The Mozart of Basketball

"A Croatian national, Petroviac was a legend in his own country, turning professional at fifteen and joining the Yugoslav national team as a teenager. His flashy, provocative style made him beloved by fans and despised by his rivals. He could have had a long and distinguished career in his homeland, but Petroviac wanted more. One of the first Europeans to break into the American National Basketball Association, Petroviac battled against xenophobia and the long-held belief that Europeans could not attain stardom in the world's best league. After initial difficulty in Portland, his contributions to the New Jersey Nets breathed life into a dormant franchise and made him an NBA star"--Amazon.com.