It’s been a wild 48 hours in Sacramento leading up to tonight’s contest against the Oklahoma City Thunder. It’s unfair in a way. The business of basketball is stealing a bit of the magic from what was supposed to be an amazing night for a former Sacramento Kings great.
Peja Stojakovic is being honored by the Kings at halftime and his jersey is being hoisted to the rafters of Sleep Train Arena. It is an honor for the best of the best and in Sacramento Kings lore, Stojakovic is right near the top.
The sharpshooting Serbian holds the franchise record for most 3-pointers made (1070), free throw percentage (.893) and his 518 games in a Kings uniform ranks him one game ahead of Hall of Famer Mitch Richmond for the most all-time.
Stojakovic’s run coincided with the eight-year stretch known as the golden age of Kings basketball where the team went an astounding 395-229 and nearly made it to the NBA finals. His jersey joins those of Chris Webber and Vlade Divac from the same era, as well as Mitch Richmond’s as the only four from the team’s 30-year stretch in Sacramento.
At 37, Stojakovic looks like he could still suit up and hit a jumper. He retired from the game following a championship season with the Dallas Mavericks in 2010-11, but Sacramento is where he made his name.
It will be a star-studded night in Sacramento. Vlade Divac is in town to support his former teammate, as are Brad Miller, Scot Pollard, Doug Christie, Bobby Jackson and possibly a few others.
CK: How excited are you to walk into Sleep Train Arena and see your jersey sitting there, ready to be raised to the rafters?
PS: Honestly, I think it’s going to be different emotions when I step on the floor than now. I haven’t thought about it, but I’m probably just going to reflect on all of the years I was here, see all of the guys that are going to be there tomorrow and just kind of go back 10 years and remembering those great moments.
It’s not only a celebration of retiring my jersey, it’s also a celebration of us, of our team during that period of time. It’s special. For me, it’s just a great great honor.
CK: Last season you came through town and caught a game and you and I spoke. I remember that I asked you about the possibility of your jersey getting retired and you got goosebumps. How was that moment when you got the call?
PS: As soon as I heard, I was very humbled. Now, I just can’t picture myself. I don’t know how I’m going to feel tomorrow. That game a few months ago when I stood up and got a standing ovation, I got the goosebumps going again. It was very special for me. It’s something I never thought of as a kid growing up. The way they are paying respect to me tomorrow, it is something that we, me and my family are going to appreciate as well. It’s a huge honor.
CK: You are in Sacramento and I know Geoff Petrie is still out here somewhere. Have you talked to him and is he going to be here for your big night? He’s the guy who found you and took the gamble on you when everyone thought he should have taken John Wallace. Have you talked to Geoff?
PS: Actually we did. He called me this morning. Geoff played a big part in my career. I told him this morning that if it wasn’t for his persistence, I would never have come to the NBA. He was so convincing at that time that I should just believe in myself and that I was worth coming to the NBA. Obviously, he’s the one who believed in me and supported me when I needed him the most in my early career. We are definitely going to see each other, if not tomorrow at the game, for lunch or dinner, because we still have a great relationship. Geoff has been in my corner from day one.
CK: When you were leaving the game, your kids were small. Now you are having your jersey raised to the rafters. Have you talked to them about what this means for you and how maybe they can come back years from now and see your name up there?
PS: My oldest is 10, and he understands a little bit, but he does not remember me a lot as far as playing. He’s excited about, probably more so coming to the US and being at the game. But definitely later on they are going to learn more about my career and as the years have gone by, they are still learning and hearing about it from other people. I’m not trying to push them to learn. I them to have their own path, but like I said earlier, it’s a great honor for me and my family. Later on, they are going to see the family name out there and retired. It’s huge.
CK: You had some great times here, but what is it that stands out the most from your time here in Sacramento?
PS: That’s something I said to Geoff this morning. I think relationships that we have built with each other. Just friendships. The relationship with the community and the people of Sacramento. We felt like we kind of rise together with the city. That it was a mutual respect, a mutual support. With the team, we were just friends, teammates, brothers, mentors, role models to each other. We just kind of pushed each other to get better.
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