Predrag Stojakovic #16

Position: F
Height: 6-10 / 2,08 m
Weight: 229 lbs / 103,9 kg
Born: 06/09/1977
College: None played in Europe

A native of Belgrade, Yugoslavia, Predrag "Peja" Stojakovic played professionally for three seasons in Greece before signing with the Sacramento Kings on June 15, 1998. The 6-9 forward was Sacramento's first-round draft choice at the age of 19 in 1996, the 14th overall selection, but he continued to play in Europe until joing the Kings for the 1998-99 season. His sweet stroke from the perimeter has helped establish the Kings as a Western Conference power and he was recognized prior to the 2002-03 season by the league's general managers as the third-best international player in the NBA. Stojakovic played three seasons with PAOK in the Greek Professional League, averaging 20.0 points and 4.9 rebounds per game in 73 regular-season games and shooting .395 in three-pointers...The league's MVP in 1997-98, averaging 23.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.20 steals in 24 games, shooting .462 from the field, .406 on three-pointers and .891 on free throws...Averaged 18.2 ppg in the 1998 Greek Championship Series, where PAOK lost to Panathinaikos in five games...One of his opponents was former NBA guard Byron Scott, who soon after took a job as an assistant coach with Sacramento.