Subscribe
Follow Us
Sacramento Kings general manager Vlade Divac became one of the newest members of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame on Friday night.
During his Hall of Fame speech, Divac spoke extensively about the love for the game of basketball and how that love inspired him to give it all back, via Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee.
Kings GM Vlade Divac, in his Hall of Fame induction speech: "To me, the game of basketball has always been about love, so it’s a good thing I had my agent and good friend, Mark Fletcher, by my side to make sure I made some money along the way." 1/2
— Jason Anderson (@JandersonSacBee) September 7, 2019
More from Vlade: "I believe the love gives you the freedom and power to share your best self and to inspire others. Love liberates you and gives you the power to make the impossible possible. Just like in life, when you play basketball, you have to give in order to receive.” 2/2
— Jason Anderson (@JandersonSacBee) September 7, 2019
This love has obviously inspired Divac to continue being a prominent name in the game of basketball even after his playing days.
The Serbian big man was inducted to the Hall for his contributions mostly in international basketball, serving as an ambassador for the sport. Divac never really had a colorful resume on his NBA career. He made the All-Rookie First Team and was named to the All-Star team just once.
The 6-foot-10 center had his humble beginnings in Yugoslavia before being drafted with the 26th overall pick in the 1989 NBA draft. He played 16 seasons in the NBA and had stints with the Los Angeles Lakers, Charlotte Hornets, and the Sacramento Kings.
Divac became a major reason for the resurgence of the Kings franchise. Sacramento, with the core of Divac, Chris Webber, Peja Stojakovic, and Mike Bibby, became a perennial playoff team and eventually emerged as a championship contender in the early 2000s.
They made the Western Conference Finals in 2002 and came close to advancing to the NBA Finals. However, they could not get past the powerhouse Los Angeles Lakers in a controversial seven-game series.
After the NBA, Divac has continued to be an ambassador of the game, helping spread its popularity especially in Europe.
He will enter his sixth season as Sacramento's GM. He and the Kings have high hopes for the upcoming 2019-20 season as they look to end a 13-year playoff drought, currently the longest active drought in the NBA.
