Vlade Divac: Gone But Never Forgotten

“You gave us a chance to start fresh with your attitude, because there wasn’t any ego. The type of things you talked to me about, are the things I would like to teach my son.” Chris Webber to former teammate Vlade Divac

Sexy Serbian Vlade Divac may have only played six seasons with the Sacramento Kings, but his legacy lives in the hearts of his former teammates, a crazy redheaded blogger, thousands of Serbian children, and high above the rafters in Arco Arena. On Tuesday night, Divac’s jersey was officially retired after playing 17 years of professional hoops.

After the beast retired in 2007, he moved back home to Serbia, where he serves as a ‘informal’ adviser to the Serbian government, is the President of Serbia’s Special Olympics committee, and keeps a close eye on an international humanitarian organization. Vlade is, and will forever be-one of the good guys.

“It’s interesting going around the city, and people are still talking about our group of guys,” Divac said of his Kings, which won two Pacific Division titles and never had a losing record. “It’s fun that you left behind something that people still remember. I travel all around the world, and people are still talking about our team and how we played. We were an international team, and that’s one reason we’re still remembered.”

The emotional half-time ceremony had some mighty-fine men lined up to honor Vlade. Former Kings’ hot-hot-hottie Scot Pollard, Doug Christie, Chris Webber, Peja Stojakovic (Also of Serbia, now playing for the Hornets), Kings President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie, and Kings co-owner Gavin Maloof.

“You turned our franchise around,” Kings owner Gavin Maloof said before pledging to build a home in Divac’s honor for a Serbian family. “You were the glue for the team.”

For more info on Vlade and his humanitarion work, please visit his Divac.com or Divac.org.

“I believe basketball provides today’s children with necessary skills to choose the right path in life and become successful at whatever they decide to do. Having been privileged to play basketball at the highest level, I believe it is my duty to reach out to as many children as possible across the globe and teach them the importance of respect for self and others, teamwork, having a healthy mind and a healthy body, and love for your family and friends. I hope that through my foundation and programs we offer, I can have at least a small positive influence in the lives of these children”. -Vlade Divac

As always, thanks for reading. Delinda@athlebrities.com