BELGRADE, Serbia -- One of the most versatile centers in the NBA, Vlade Divac announced his retirement Thursday. Vlade Divac Center Los Angeles Lakers Profile 2004-2005 SEASON STATISTICS GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT% 15 2.3 2.1 1.3 .419 .667 Divac, who averaged 11.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 3.1 assists during an NBA career that spanned 16 years, had been expected to delay his decision until Sept. 30 but hasn't been able to shake a back injury. One of most popular Serbo-Montenegro basketball players of all time, the 7-footer planned to finish his career back in his homeland with Partizan Belgrade, the club he left to join the Lakers in 1989. But any hopes of an emotional return now appear to be dashed. The 37-year-old, who signed a extended contract with the Lakers last summer, underwent back surgery six months ago and played only 15 games last season, averaging just 2.3 points and 2.1 rebounds. "My back is causing me a lot of problems," Divac said. "At the moment I don't feel pain, but after four or five days of playing I feel it a lot. There is just a 50-50 chance for me to be fully recovered for the new season. As I don't want to become a disabled player, I think this is a right time for me to stop playing basketball." Divac made his debut for the Yugoslavia national team in 1986 and won two gold medals at the World Championships in 1990 and 2002.
The retirement, obviously, isn't a shocker -- but the timing is. I had heard Vlade and the Lakers had postponed making a decision on the option to decline or pick up the second year of his deal until the end of summer, to see if they could include his small salary in any sign-and-trade deal. I guess with the Brown trade, Kupchak is finished with the wheeling and dealing. Then again, if Vlade doesn't turn in his papers, his salary is still on the books.
My favorite memory of Vlade is his performance during the first playoff series between the Kings and Jazz in the 90s. The Kings were still one of the young "up and coming" teams in the league with Vlade as the veteran leader. Vlade played very well during the entire series, and during (I believe) game 5 (when 1st rd was still 5 games) he is just dominating. The Kings are basicly iso'ing him for the entire final stretch of the game and he is hitting left and right. No one can stop him. Eventually the Kings lost in OT, but still...GREAT performance by a good player.
The thing that used to crack me up about Vlade, was his first year in the league he smoked a pack and a half of cigarettes a day! Magic and the whole team were always trying to get him to quit. No wonder he became so good at flopping! I'm sure the first couple of years he was actually passing out from lack of O2.
He did miss a jump hook in the final seconds of regulation that would have won the game. That was such a fun series. I remember watching that game with a horrible hangover the day after my 19th birthday party.
I have to admit he was my favorite center (exluding hakeem). I was suprised how long he lasted in the league. He always looked like he was gonna roll over and die. But those Kings/lakers series were memorable. He was the only player at that point in Shaq's prime that could cause him so much trouble and get him in foul trouble. And he should go out as the grandfather of flopping. He brought a whole new aspect to the game with 7 footers getting run over by PG's! If i had a vote, i'd put him in the HOF.
I always liked Vlade. He strikes me as a nice guy, a great presence in the locker room, and a fun person to have a beer with. I wish him the best of luck and I hope he gets involved with the Lakers organization in some capacity. He is a great ambassador of the NBA to the rest of the world.
