Vlade Divac

Lore & Background

Divac played center and, unlike many centers, was known for his passing skills. He was among the first group of European basketball players to transfer to the NBA in the late 1980s and was named one of the 50 Greatest EuroLeague Contributors. He is one of seven players in NBA history to record 13,000 points, 9,000 rebounds, 3,000 assists, and 1,500 blocked shots, along with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Hakeem Olajuwon, Shaquille O'Neal, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, and Pau Gasol. Divac was also the first player born and trained outside the United States to play in over 1,000 games in the NBA. Divac was named to the FIBA All-Time EuroStars Team in 2007. On August 20, 2010, he was inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame in recognition of his play in international competition. He was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019.

Reader's Guide

Divac began playing basketball in his home town Prijepolje for the team KK Elan. He began his professional career in Yugoslavia playing for Sloga from Kraljevo. In the summer of 1986, he signed with KK Partizan. Drafted into the NBA in 1989 by the Los Angeles Lakers, he became one of the first European players to have an impact in the league. He played for the Lakers from 1989 to 1996, then was traded to the Charlotte Hornets on July 1, 1996. During the 1998–99 NBA lockout, in January 1999, Divac played 2 games for KK Crvena zvezda. On January 22, 1999, he signed a six-year contract with the Sacramento Kings, where he played until 2004. He returned to the Lakers on July 20, 2004, but suffered back problems and played only 15 games. He announced his retirement on July 14, 2005.

Did You Know?

• Divac earned a reputation for flopping and freely admitted doing so.
• He was traded to the Charlotte Hornets for the draft rights to Kobe Bryant.
• The Kings retired Divac's No. 21 jersey on March 31, 2009.
• Divac is a humanitarian, helping children in Serbia and Africa.