Classic Draz

Petrovic and Schmidt, Brazil’s great shooter, were both Net properties. Petrovic of course played for New Jersey, but what is little known about Schmidt is that he was among the first international players drafted by an NBA team, and that NBA team was the Nets. Schmidt was drafted in the sixth round in the 1984 draft—the same draft that produced Hakeem Olajuwon, Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley.

Why didn’t he play for the Nets? Because back then, a contract with the NBA would mean an end to your amateur status, while a contract with a club team would not. As noted by Blowtorch, he also said he knew his limitations (like defense). Schmidt loved playing for the Brazilian National Team, representing his country in five Olympics (’80, ’84, ’88, ’92, and ’96). He averaged a record 28.8 points a game, including an astounding 42.3 in Barcelona.

But imagine what that 1984-85 Net team would have been like with Schmidt, Michael Ray Richardson, Buck Williams, Darryl Dawkins, Mike Gminski, etc.