Former Los Angeles Lakers center, Vlade Divac, was among the 17 that was inducted into the International Basketball Federation’s Hall of Fame. In the 1989 NBA Draft, the Yugoslavia native became the first non-American player to be drafted. The Lakers selected Divac 26th overall in the first round.
The affable Divac quickly became a fan favorite despite his inability to speak English fluently. Divac played seven seasons with the Lakers before being sent to Charlotte via a trade that would bring future star, Kobe Bryant, to Los Angeles.
After two seasons in Charlotte, Divac went on to play for the Sacramento Kings, which often pitted him against his former team, the Lakers, in the regular season and the playoffs. Divac played six seasons for the Sacramento franchise, which retired his number 21 jersey on March 31, 2009.
He returned to the Lakers for his final NBA season in 2004, but saw limited action due to an ailing back. He retired the following year after 16 seasons in the NBA with averages of 11.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.4 blocks per game.
In the NBA, Divac earned a reputation for flopping, which caught the ire of opposing players.
Along with his basketball endeavors, Divac performs a great deal of humanitarian work, establishing foundations that benefit children and refugees in his native country.
In 2009, he was elected as the president of the Serbian Olympic Committee, and will serve a four-year term.
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