2024 marks what would have been the 60th birthday of Dražen Petrović, the Šibenik-born basketball star who was one of the best shooting guards on the planet before his tragic death in 1993. The son of a police officer and librarian, Petrović dominated European basketball before heading across the Atlantic to the Portland Trail Blazers in 1989, but it wasn’t until he was traded to the New Jersey Nets that everything clicked. Petrović quickly became a star in the league. His jersey number (3) was retired by the Nets following his death, and many awards and arenas worldwide have been named after him. A memorial basketball court honours Petrović in his hometown (complete with a sculpture in honour of him as an ambitious hoop-obsessed child). The Dražen Petrović Memorial Centre in Zagreb is a must-visit for any basketball fan (closed until October), an achingly gorgeous celebration of Petrović’s life from Šibenik to superstardom. On September 5, a match of legends will be held at the Zagreb Arena to celebrate the 60th birthday of a sporting icon.