Vlade Divac facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Vlade Divac
Владе Дивац
Divac in 2016
President of the Serbian Olympic Committee
In office 2009–2017
Preceded by	Ivan Ćurković
Succeeded by	Božidar Maljković
President of KK Partizan
In office 2000–2004
Preceded by	Ivica Dačić
Succeeded by	Predrag Danilović
Personal details
Born	(1968-02-03) February 3, 1968 (age 57) Prijepolje, SR Serbia, SFR Yugoslavia
Occupation	Basketball player sports administrator basketball executive businessman
Vlade Divac Personal information Listed height 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) Listed weight 260 lb (118 kg) Career information NBA Draft 1989 / Round: 1 / Pick: 26th overall Selected by the Los Angeles Lakers Pro career 1983–2005 Career history 1983–1986 Sloga 1986–1989 Partizan 1989–1996 Los Angeles Lakers 1996–1998 Charlotte Hornets 1999 Crvena zvezda 1999–2004 Sacramento Kings 2004–2005 Los Angeles Lakers Career highlights and awards NBA All-Star (2001) NBA All-Rookie First Team (1990) No. 21 retired by Sacramento Kings FIBA Korać Cup champion (1989) Yugoslav League champion (1987) Yugoslav Cup winner (1989) Mister Europa Player of the Year (1989) FIBA's 50 Greatest Players (1991) FIBA All-Time EuroStars Team (2007) 50 Greatest EuroLeague Contributors (2008) Olympic Order (2016) Career NBA statistics Points 13,398 (11.8 ppg) Rebounds 9,326 (8.2 rpg) Blocks 1,631 (1.4 bpg) Medals Men's basketball Representing  Yugoslavia Summer Olympic Games Silver 1988 Seoul Team FIBA World Cup Gold 1990 Argentina Team Bronze 1986 Spain Team FIBA Eurobasket Gold 1989 Yugoslavia Team Gold 1991 Italy Team Bronze 1987 Greece Team Universiade Gold 1987 Zagreb Team FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup Gold 1987 Italy Under-19 European Championship for Cadets Gold 1985 Bulgaria Under-16 Representing FR Yugoslavia Summer Olympic Games Silver 1996 Atlanta Team FIBA World Cup Gold 2002 Indianapolis Team FIBA Eurobasket Gold 1995 Greece Team Bronze 1999 France Team

Vlade Divac (born February 3, 1968) is a famous Serbian basketball player and executive. He was most recently a top leader for the Sacramento Kings in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Standing at 7 feet 1 inch tall, Divac played as a center. He was special because he was very good at passing the ball, which was unusual for someone his size. He was one of the first European players to join the NBA in the late 1980s.

Divac is one of only seven players in NBA history to achieve amazing stats: over 13,000 points, 9,000 rebounds, 3,000 assists, and 1,500 blocked shots. He was also the first player from outside the United States to play over 1,000 NBA games. In 2019, he was added to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Beyond basketball, Vlade Divac is known for his humanitarian work. He has helped many children in Serbia and Africa. He also served as the President of the Olympic Committee of Serbia from 2009 to 2017.

Vlade Divac's Basketball Journey

Starting in Yugoslavia (1983–1989)

Vlade Divac started playing basketball in his hometown of Prijepolje. He began his professional career in Yugoslavia with the team Sloga. He quickly became known for his skills, even scoring 27 points against a strong team called Crvena zvezda.

In 1986, Divac joined KK Partizan. With him and other talented players, Partizan won the Yugoslavian League title in 1987. They also won the Yugoslav Cup and the Korać Cup in 1989.

Divac played basketball in a unique way for a center. He was tall but could move well and handle the ball. He even sometimes acted like a point guard, setting up plays for his teammates.

Joining the Los Angeles Lakers (1989–1996)

In 1989, Divac was drafted into the NBA by the Los Angeles Lakers. He was one of the first European players to make a big impact in the league. He learned a lot from famous players like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson. Even though he didn't speak English at first, he quickly became popular with his teammates and fans because of his friendly personality. He was even chosen for the NBA All-Rookie Team in his first season.

Divac became known for "flopping," which means pretending to be fouled to get a call from the referees. He admitted to doing it, especially when he felt the referees missed calls against him. Later, when the NBA started penalizing flopping, Divac supported the new rules, saying some players were overdoing it.

Playing for the Charlotte Hornets (1996–1998)

In 1996, Divac was traded to the Charlotte Hornets for the draft rights to Kobe Bryant. He thought about retiring at first, but he ended up doing very well with the Hornets. He helped the team win a record 54 games in one season. In the playoffs, they beat the Atlanta Hawks before losing to the Chicago Bulls.

Brief Return to Europe (1999)

During an NBA break in 1999, Divac played two games for KK Crvena zvezda, a rival team to his former club Partizan. This caused some strong feelings among Partizan fans. Divac later said playing for the rival team was "a mistake."

Success with the Sacramento Kings (1999–2004)

In 1999, Divac signed with the Sacramento Kings. He played there for six seasons with his countryman Peja Stojaković. Divac helped make the Kings a very strong team. They became a top contender for the championship, even leading the league in wins in the 2001-02 season. However, they couldn't get past the Los Angeles Lakers in a close playoff series in 2002.

