Marko Petrovic (Findlay Prep 2010) has three point shooting in his blood. The 6'3" shooting guard was invited to come to the states from his native Croatia to ball for Findlay Prep (the top high school basketball program in America) because of his transcendent ability to knock down shots from long range. One could've reasonably inferred, however, that he may possess this extraordinary ability without even having watched him take a shot because, well, it was about time someone took over the family business. Marko's uncle- the late Drazen Petrovic- is a member of the basketball hall of fame, the father of Croatian basketball, and the one whom many point to as the individual who paved the way for the current abundance of European stars in the NBA. But don't take my word for it, take it from NBA commissioner David Stern himself: "Drazen Petrovic was an extraordinary young man, and a true pioneer in the global sports of basketball. I know that a lasting part of his athletic legacy will be that he paved the way for other international players to compete successfully in the NBA. His contributions to the sport of basketball were enormous. We are all proud of the fact we knew him." Or from Michael Jordan "It was a thrill to play against Drazen. Every time we competed, he competed with an aggressive attitude. He wasn't nervous; he came at me as hard as I came at him. So, we've had some great battles in the past and unfortunately, they were short battles." Those battles were short because Drazen tragically died in a car accident at just 28 years of age, after only four seasons in the NBA (he was the player of the year in Europe twice before coming the the states), and now Marko has returned to America to finish what uncle Drazen started. After starting the season as a little used reserve for the Pilots- a team that starts two top 20 players in the nation in the backcourt- Marko has become a starter and a key contributor for Coach Peck's squad since top 50 guard Jabari Brown left the school last month. Some of the highlights of his season include a 22 point outing, a game in which he made 6 of the 7 three pointers he took, and a 27 point, 8/11 shooting day against a very good Christian Life (TX) squad. A charismatic and confident young Croatian, Marko shows in this interview why he is the man for the job- why he the kid with the heart and desire to make the name Petrovic relevant in the basketball world once again... For more info email DanielPoneman@gmail.com.
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