Kings to retire Stojakovic's No. 16 jersey
One of the best shooters of his generation is being immortalized by the team he made his most memorable mark with.
The Sacramento Kings announced Tuesday they will retire the No. 16 jersey of former Kings sharpshooter Peja Stojakovic on Dec. 16 against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
“Peja Stojakovic was instrumental in putting Sacramento on the map on a global scale,” said Kings Owner Vivek Ranadivé in the team's news release. “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.”
Stojakovic spent his first seven-and-a-half seasons with the Kings after being selected 14th overall by Sacramento in the 1996 NBA Draft. In 518 games with the Kings, the forward made a franchise-record 1070 three-pointers and scored 9498 points, which places him sixth on the team's all-time scoring list.
“My time in Sacramento was the best years of my career and truly some of the best years of my life,” Stojakovic said in the release. “I am proud of what we built in Sacramento and the connection we made with the fans and the community. Kings fans are some of the best fans in the world, and it was an honor to play for them. I want to thank Vivek and the entire Kings family for welcoming me back for this celebration, and I look forward to following the exciting times ahead for the Sacramento Kings.”
Stojakovic represented the Kings in three consecutive All-Star games from 2002-2004, made an All-NBA team in 2003-04 and finished fourth in MVP voting that same season, during which he averaged 24.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.3 steals while leading the league in three-pointers made.
“Peja was part of the awesome Kings dynasty that we’re working hard to bring back to Sacramento,” Kings General Manager Pete D’Alessandro said. “His high basketball IQ and unique ability to connect with the fans had a huge impact on the team and the community, and we hope Peja’s passion and determination carry over into this new era of Kings basketball.”
The Kings, who haven't made the postseason since 2006, made the playoffs in each of Stojakovic's seven full seasons with the team, advancing as far as the Western Conference final, where they lost an epic seven-game series to the eventual champion Lakers in 2002.