Final Season with the Lakers (2004–2005)

After the 2004 season, Divac returned to the Los Angeles Lakers. However, he had back problems and could not play much. He retired on July 14, 2005, ending his 16-year NBA career. The Kings honored Divac by retiring his No. 21 jersey in 2009.

Vlade Divac's National Team Career

Divac (fourth from right, at centre) with the Yugoslavia team that won the EuroBasket 1989.

Divac started playing for the senior Yugoslavia national basketball team in 1986. In 1987, he helped the team win a gold medal at the FIBA Junior World Championship. This team, with players like Dino Rađa and Toni Kukoč, was considered one of the best young teams ever. They went on to win gold medals at the EuroBasket 1989, the 1990 FIBA World Championship, and the EuroBasket 1991.

In 1990, after winning the FIBA World Championship, a fan waved a Croatian flag. Divac took the flag, saying the win was for Yugoslavia. This action caused a misunderstanding with his friend Dražen Petrović because of the tense political situation at the time. Divac later explained he would have done the same if it had been a Serbian flag, as he wanted to emphasize team unity.

In 2002, Divac was part of the team that won the FIBA World Cup in Indianapolis. They beat Argentina in the final and the USA earlier in the tournament.

NBA Career Statistics

Divac is one of seven players in NBA history to record 13,000 points, 9,000 rebounds, 3,000 assists, and 1,500 blocked shots.

Regular season

Playoffs

Major Career Achievements

With KK Partizan

• Yugoslav League Champion: (1987)
• Yugoslav Cup Winner: (1989)
• Korać Cup Winner: (1989)

With Yugoslavia National Team

• Gold medal with Yugoslavia's under-16 team at the 1985 FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship
• Gold medal with Yugoslavia's under-19 team at the 1987 FIBA Under-19 World Cup
• Silver medals at the 1988 Summer Olympics and 1996 Summer Olympics
• Gold medals at the 1990 FIBA World Championship and 2002 FIBA World Championship
• Gold medals at EuroBasket in 1989, 1991, and 1995

In the NBA

• Named to the 1989–90 NBA All-Rookie First Team.
• Appeared in the 1991 NBA Finals.
• Ranks 4th in Lakers history with 830 blocked shots.
• Named NBA All-Star in 2001.
• One of only five European players to play at least 1,000 NBA games.
• One of only five European players to have his number retired by an NBA team.

Vlade Divac's Leadership Roles

Leading KK Partizan

In 2000, Divac and his former teammate Predrag Danilović took over their old club, KK Partizan. Divac became the club's president. They brought back their old coach, Duško Vujošević, who helped the team succeed.

Working for the Lakers and Real Madrid

In 2005, Divac became a European scout for the Los Angeles Lakers. He helped them find new talent from overseas. In 2006, he also took on a role with the Real Madrid basketball club in Spain, helping with their international efforts.

President of the Serbian Olympic Committee

In 2009, Divac was elected President of the Olympic Committee of Serbia. He was re-elected in 2012 and served until 2017. In this role, he worked to support Serbian athletes and sports.

Working for the Sacramento Kings Front Office

In 2015, Divac joined the Sacramento Kings as their vice president of basketball and franchise operations. He helped advise the team's leaders and coaches. He was later promoted to general manager in August 2015.

During his time as general manager, Divac made important decisions about players and coaches. He worked to improve the team, including drafting talented young players like De'Aaron Fox and Marvin Bagley III. He stepped down from his role as general manager in August 2020.

Vlade Divac's Investments

Divac has also been involved in business outside of basketball. He has invested in restaurants in California. He also tried to make big investments in Serbia, but some of these attempts faced challenges. For example, he tried to buy a beverage company, but the deal was stopped by the government. He also tried to buy a newspaper, but that deal also didn't go through.

Later, in 2007, Divac became the owner of a bottled water brand called Voda Voda. This deal also had some public discussion around it.

Vlade Divac's Humanitarian Work

Vlade Divac (rear, center) alongside Crown Prince Alexander II in 2005, at an event for World Heart Day

Vlade Divac is a dedicated humanitarian. He focuses on helping children around the world and refugees in his home country. He helped create a charity called "Divac's Children Foundation." This foundation has provided millions of dollars in aid.

In 2000, the NBA gave Divac the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award. This award honors players who show great service to their community.

In 2007, Divac started another organization called "You Can Too." Its goal is to fix up empty homes in villages to provide shelter for homeless refugees. Many people still live in poor conditions, so this organization buys abandoned houses to help them.

Personal Life

Vlade Divac is married to Snežana. They have two sons, Luka and Matija, and an adopted daughter named Petra. Divac speaks three languages: Serbian, Russian, and English. He also has American citizenship.

Filmography

Film Appearances

Selected Television Appearances

Images for kids

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  Vlade Divac (rear, center) alongside Crown Prince Alexander II in 2005, at an event for World Heart Day

See also

In Spanish: Vlade Divac para niños