The NBA Hall Of Fame Just Got A Whole Lot Cooler With The Addition Of Vlade Divac

Portrait of Vlade Divac

The wait is finally over. I have no idea what the International Committee was doing all these years or what sort of stupid agenda they had against Vlade, but finally the legend is going to be inducted into the Naismith Hall Of Fame this year. It really is a travesty that he hadn’t been voted in until now, a guy that made All Rookie back in 1989 and basically was a huge part of a Lakers team that won 63 games. People forget he actually spent his longest time as a member of the Lakers and he was so good he was even in the Kobe Bryant trade back in 1996. But chances are you know him more for what he did as a member of the Kings, where he basically helped save basketball in that city.

You may be saying to yourself, sure Vlade is cool as shit but does he actually have a resume worth being in the HOF? Maybe you’re a younger stoolie that didn’t really watch many of those Lakers/Kings teams and you know him mostly for his front office work or something. Well not only is he leading one of the most exciting franchise turnarounds in the league, but as a player he was fucking awesome. Let me put it this way, in NBA history there have been 7 total players with 13,000 points, 9,000 rebounds, 3,000 assists, and 1,500 blocks. Here’s that list

1. Kareem

2. Shaq

3. Hakeem

4. Duncan

5. Garnett

6. Pau Gasol

7. Vlade

That’s a collection of guys already in or 100% locks for the HOF, so from an actual basketball standpoint, in my mind Vlade had always done enough to warrant his induction. Not to mention he definitely has a ring if the NBA didn’t blatantly cheat for the Lakers in 2001 which everyone knows is a fact, and when you factor in all the extra stuff and the impact Vlade had on the game of basketball and it’s a no brainer. Now the problem here is there’s another King that got snubbed in Chris Webber, and hopefully he doesn’t have to wait long. He’s another guy that would 100% be in had the Kings won a title, and I’m not sure what exactly is keeping Webber out.

With Vlade though, he was one of the best passing big men I ever saw, and I just hope the Hall does his bust right and gives him a sick beard with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. It’s the only way.