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NBA: 30 greatest international players in league history

By Daniel Lubofsky

SAN ANTONIO - MAY 09: Guard Steve Nash #13 of the Phoenix Suns dribbles the ball past Tony Parker #9 of the San Antonio Spurs in Game Four of the Western Conference Semifinals during the 2010 NBA Playoffs at AT&T Center on May 9, 2010 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
SAN ANTONIO - MAY 09: Guard Steve Nash #13 of the Phoenix Suns dribbles the ball past Tony Parker #9 of the San Antonio Spurs in Game Four of the Western Conference Semifinals during the 2010 NBA Playoffs at AT&T Center on May 9, 2010 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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Peja Stojakovic, Sacramento Kings
Peja Stojakovic, Sacramento Kings (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Greatest international NBA players of all time: 11. Peja Stojakovic

In an era that included some of the game’s greatest scorers, Peja Stojakovic’s career tends to get swept away more often than not. No, he was not on the same level as certain Hall-of-Fame talents, but his game was one of a kind and brought great success to whichever organization he happened to play for.

Where Stojakovic made his biggest mark was as a member of the Sacramento Kings from 1998-2006. Most players standing 6’9” nowadays tend to slide down a position to power forward, but the early 2000s were a different time. Peja remained at the three-spot but still managed to torture whatever defense stood in his way.

Most tend to remember the all-around dominance of Chris Webber as the leader of those Kings teams. Webber was phenomenal but Sacramento still required a perimeter presence to help balance the offense. With a sweet outside stroke, Stojakovic was the answer, shooting 39.8 percent from beyond the arc on 5.2 attempts per game.

Stojakovic’s presence directly coincided with a streak of eight consecutive playoff appearances, including a Western Conference Finals appearance in 2002 that is now remembered for all the wrong reasons.

He would make three consecutive All-Star appearances from 2002-04 and be selected to the All-NBA Third Team in 2003-04 after averaging a career-best 24.2 points per game. Stojakovic’s career would take him a couple more places before ending up in Dallas, where his lights-out shooting proved crucial leading up to the Finals in helping the Mavs to their first-ever championship.

It certainly would’ve made for tremendous statistical achievements had Stojakovic played basketball in 2019. With his No. 16 retired in Sacramento, he still managed to make his mark as a key member of some of the more memorable teams of all-time.