The NBA season may still be in the midst of a lockout, but that doesn't mean the world is completely devoid of Lakers news. Two-time former Los Angeles Lakers center and international superstar Vlade Divac is one of the nominees for the 2012 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame's class of 2012. Divac played for the Lakers from 1989-1996 and again in 2004-2005 before announcing his retirement from the sport. This will be his first time on the ballot.
Divac is certainly well-known and well-loved in Los Angeles, despite his penchant for flopping on the court. He's one of the most well-known international basketball stars in history. When the Lakers drafted the 7-foot-1 center in 1989, he was their first-ever Serbian draft pick. At the end of his first year with the Lakers, he was named to the 1990 NBA All-Rookie First Team. When his sixteen year career wrapped up, he was the only player born and trained in Europe to play in over 1,000 NBA games.
His 830 blocked shots rank fourth on the Lakers all-time franchise list. In 121 career playoff games, he averaged 12.1 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. Despite playing for the Lakers in eight different seasons, Divac never managed to be part of a championship team. The closest he came was a Finals appearance in 1991 when the Lakers lost to the Chicago Bulls, four games to one.
Divac spent the last few years of his career as a humanitarian and goodwill ambassador, and has devoted most of his time to similar interests since retiring. He is already a member of the FIBA International Basketball Hall of Fame. He was inducted in 2010. Hopefully there will be another Lakers alum in the Hall of Fame in 2012.
For all information and news related to the Lakers, please visit Silver Screen and Roll.