Los Angeles Lakers: 10 Greatest centers in Lakers history

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No. 7: Vlade Divac

Divac was the best Lakers center who never played for a title team. When he was drafted in 1989, just after Abdul-Jabbar had retired, few fans had ever heard of the then 21-year-old. 7-foot-1 inch Serbian.

Vlade moved into the starting lineup during his second year and remained there for a total of six seasons. Despite his size, he relied more on finesse and agility than on raw power. He was a good but not great scorer (12.2 PPG) and rebounder (8.5 RPG) but was one of the game’s best passing big men.

Divac was probably best known for his defensive flops and his colorful personality. He was steady and consistent but not spectacular, which was symbolic of the Lakers as a team during that era.

Vlade went on to become an important member of the Sacramento Kings in the late 1990s and early 2000’s. But before that, he made one more significant contribution to the Lakers.

On draft day 1996, he was traded to Charlotte for their first-round pick, a guy who was moving straight from high school to the NBA by the name of Kobe Bryant.

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