Zrinka Cvitešić, koja će u nadolazećem filmu zasjati u ulozi i na ovom eventu iznimno angažirane te sveprisutne gospođe Biserke Petrović.

Sam vrhunac retrospektive Draženove karijere nastupio je kad je na parket izašla Reprezentacija Hrvatske iz 1992., koja je nakon dva nezaboravna dvoboja s originalnim Dream Teamom izborila srebro zlatnog sjaja na Olimpijadi u Barceloni. Svaki od igrača ‘Generacije ’92 u maštovitoj je koreografiji zauzeo svoj s dresa broj projiciran na parketu, a zatim se na iznenađenje svih 15.000 gledatelja, te suzama u očima Ace Petrovića i najboljeg prijatelja Stojka Vrankovića, suigračima iz 1992. s ekrana velikog semafora obratio Draženov hologram (generiran uz pomoć umjetne inteligencije).

Još tijekom posljednje dionice povijesnog susreta, dok je na oba kraja parketa dominirao Boban Marjanović, želje brojnih navijača, za autogramom ili selfijem, ispunjavao je odvijek nesebični draženov cimer Pink Panther – Toni Kukoč. Susret je snažnim riječima Život leti Kapetane zapečatio Draženov brat Aco, a potom je uslijedila izvedba bezvremenske skladbe Klape Sebenico.

Uz zahvale obitelji Petrović, Sportskoj udruzi Dražen Petrović, Vladi Republike Hrvatske te Gradu Zagrebu na tome što su omogućile realizaciju ovog specijalnog eventa, koji je potvrda da Košarka i dalje živi u Hrvatskoj, priključujemo se željama da isti ne bude posljednji takve vrste, već prvi u nizu takvih evenata.

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Over the past two days, the Croatian capital , Zagreb, was the ‘basketball mecca’ of Europe and the world! Namely, the Petrović family and the Dražen Petrović Sports Association, having made a supernatural effort, successfully organized a great event in memory of the world basketball legend – Dražen Petrović, Our Little One, who would have turned 60 years of age on October 22, 2024 if he lived on.

After a gala dinner on Wednesday evening, the two-day event culminated in a spectacular exhibition match between the Croatian NT and Team Dražen in the sold-out Arena Zagreb. After an exciting finish, Team Dražen, coached by Željko Obradović, won with a score of 107-110. The best scorer of the game was the Croatian NT guard-forward Mario Hezonja (Real Madrid) with a total of 37 points, the winner of the three-point competition was his club teammate Džanan Musa, and the arrival of another (former) Real player, NBA superstar Luka Dončić, added a special touch to the game.

With great moderation by the Petrović family, Aco, Marko, and Biserka, the breaks of this unique meeting served for a superbly-designed retrospective of Dražen’s career. His teammates and coaches from all of his clubs – KK Šibenka Šibenik, Cibona Zagreb, Real Madrid, the Portland Trail Blazers, and the New Jersey Nets paid tribute to him and his playing achievements using chosen words, more often than not with superlatives.

It is tough to list all the basketball legends who, on this unique occasion, with the huge logistical effort of the hosts, came to pay a two-day tribute to Dražen: Nikos Galis and Panagiotis Giannakis (Greece), Terry Porter and Kenny Anderson (USA), Vlade Divac, Žarko Paspalj, Dejan Bodiroga, Predrag Danilović (Serbia), Doron Jamchy (Israel), Richard Dacoury (France). Let’s not forget the coaches Neven Spahija, Željko Pavličević, Željko Obradović, Vlado Đurović, Zoran Slavnić, Rusmir Halilović, Dejan Srzić…

During the halftime, the specially-installed spectacular LED parquet served for the first public screening of the official trailer for the upcoming feature movie about Dražen, which will premiere in Šibenik on October 22, 2024. The movie producers Ljubo Zdjelarević and Ivor Šiber, director Danilo Šerbedžija, and actress Zrinka Cvitešić, gave a glimpse of the upcoming movie. Cvitešić will shine in the role of the omnipresent Biserka Petrović.

The pinnacle of the Dražen’s career retrospective came when the 1992 Croatian national team, which won the golden silver at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics took the floor. In an imaginative choreography, each of the players of Generation ’92 took their place on their jersey number projected on the floor. Then, to the surprise of all 15,000 spectators, and with tears in the eyes of Aco Petrović and Dražen’s best friend Stojko Vranković, Dražen’s hologram (generated with the help of artificial intelligence) addressed his teammates from 1992.

Even during the last quarter of the historic match, while Boban Marjanović dominated on both ends of the floor, the wishes of numerous fans, for autographs or selfies, were fulfilled by Dražen’s always unselfish roommate Pink Panther – Toni Kukoč. Dražen’s brother Aco sealed the meeting with the powerful words Život leti Kapetane, followed by a performance of the timeless Klapa Sebenico.

With special thanks to the Petrović family, the Dražen Petrović Sports Association, the Government of the Republic of Croatia, and the City of Zagreb for enabling the realization of this special event, which confirms that basketball still lives in Croatia, we join in the wishes that it will not be the last of this kind, but the first in a series of such events.