Drazen Dalipagic, Yugoslavian basketball’s top scorer, dies at 73

The former Serbian basketball player of Bosnian origin Drazen Dalipagic, top scorer in the history of Yugoslav basketball, legend of Partizan Belgrade and who played in the 1982-83 season with Real Madrid, died this Saturday in Belgrade at the age of 73. the Serbian club has confirmed.

“After a long and serious illness, Drazen Dalipagic passed away this morning in Belgrade. The best scorer in the history of BC Partizan, former player of the Yugoslav national team, legend of world basketball and a man of inimitable character,” Partizan confirmed.

Born in Mostar (Bosnia) on November 27, 1951, ‘Praja’ began his professional career with the Belgrade team in 1971, and wore their shirt until 1980, and returned during the 1981-82 season. There he became the top scorer in the club’s history, with 8,278 points, and won two leagues, a Yugoslav Cup and two European Cups in 1978 and 1979.

Furthermore, with the Yugoslav national team, with which he played 243 games between 1973 and 1986, he was Olympic, world and European champion. His international record includes a gold (1978), a silver (1974) and two bronzes (1982 and 1986) in World Cups; a gold (1980), a silver (1976) and a bronze (1984) in the Olympic Games; and three golds (1973, 1975 and 1977), one silver (1981) and one bronze (1979) in Europeans.

He was selected among the 50 best players of the FIBA ​​in 1991, named best player of Eurobasket 1977 and best player in Europe in 1977, 1978 and 1980. In addition to Partizan, Dalipagic also played in the 1982-83 season for Real Madrid -on the white club’s return to the European Cup and without being able to compete in the ACB due to the strict regulations regarding players foreigners -, as well as at Udine, Venice, Verona and Red Star, where he finished his career in 1991.