Remembering Dražen Dalipagić - The Legendary Scorer Who Ruled the Basketball World

Today marks what would have been the 74th birthday of Dražen Dalipagić, one of the most extraordinary basketball players ever to come from this region - and one of the greatest to ever step on a European court. Few athletes combined elegance, scoring power, athleticism and longevity the way Dalipagić did. His journey, from a teenager in Mostar to a global basketball icon, remains one of the sport’s most remarkable stories.

Dražen Dalipagić was born on November 27, 1951, in Mostar, at a time when Yugoslav basketball was only beginning to form its identity. His talent was unmistakable and in 1971, he signed his first professional contract with Partizan, where his legend truly began.

Dalipagić spent nine years (1971-1980) in the black-and-white jersey. What followed was an era that shaped both his career and club history. With Partizan, he won 2 Yugoslav League titles - in 1975-76 and 1978/79 seasons, while he also helped the club win the FIBA Korać Cup twice, firstly in the 1977-78 season, and then again in the 1978-79 season. He also won the 1979 Yugoslav Cup with the Belgrade giant.

During that period, Dalipagić became a global face of the sport - one of the rare Europeans recognized worldwide for his explosive style and scoring brilliance.

In 1980, Dalipagić left to play abroad for the first time, joining Reyer Venezia in Italy. After a season there, he returned to Partizan for one more year, before embarking on a unique European career that included: Playing for Real Madrid in the 1982–83 season, then for A.P.U. Udine from 1983 to 1985. After that he had a return stint with Reyer Venezia that lasted from 1985 to 1988, while then he spent a year with Glaxo Verona in the 1988/89 season. Finally, he finished his long and successful playing career in Crvena zvezda in the 1990/91 season.

No matter the jersey, Dalipagić remained a spectacular scorer - capable of single-handedly deciding games and electrifying crowds with his vertical explosiveness and pure shooting.

Dražen Dalipagić will also stay remembered as one of the best and most successful players that wore the jersey of the Yugoslav National Team. He made his senior national team debut in 1973, and from that moment until 1986, he became one of the cornerstones of Yugoslav basketball’s golden era.

Dalipagić played 243 games, scoring 3,700 points - a national team record that stands as a testament to his longevity and impact.

With the Yugoslav National Team, Dražen Dalipagić won 12 medals, including 5 golds! Dalipagić won the gold at the 1980 Olympic Games, 1978 FIBA World Cup and at 3 FIBA Eurobaskets – 1973, 1975 and 1977.

He was named one of FIBA's 50 Greatest Players in 1991. Dalipagić was enshrined into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a player in 2004, and into the FIBA Hall of Fame, also as a player, in 2007. In 2008, he was named one of the 50 Greatest EuroLeague Contributors.

Dražen Dalipagić passed away in 2025, but his legacy continues to shine. On what would have been his 74th birthday, the basketball community remembers not just the medals and titles, but the spirit of a player who turned a dream into a legendary journey - one that will forever remain part of the fabric of the sport.