Young Croatian Jaksic a huge hit with Horned Frogs fans

Steve Carp

Friday, Jan. 22, 1999 | 11:03 a.m.

Rebels at TCU

When: Saturday, 5:05 p.m.

Where: Fort Worth, Texas

Radio: KXNT, 840 AM

FORT WORTH, Texas -- He's not the best player on Texas Christian's roster. But if they were to hold a popularity contest at TCU's Daniel-Meyer Coliseum, the fans might well put Vladimir Jaksic at the top of their list.

Such is life when you're job is to score. The fans love guys who can hit from downtown. The 6-foot-8 sophomore from Croatia averages just over eight points a game off the bench, sort of in the mold of a young Toni Kukoc when he was getting his feet wet with the Chicago Bulls.

In fact, when Jaksic started playing in America three years ago at Blinn (Texas) Junior College, everyone called him "Toni," though he'd prefer "Drazen" as in the late Drazen Petrovic, who also played in the NBA with New Jersey before he died in a car crash a couple of years ago.

But Jaksic is more intent on establishing his own identity. Little does he know but teams already are aware of his presence. And you can bet UNLV will pay more than a passing interest in him when Jaksic enters Saturday's TCU-Rebels game at Daniel-Meyer.

His ability to provide instant offense to a team which averages just under 92 points a game will get the attention of any coach.

Jaksic knows he was brought to TCU to score. But he considers himself an all-around player. He was taught to pass, screen, rebound and defend, traits that don't necessarily endear themselves to TCU's hip-hop style of basketball.

"Actually, it wasn't that hard to adjust," Jaksic said. "In JC, it was all run-and-gun where no one passes the ball. Back home (in Croatia), we play like Princeton does -- a lot of screening and passing.

"But I like playing this style of ball TCU plays. I like the freedom of going up and down the floor."

Jaksic plays about 19 minutes a night. He'd like to play a little more. But he knows that Billy Tubbs calls those shots and he's not ready to add coaching to his burden of playing and going to class. At least not right now.

"I'm comfortable coming off the bench as long as I'm playing 20-25 minutes," he said. "As a shooter, which is what I am here, you need to get in a rhythm to do your job."

Jaksic probably would get more minutes if Ryan Carroll wasn't doing so well as the starting off-guard and leading the WAC in 3-pointers. But as long as the 21st-ranked Horned Frogs are winning (TCU is 15-3 after beating Air Force Thursday night), he's not about to rock the boat.

"You can't complain when the team is winning," he said.

And he doesn't complain about living in America. He fell in love with Texas from the start. And even though the Metroplex area is not a haven for Croatians like Chicago, Cleveland and Pittsburgh are, Jaksic said aside from missing his parents he doesn't get homesick.