Drazen Petrovic, the world-famous basketball player who died in a car crash in Germany on 7 June 1993, was born in Sibenik on 22 October 1964 in Sibenik, and Croatia as well his native town on Tuesday observed the 55th anniversary of his birth.

During a commemoration in the Dalmatian town of Sibenik, Petrovic’s first coach Miro Kotarac remembered Drazen’s passion, love and dedication to this sport.

The commemoration in the Baldekin sports hall brought together many school-age children who paid tribute to the legendary basketball player.

Mayor Zeljko Buric said that it was the city’s duty to keep the memory of Drazen Petrovic alive.

In Zagreb, a music video dedicated to Petrovic was presented at today’s ceremony, bringing together sportspeople as well as politicians and foreign diplomats.

The Croatian professional basketball player Petrovic earned two silver medals and one bronze in Olympic basketball, a gold and a bronze in the FIBA World Cup, a gold and a bronze in the FIBA EuroBasket, and two Euroleague titles. Petrovic, who initially achieved success playing professional basketball in Europe in the 1980s before joining the American NBA in 1989, exerted huge influence on European and American basketball.