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Los Angeles Lakers: 25 Best Players To Play For The Lakers

By Phil Watson

April 13, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; General view of balloons and confetti falling following the Los Angeles Lakers 101-96 victory against the Utah Jazz at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
April 13, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; General view of balloons and confetti falling following the Los Angeles Lakers 101-96 victory against the Utah Jazz at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /
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Basketball: Los Angeles Lakers Vlade Divac (12) in action, dunk vs Minnesota Timberwolves. Minneapolis, MN 3/13/1994 (Photo by John W. McDonough /Sports Illustrated/Getty Images) (Set Number: X45837 )
Basketball: Los Angeles Lakers Vlade Divac (12) in action, dunk vs Minnesota Timberwolves. Minneapolis, MN 3/13/1994 (Photo by John W. McDonough /Sports Illustrated/Getty Images) (Set Number: X45837 ) /

C. 1989-96, 2004-05. Vlade Divac. 24. player. 20. <strong>How acquired:</strong> 26th overall pick from Partizan (Yugoslavia), 1989 NBA Draft; Free agent, July 20, 2004.

The Los Angeles Lakers were a trail blazer of sorts in the 1989 NBA Draft, when they selected young center Vlade Divac from Partizan in Yugoslavia … and actually signed him to a contract.

That wasn’t something a lot of European players were doing at the time, but Divac came over to the NBA and was a solid big man for a long time.

LAL_24_DIVAC
LAL_24_DIVAC /

He was an All-Rookie selection in 1989-90 and was fifth in the NBA in field-goal percentage in 1990-91, when he helped the Lakers to the NBA Finals.

Divac averaged 18.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.4 blocks, two assists and 1.8 steals in 41.6 minutes per game, shooting .565/0-for-2/13-for-13 in the five-game loss to the Chicago Bulls.

In July 1996, Divac was dealt to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for the rights to 13th overall pick Kobe Bryant.

He came back to L.A. as a free agent in July 2004 and retired after he was waived in October 2005.

In eight seasons in Los Angeles, Divac averaged 12.2 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.6 blocks and 1.2 steals in 29 minutes per game, shooting .509/.229/.707.

In January 1999, Divac signed as a free agent with the Sacramento Kings, where he was an All-Star in 2001.

He is 46th in NBA history with 9,326 rebounds and 29th with 1,631 blocked shots.

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