Stojakovic’s jersey will be retired on December 16th.
On Tuesday afternoon, the Sacramento Kings announced that they are planning to retire the #16 jersey of sharpshooter Peja Stojakovic. The Serbia native will be honored on December 16th when the Kings square off against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Sacramento Kings announced today that the #16 jersey of three-time NBA All-Star and NBA Champion Peja Stojakovic will be retired on December 16, when the Kings host the Oklahoma City Thunder at Sleep Train Arena. During his eight seasons in Sacramento, the fan-favorite small forward played more games for the Kings than any player during the Sacramento era and had an immeasurable impact on the community both on and off the court.
“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.”
“My time in Sacramento was the best years of my career and truly some of the best years of my life,” said Stojakovic. “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.”
“Peja was part of the awesome Kings dynasty that we’re working hard to bring back to Sacramento,” said Kings General Manager Pete D’Alessandro. “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.”
Stojakovic will join Chris Webber (#4), Vlade Divac (#21) and Mitch Richmond (#2) as the only Kings players to have their jerseys retired.
Sacramento selected Stojakovic with the 14th overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft. He played eight seasons with the Kings, averaging 18.3 points and 5.0 rebounds per game. He is the franchise leader in three pointers made (1,070) and free-throw percentage (.893). Stojakovic also made three NBA All-Star teams (2002, 2003, 2004) during his tenure with Sacramento.
In addition to the Kings, Peja Stojakovic played for the Indiana Pacers, New Orleans Hornets, Toronto Raptors and Dallas Mavericks during his 13 year NBA career. He captured a championship in 2011 with the Mavericks.
Stojakovic averaged 17.0 points and 4.7 rebounds per game for his career.
@wcboyer24
