The Serbian pioneer — first player from Yugoslavia to have a long NBA career, opening the door for European centers.
Vladislav Divac was born in Prijepolje, Serbia in 1968. Los Angeles Lakers selected him 26th overall in the 1989 NBA Draft. His 16-season career produced 11.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game along with one All-Star appearance. He was the first player from Yugoslavia to have a sustained NBA career and is credited as the pioneer who opened the league to European centers — his success directly influenced the path of Dirk Nowitzki, Peja Stojaković, Nikola Jokic and dozens of others. He won Olympic silver with Yugoslavia at Seoul 1988. He was part of the famous Sacramento Kings teams of the early 2000s that pushed the Lakers to seven games in the 2002 conference finals — a series widely regarded as one of the finest in NBA playoff history. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019. He later served as general manager of the Sacramento Kings. His passing ability from the center position — a legacy of his European training — influenced how teams thought about what big men could contribute as playmakers.
Pioneering European center in NBA, excellent passer
How They Played
Skilled passing center with soft touch and court vision
Lasting Impact
First European-trained player to have major NBA impact
All-Star 1x
Career Honours
- All-Star 1x
- Olympic Silver (Yugoslavia 1988)
- European champion
- Hall of Fame (2019)