Vlade Divac, Serbia’s Gentle Giant
Vlade Divac with his Belgrade fans, during Saturday "Party for Serbia" concert.
One of Basketball’s Most Complete Men, With a Heart of Gold
“Vlade Divac has a heart of gold, apart from being a great player. He is the best man I have ever met,” said Chris Webber in Belgrade, after greeting over 10,000 Divac’s fans in Serbian.
NBA stars, the gentle giant’s coaches, friends and teammates, along with adoring crowd of Serbs gathered at a farewell concert held in Divac’s honor, marking his retirement from basketball and launching a humanitarian campaign to raise funds meant to provide housing for 7,850 refugees in Serbia, and thousands more in Africa.
According to the official NBA web site, the 7' 1" Serb, selected by the Lakers with the 26th overall selection of the 1989 NBA Draft, has played for the Lakers (1989-96, 2004-05), Hornets (1996-98) and Kings (1998-2004) throughout his NBA career.
The 2001 NBA All-Star joins Hakeem Olajuwon and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the only players in NBA history to amass 13,000 points, 9,000 rebounds, 3,000 assists and 1,500 blocked shots. A deft passer and one of the game’s most complete big men, Divac boasts career averages of 11.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.4 blocked shots in 1,134 total games. Divac, who played professionally in Serbia and Yugoslavia prior to joining the NBA ranks, helped guide Yugoslavia [Serbia and Montenegro] to a gold medal in the 2002 World Championships in Indianapolis.
You Can Too
NBA legend Glen Rice flashes three-finger Serbian salute during Divac’s concert Saturday in Belgrade.
“It has always been my dream to host a spectacular event for Belgrade, my birth town of Prijepolje (Serbia) and for the people of Serbia,” said Divac. “This is a way for me to thank everyone who believed in me throughout my career and helped me become the man I am today. I also want to take the opportunity to address the very important issues that face refugees, not only in my country, but in Africa as well. The ‘You Can Too’ initiative will reach out and help these people, and it is my hope that citizens everywhere will support the cause.”
Divac’s farewell ceremony was attended by former national team representatives Aleksandar Djordjevic, Predrag Danilovic, Zoran Savic and Zarko Paspalj, and Toni Kukoc and Dino Radja from Croatia. His NBA co-players, including Chris Webber, Scott Pollard and Glen Rice also came to support their colleague, along with Divac’s former coaches Dusan Ivkovic, Dusko Vujosevic and Gregg Popovich.
Party for Serbia
Serbian kids rewarded with a unique thrill to play with major NBA stars in the Belgrade streets. Chris Webber with one of the future Serbian champs (once he figures where that ball went).
The three-day celebrations began on Friday, Sept. 21, with the “All Stars Party,” a ceremonial dinner at the White Palace in Belgrade. Hosted by the Serbia’s royal family, Prince Aleksandar and Princess Katarina Karadjordjevic, the event included entertainment and a grand-scale auction.
But before the Friday gala dinner in Belgrade’s Royal Palace, generous Vlade found time to swing by Beogradska Arena to lend his support to Janko Tipsarevic and Novak Djokovic playing against the Aussies for Serbia’s place in the 2008 World Group.
On Saturday, Sept. 22, the festivities continued in Belgrade with a street basketball competition for children under the age of 16. The basketball contest includes champions from the “21 Across 21” Tournament, which began last weekend in 21 Serbian cities. To honor Divac’s number when he played for the Sacramento Kings, each of the 21 cities will host their own three-on-three tournament, with every winner advancing to the Belgrade event.
The evening of the 22nd, a carnival with as many as 500 children participating took place at the Serbian capital’s Kalemegdan fortress, followed by a free concert “The Party for Serbia” outside the National Parliament building. The concert featured performances of numerous bands and artist form Serbia and abroad.
A short movie was played from a huge screen in the stage in which a score of Divac’s friends and colleagues praised his efforts and career, including NBA stars Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Bobby Jackson, Yao Ming, coach Phil Jackson, rapper Snoop Dog, Red Hot Chili Peppers, actor Billy Crystal and many others.
“I wish to thank you for a huge and selfless support you have been giving me throughout my basketball career that began here in Serbia and now ends here as well,” Divac told the crowd yesterday from a concert stage.
Divac dancing with Glen Rice and Boston Celtics center Scot Pollard in Belgrade, Serbia. More photos from the event.
“Hard Work, Confidence and Respect Are the Keys”
“Today begins the most important game of my life. With your help, the biggest and best team is looking to score a vital victory and help those deprived of their land, home, and friends who are now living in conditions unworthy of a human,” said Divac.
On Sunday, Divac traveled to his hometown of Prijepolje to officially open the Vlade Divac Museum, an exhibition that chronicles a basketball career that began in Prijepolje when he was a tall 12-year-old boy dwarfing his teacher, and eventually ended in the NBA.
Proof positive everyone can slam dunk like a pro... at least as long as Chris Webber and Toni Kukoc are staying focused...
The museum will display European jerseys and basketball-related equipment; practice gear and official NBA uniforms from the Los Angeles Lakers, Charlotte Hornets, and Kings; international competition medals; newspaper and magazine articles from all over the world; game video; photos; letters from fans and children; and a special section dedicated to his humanitarian efforts.
“My goal for the museum is to show young people today that you don’t have to be born in a big city to become successful,” said Divac.
“Hard work, confidence, and respect are the keys to building a full life and thriving profession. I hope the museum illustrates this message and the children in Prijepolje learn from it.”
Humble, Yet Larger Than Life
Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee says it’s time to start planning another party for Vlade Divac “right here in Sacramento.”
Thank Vlade for the exquisite passes, the astonishingly creative low-post moves, the unifying locker room presence, the humble, yet larger-than-life personality. Thank him for being the first elite free agent to sign with the Kings, for embracing the community with such humor and grace, and in essence, for escorting Sacramentans on a wildly entertaining, six-year tour of the globe.
[...] Divac has always been a communal figure, the antithesis of the solo act, and at 39, he isn’t about to change. His celebration this weekend is only partly about ceremonial dinners, the finals of a youth basketball tournament, a children’s carnival at the majestic Kalemegdan plaza and an outdoor public concert in the historic downtown square. The other component is the launching of a collaborative campaign to raise $3 million for the purchase and restoration of abandoned homes in Serbia and Ethiopia [...] The man is as famous for his generosity as he is for his abundant basketball gifts.