Sacramento Kings to retire Peja Stojakovic’s jersey
By Bryan Rose
When the Sacramento Kings decided to draft Peja Stojakovic in the 1996 NBA Draft, it was a move laughed at by many.
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While international talent had occasionally played in the NBA, such a move was rather few and far between. Still, then Sacramento Kings general manager Geoff Petrie was confident in his decision, even if it took a while to manifest.
Peja Stojakovic didn’t make his NBA debut for another two seasons after he was drafted, though the forward made an immediate impact as he quickly emerged as a star for the Kings. More than that, Stojakovic became a star in the league as he was named to three consecutive All-Star games and eventually won a championship in 2011 as a member of the Dallas Mavericks.
Still, the best years of Peja Stojakovic’s career came as a member of the Sacramento Kings organization who plan to honor their former sharp shooter by retiring his jersey this season.
“Peja Stojakovic was instrumental in putting Sacramento on the map on a global scale,” said Kings Owner Vivek Ranadivé. “As one of only a select group of Serbian players in the NBA, Peja helped carve out a place for basketball players from all over the world. Recognizing his leadership will be a special moment for fans and the entire Kings organization, as well as a great reminder of the kind of success we are building in Sacramento.”
The ceremony is scheduled to take place on December 16th (Stojakovic’s jersey number) against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
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