Kings retire Divac's number

SACRAMENTO, Calif. " Vlade Divac never gets tired of being the center of attention in Sacramento, and now a piece of the groundbreaking Serbian star will always hang over the Kings' home court.

Divac's No. 21 jersey was retired Tuesday night at Arco Arena, Divac's home for six seasons. They were the best days of the center's 16-year NBA career, Divac said in an emotional halftime ceremony during the Kings' game against New Orleans.

Divac has moved back home to Serbia, where he advises governments, runs the national Olympic committee and oversees an international humanitarian organization. But he'll always be at home in California's capital city, which embraced him from his first game in purple back in 1999.

"It's interesting going around the city, and people are still talking about our group of guys," Divac said of his Sacramento teams, which won two Pacific Division titles and never had a losing record.

"It's fun that you left behind something that people still remember," he said. "I travel all around the world, and people are still talking about our team and how we played. We were an international team, and that's one reason we're still remembered."

Divac was the emotional leader and most popular player on the best teams in the franchise's history, including the Kings' back-to-back division champs and the 2002 Western Conference finalists.

He is the second-leading rebounder in the franchise's Sacramento history, and he endeared himself to Sacramento with his quick wit, mischievous personality and extensive charity work. He missed just six games in his six seasons with the club, posting his best statistical season in the strike-shortened 1999 campaign with 14.3 points and 10 rebounds per game.

"You turned our franchise around," Kings owner Gavin Maloof said before pledging to build a home in Divac's honor for a Serbian family. "You were the glue for the team."

Divac was elected president of Serbia's Olympic committee last month. He also serves as an informal adviser to the government in Serbia, where he runs a business and his eponymous charity organization.

Divac's 16 NBA seasons are the fourth-most among foreign-born players, including eight with the Los Angeles Lakers and two with the Charlotte Hornets. Divac's jersey is the second retired this season by the NBA-worst Kings, who honored Chris Webber's No. 4 earlier in the season.

"You gave us a chance to start fresh with your attitude, because there wasn't any ego," said Webber, who joined the Kings along with Divac and Peja Stojakovic before the 1999 campaign. "The type of things you talked to me about are the things I would like to teach my son."

Webber joined several former teammates to honor Divac, including Doug Christie, Scot Pollard and Stojakovic, the Hornets forward and Divac's fellow Serbian, who missed the game with back spasms.

Pollard poked fun at Divac's age, which he always suspected was higher than Divac let on, while Stojakovic relished a rare chance to see his NBA mentor and close friend.

"(Divac) taught me so much about things on and off the court," Stojakovic said. "He's been one of the biggest influences in my life, and he was important to so many people here."