Krešimir Ćosić: The 7-Foot Playmaker Who Said No to NBA

Kresimir Cosic was an alien in every sense of the word for his time. Coming from Croatia, he was one of the first players to bring the European style of play to the United States. He was 6 '11, but he played nothing like the typical center of the early 70’s. He was only about 210 pounds, so he wasn’t one to bang down low, but he had so many other unique skills. Once he got the rebound, he would often keep it and bring the ball up the floor, all before throwing a crazy dime to a cutter. He also loved to work in the high post, waiting patiently for the play to develop before setting his teammates for the easy score. He had the unusual ability to create off the dribble, shooting pull-up jumpers like a guard. He was a legend at BYU, becoming a 3 time All-conference member and 2 time All-American, all while leading the Cougars as far as the Sweet 16. Kresimir averaged 20 & 12 for his college career, but because his playstyle wouldn’t be accepted for another 20 years, he wasn’t picked until the 5th round of the 1973 Draft. However, he chose not to play in the NBA, deciding to go back to Croatia and help grow the game there. He was an instrumental part of the emergence of European prospects in the NBA. His impact was so strong that thousands of Croatians attended his funeral, even as the country was fighting for its independence.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/international/players/kresimir-cosic-1.html