Sacramento Kings: Top 10 NBA Draft picks in franchise history

4. Peja Stojakovic (SF) — No. 14 Pick in 1996 NBA Draft

Career stats (with the Kings):  518 GP, 18.3 PPG, 5 RPG, 2 APG, 1 SPG, .1 BPG, 1.6 TOV, 46.1 FG%, 39.8 3P%, 89.3 FT%

Arguably the most decorated player on this list from the franchise’s current iteration, it took two seasons for Peja Stojakovic to make his way to Sacramento after he was taken 14th overall in the 1996 NBA Draft.

After being a relatively solid bench scorer in his first two seasons, Stojakovic broke out in a big way in the 2000-01 season, averaging 20.4 points per game on 47 percent shooting from the field and 40 percent from three. Those marks helped the Serbian native finish second in Most Improved Player voting for that year, which went to Orlando Magic guard Tracy McGrady.

From there, Stojakovic’s profile only grew as he became a three-time All-Star, a Second Team All-NBA selection and finished fourth in MVP voting for his performance for the 2003-04 season as he averaged 24.2 points per game, shot 43.3 percent from three and posted a 62.4 percent true shooting percentage.

But as Stojakovic’s star continued to rise deeper into his tenure, change started to come for a celebrated Kings team that had started to show both its age and get hit with terrible injury luck. With the team starting to show its cracks through the 2005-06 season, the Kings dealt Stojakovic to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for the maligned swingman Ron Artest.

Though he was unable to finish out his career in the city he enjoyed his most success individually, Stojakovic still has strong ties to the organization. His No. 16 is forever immortalized and he’s currently a member of the team’s front office, where he oversees the team’s G League affiliate, the Reno Bighorns.