One of the most exciting teams in the National Basketball Association (NBA) the past two decades has been the Sacramento Kings circa late 1990s and early 2000. One of the members of that run-and-gun and fun squad is Peja Stojakovic, who is set to be honoured by the franchise by retiring his no. 16 jersey later in 2014.

According to an official release by the Kings franchise:

“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.”

Stojakovic or also known as “Stoja” is a sweet-shooting forward who spent his first seven and a half years in Sacramento. He helped the franchise reach the playoffs seven times including a Western Conference Finals appearance.

New Kings owner Vivek Ranadive also had good words for Stojakovic in the same team press release:

“Peja Stojakovic was instrumental in putting Sacramento on the map on a global scale. 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.”

The Kings owner was of course referring to the time when the Kings had the likes of Chris Webber, Vlade Divac and Jason Williams when Sacramento was a good draw even on road games because of their exciting style of play. Other Stojakovic teammates include Bobby Jackson, Hedo Turkoglu, Mike Bibby and Doug Christie among others who were part of Stojakovic’s fruitful NBA career.

Stojakovic, who also suited up for the New Orleans Hornets, Indiana Pacers and Dallas Mavericks in the latter part of of his NBA career, also shared his thoughts on the honour via the team statement:

“My time in Sacramento was the best years of my career and truly some of the best years of my life. 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's best year came in the 2013-2014 NBA season when he was an MVP-candidate averaging 24.2 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. He was a three-time NBA All-Star (2002, 2003 and 2004) and a one-time NBA champion (2011 with Dallas).

Other players whose jersey numbers were retired by the Kings include Webber (4), Mitch Richmond (2), Tiny Archibald (1), Oscar Robertson (14) and Divac (21) among others.

Relive some of Stojakovic’s best plays in the NBA here:

(YouTube/usikani.remix)

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