LJUBLJANA (FIBA EuroBasket 2017) - FIBA EuroBasket 2017 MVP Goran Dragic has received a precious gift from the mother of the late Drazen Petrovic, Biserka, after leading Slovenia to the top of the podium.

Dragic, who donned No. 3 for Slovenia - the same number Naismith and FIBA Hall of Famer Petrovic wore in his career with the New Jersey Nets - was presented with Petrovic's NBA jersey on Tuesday and was moved to tears.

"It is one of the most beautiful gifts I've ever received in my life," Dragic said to Siol.net. "He was my idol. We all know what he did for Yugoslavia and the basketball world. It was a great honor for me to wear the jersey No.3."

Dragic, who had 35 points in Sunday's title-game triumph over Serbia, is among many Europeans to have followed in Petrovic's footsteps by playing in the NBA. He is the starting point guard for the Miami Heat.

Petrovic, a European basketball legend from Croatia who played four years in the NBA, was just 28 when he died in a car accident in 1993.

FIBA