Predrag Stojakovic

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Predrag "Peja" Stojaković (Serbian: Предраг "Пеђа" Стојаковић; Greek: Πρέντρακ Στογιάκοβιτς (Predrak Stoyiakovits)) (born June 9 1977) is a basketball player for the NBA's New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets. He is one of the league's top small forwards and a prolific scorer, especially from three-point range. Stojaković is one of the most recognizable international players in the NBA and is one of the most successful basketball players ever to come out of Serbia.

Stojaković was born in the Croatian town of Slavonska Požega, then Yugoslavia, but his family fled Croatia during the Yugoslav wars to Belgrade. In 1993, at age 16, he moved to Greece in order to be able to play professional basketball, and settled in PAOK Thessaloniki where he spent four seasons. Stojaković also acquired Greek citizenship in 1993.

The 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) Stojaković was selected by the Kings in the first round (14th overall pick) of the 1996 NBA Draft while playing in Greece. He continued to play there until the Kings signed him prior to the 1999 season.

After two seasons on the bench in Sacramento, he had a breakthrough season in 2000-01, averaging 20.4 points and 5.8 rebounds per game and shooting .400 from three-point range in his first season as a starter. He finished second in voting for the NBA Most Improved Player Award.

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). His scoring average dropped slightly to 19.2 ppg in 2002-03, but he played again in the All-Star Game. In both seasons, he won the three-point shooting 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 (.927) and three-pointers made for the season (240). In 2004-05, he missed 16 games to injury, and was somewhat hampered in several games, but still averaged 20.1 ppg.

On January 25, 2006, Stojaković was traded to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for forward Ron Artest, ending his eight-year tenure with the Kings. He played an important part in the Pacers' run to the 2006 Playoffs. However, he missed four games of their first round series with the New Jersey Nets, all losses. This offseason, he re-signed with the Indiana Pacers only to be traded to the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets for the draft rights to Andrew Betts

As a member of the Serbia and Montenegro national team, he earned gold medals at the 2001 European Championships (Eurobasket), held in Turkey, and the 2002 FIBA World Championships, held in Indianapolis, Indiana. Stojaković was the MVP of Eurobasket 2001, and was a member of the all-tournament team in Indianapolis, along with fellow NBA stars Manu Ginobili, Dirk Nowitzki and Yao Ming, as well as New Zealand's Pero Cameron.

Stojaković is married to Greek fashion model Aleka Kamila. The couple have one son (Andrej) and one daughter (Mila).

Trivia

  • He is a three-time NBA All-Star (2002, 2003 and 2004) and was All-NBA Second Team in 2003-04.
  • He won consecutive titles in the NBA's Three-point Shootout. (2002 and 2003)
  • He ranks 4th in NBA history in free-throw percentage at .894
  • He is one of only two NBA players to make at least 100 3-pointers in each of the last seven seasons
  • He ranks 24th all-time in 3-point field goal percentage at .399
  • He ranks 22nd in 3-pointers made with 1,161 and 31st in 3-pointers attempted with 2,912
  • He has averaged at least 20 points per game in four of the last six seasons.
  • He and Steve Nash of Phoenix were the only players to rank in the top 25 in both free-throw and 3-point percentage during the '04-'05 and '05-'06 seasons.
  • He has scored 30 points or more in a game 52 times in his career (including four times in the playoffs).
  • He won the 2001 Euroscar, given to the best European basketball player by La Gazzetta dello Sport.


External links

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