Sacramento Kings to retire Vlade Divac’s #21 Jersey
The Sacramento Kings will retire Serbian superstar Vlade Divac’s #21 jersey when the New Orleans Hornets visit ARCO Arena on Tuesday night, March 31st, 2009.
After playing six seasons with the Lakers, and two with Charlotte, he would sign with Sacramento as a free-agent at the beginning of the 2000-01 season. Divac would average a double-double his first season for the up-and-coming Kings, averaging 14.3 points and 10 rebounds, as well as 4.3 assists and 1.0 block a game.
The Kings would move into NBA powerhouse status soon after Divac’s arrival.
Along with fellow Serbian Peja Stojakovic, Mike Bibby, Chris Webber and Doug Christie, Divac led Sacramento to the best record in the NBA during the 2001-02 with a 61-21 record. They would also win the Pacific division title two years in the row, from in 2001-03.
In 2000-01, Divac would participate in his one and only NBA All-Star Game, joining teammate Chris Webber in representing Sacramento.
Throughout Divac’s tenure with the Kings, they would have epic clashes with the Los Angeles Lakers of that era led by Shaquille O’Neal in his prime, and Kobe Bryant.
The most memorable of these battles culminated in a game six loss in the Western Confernece Finals in 2001-02 when Robert Horry hit a three-pointer at the buzzer to tie up the series for the Lakers. The Kings would go on to lose the series 4-3.
Divac’s stats aren’t eye-popping, and he may not have been the leading scorer for the Kings, but the young Kings looked up to their 7-1, 235lb chain-smoking, continuously-flopping pivot for leadership on and off the court.
Vlade Divac played six full seasons with the Kings (1998-99 to 2003-04) and the well-travelled Divac often referred to his time in California’s capital the best years of his basketball career.
Vlade played 16 NBA seasons, playing in a total of 1,134 games and averaging 11.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists a game, and 1.4 blocks throughout his career.
Divac, along with hall-of-famers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Hakeem Olajuwon, are the only players in NBA history to reach 13,000 points, 9,000 rebounds, 3,000 assists and 1,500 blocked shots.
The retirement ceremony will be held before the game at ARCO Arena in Sacramento.
Links and Resources: A Sacramento Kings Tribute–Vlade Divac (YouTube)
I was actually convinced he had played many All-Star games, given his impact in the NBA. Divac was one of the players who opened the door to international (and especially European) players in the NBA. He’s a legend of the sport worldwide.
March 30th, 2009 at 5:15 pm