Drazen Petrovic's mother gave Goran Dragic her son's jersey. Here's why that matters.
This is so touching.
Goran Dragic is fresh off leading Slovenia to the 2017 EuroBasket championship, a stunning accomplishment for a small nation state with a population of just two million. Dragic dropped 35 points in the title game, and you can imagine it has been an emotional week for him.
But here’s what really moved him to tears.
Goran Dragic got a special present from Petrovic’s mother.
— Sportando (@Sportando) September 19, 2017
Drazen jersey no.3 of the Nets.
And Dragic broke in tears https://t.co/eMsLSI3Rbx pic.twitter.com/3gpwNFeiFl
Petrovic is Drazen Petrovic, who was born in what was then Yugoslavia. When Yugoslavia broke up along with the USSR, Slovenia is one of the nations that emerged. Petrovic starred in the NBA for four seasons, breaking out to average 22 points per game during the 1992-93 season with the New Jersey Nets. Tragically, Petrovic was killed in a car accident that summer, ending his career and life prematurely. Some say that he was destined to become the best shooter the league had ever seen — at least at the time.
For Dragic to receive the jersey from the mother of one of his native country’s stars, you can imagine why he couldn’t help but cry. Who wouldn’t? What a bittersweet, but great, moment.