Peja Stojaković
The Serbian sharpshooter who starred for the Sacramento Kings in the 2000s and was named an NBA All-Star three times during his Kings tenure.
Predrag Stojaković, known as Peja, was drafted 14th overall by the Sacramento Kings in the 1996 NBA draft but continued playing in Greece until the Kings signed him prior to the 1998–99 lockout season. After two seasons on the bench, he had a breakthrough season in 2000–01, averaging 20.4 points and 5.8 rebounds while shooting .400 from three-point range in his first season as a starter. He finished second in voting for the 2001 Most Improved Player Award. A three-time All-Star and a member of the 2004 All-NBA Second Team, Stojaković enjoyed success with the Kings, reaching the 2002 Western Conference Finals. He is regarded as one of the greatest shooters in NBA history, having made 1,760 three-point field goals in his career; this total ranked fourth all-time upon his retirement from the NBA.
- Role
- Starting Small Forward / Sixth Man
- Affiliation
- Sacramento Kings (1998–2006)
- Jersey Number
- 16
- Status
- Retired from NBA
- Honors
- 3x NBA All-Star, 1x All-NBA Second Team
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Stojaković played for the Sacramento Kings from 1998 to 2006. In 2001–02, he played in the NBA All-Star Game for the first time. His scoring average went up to 21.2 ppg, and he reached career highs in shooting percentage (.484) and three-point percentage (.416). In both 2002 and 2003, he won the Three-Point Contest conducted during All-Star Weekend. In 2003–04, Stojaković was again selected as an All-Star, and finished second in the league in scoring with a career-high 24.2 ppg. He finished fourth in MVP voting and was voted on to the All-NBA 2nd Team. He also led the NBA in free-throw percentage (.933) and three-pointers made for the season (240). On 25 January 2006, Stojaković was traded to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for forward Ron Artest, ending his eight-year tenure with the Kings. His number 16 was retired by the Sacramento Kings on 16 December 2014.
In Their Own Story
In the 2002 Western Conference Finals, Stojaković and the Kings pushed deep into the playoffs, reaching the conference finals for the only time during his tenure. During the 2002–03 season, Stojaković was one of twenty-four athletes who signed their likeness to The LEGO Group to be recreated for their LEGO Sports theme, historic for being the first LEGO minifigures with natural skin tones since their creation in 1978. On 16 December 2014, the Sacramento Kings retired his number 16 in a ceremony that honored his contributions to the franchise.
Reader's Guide
Stojaković's time with the Kings was marked by elite shooting and consistent scoring. In 2000–01, his first season as a starter, he averaged 20.4 points and 5.8 rebounds while shooting .400 from three-point range. In 2001–02, he averaged 21.2 ppg with career highs in shooting percentage (.484) and three-point percentage (.416). In 2003–04, he averaged a career-high 24.2 ppg, finishing second in the league in scoring, and led the NBA in free-throw percentage (.933) and three-pointers made (240). He was named to the All-NBA Second Team in 2004. Stojaković later returned to the Kings organization as an executive, serving as director of player personnel and development from August 2015, and as assistant general manager from May 2018 until stepping down on 15 August 2020.
Did You Know?
- Stojaković was drafted 14th overall by the Sacramento Kings in the 1996 NBA draft while playing in Greece, and continued to play there until the Kings signed him prior to the 1998–99 lockout season.
- He won the NBA Three-Point Contest two times during All-Star Weekend competitions, in 2002 and 2003.
- In 2003–04, Stojaković led the NBA in free-throw percentage (.933) and three-pointers made for the season (240).
- His number 16 was retired by the Sacramento Kings on 16 December 2014.
- Stojaković later served as the Kings' assistant general manager from May 2018 until stepping down on 15 August 2020.