Vlade Divac

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Lore & Background

Divac was born in Prijepolje, SR Serbia, SFR Yugoslavia. He began his professional career in Yugoslavia playing for Sloga from Kraljevo, then signed with KK Partizan in 1986. 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 11, 1996, for the draft rights to Kobe Bryant. After stints with Crvena zvezda during the 1998–99 lockout and the Sacramento Kings (1999–2004), he returned to the Lakers for the 2004–05 season. He retired on July 14, 2005.

In Their Own Story

The summer of 1996 marked a turning point for the Lakers and Divac's career. After being traded to the Charlotte Hornets on July 1, 1996, Divac initially considered retirement but flourished under coach Dave Cowens in North Carolina, setting a career-high with 12 blocks against the New Jersey Nets on February 12, 1997. Despite his success in Charlotte, his legacy in Los Angeles was cemented by the trade that sent him away for Kobe Bryant's rights, a move that indirectly facilitated the arrival of Shaquille O'Neal and set the stage for future championships. Although he returned to the Lakers on July 20, 2004, as part of Mitch Kupchak's overhaul plan, back problems limited him to just 15 games in the 2004–05 season before his retirement.

Reader's Guide

Divac played center and was known for his passing skills. He was among the first group of European players to transfer to the NBA in the late 1980s. 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. He was the first player born and trained outside the United States to play in over 1,000 games in the NBA. He was inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2010 and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019.

Did You Know?

• Divac was the first European-born player to reach 1,000 NBA games.
• He was traded to the Charlotte Hornets on July 11, 1996, for the draft rights to Kobe Bryant.
• He returned to the Lakers for the 2004–05 season, not just in 2004.