Predrag Stojakovic, one of the finest players ever to hail from the former Yugoslavia, is entering the FIBA Hall of Fame as a member of the 2024 Class.
Peja, as everyone knew him, was spectacular on the hardwood. After cutting his teeth in the professional game as a teenager at Crvena Zvezda in Belgrade and then PAOK in Thessaloniki, he had a long and successful career in the NBA, one that lasted from 1998 until 2011.
Stojakovic was the purest of shooters.
With Sacramento, whom he played for from 1998 until 2006, Stojakovic dazzled. His breakthrough season happened in 2000-2001, after representing Yugoslavia at the Sydney Olympics.
The 2.08m (6ft 10in) forward exploded onto the scene, becoming one of the league’s best three-point shooters. Stojakovic buried 40 percent of his shots from deep while averaging 20.4 points per game. He helped the Kings reach the playoffs, where they overcame Phoenix to reach to Western Conference Semi-Finals.
Stojakovic rode the momentum of that season into an unforgettable FIBA EuroBasket 2001 in Istanbul. He was astonishing, shooting 60.5 percent from the floor and an eye-popping 51.4 percent from deep (18 of 35) to lead Yugoslavia to the title. Stojakovic was named MVP of the event,
He didn’t miss a beat on his return to the NBA, putting up terrific numbers again as the Kings not only reached the playoffs, but won two series and came up one win shy of a spot in the Finals.
Stojakovic proved he was one of the game’s best players that summer, in the Yugoslavia jersey once again, this time at the World Cup in Indianapolis.
Despite a difficult tournament for Yugoslavia that saw the national team fall twice in the opening four games, Stojakovic sparked the team to five straight games and the title.
One of his key performances came against hosts USA in the Quarter-Finals, when he drilled three shots from behind the arc and had 20 points, four rebounds, and four assists.
Yugoslavia won 81-78 to eliminate the USA from title contention and then beat New Zealand and Argentina to win the title. Stojakovic had 26 points and Yugoslavia won 84-77 after overtime. He again made the All-Tournament team.
Stojakovic played the following summer, his last in international basketball, with Serbia and Montenegro at the EuroBasket 2003 in Sweden.
After three more outstanding seasons with Sacramento, Stojakovic played for Indiana, New Orleans, Toronto, and Dallas, the team he won an NBA title with in 2011.
Peja is being enshrined in the Class of 2024 which includes Miao Lijie (China), Reggie Miller (USA), Danira Nakic-Bilic (Croatia), Romain Sato (Central African Republic), Skaidrite Smildzina-Budovska (Latvia), Kirk Samuel Penney (New Zealand), and Daniel Lowell Peterson (USA).
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