Motivated by the challenge and pressured by the Portland Trail Blazers, who had drafted him 60th overall back in 1986, Petrović finally stood firm in the decision to try to establish himself in the NBA.
Naslednjega leta, 1986 ponovijo uspeh, v finalu evrolige tokrat premagajo litovski Žalgiris na čelu katerega igra legendarni Arvydas Sabonis, Dražen je prispeval 22 točk.