Predrag Stojaković was far more than a three-point specialist. Standing 6'9", with quick mechanics and an extraordinary ability to shoot off the move, he could change a game without needing much time with the ball. He thrived coming off screens, punished defensive help, and made free throws routine. During his prime years, he was one of the most difficult scorers to defend in the NBA.
His path, however, was far from easy. He was born in Slavonska Požega, in present-day Croatia, and began playing basketball almost recreationally. War forced his family, of Serbian origin, to leave their home and relocate to Belgrade. That's when Estrella Roja appeared, and basketball transformed from a distraction into the center of his life. Peja himself would later acknowledge that without that forced displacement, he probably would have continued working with his family in the fields.
He made his debut with Estrella Roja during the 1992/93 season at just 15 years old. He averaged 6.5 points and 2.1 rebounds and was part of the team that won the Yugoslav League. His time in Belgrade was brief, but enough to confirm that this tall, coordinated small forward with a special gift for shooting was ready to grow away from home.
In 1993, he moved with his family to Thessaloniki to sign with PAOK. His first campaign, 1993/94, saw no official playing time. It was a year of adaptation to a new country, another language, and a club accustomed to competing among Greece's best.
His real debut came in the 1994/95 season. He averaged 8.2 points and 2.5 rebounds and won the Greek Cup, a title that should also be added to his resume. He was still behind more veteran players like Bane Prelević, but already showed a composure and confidence unusual for a 17-year-old.
The 1995/96 season marked his first major breakthrough. He reached 19.9 points and 4.2 rebounds and became one of PAOK's primary offensive weapons. The Sacramento Kings selected him with the 14th pick in the 1996 Draft, but Stojaković decided to continue in Europe. He didn't want to arrive in the NBA to occupy a secondary role; he preferred to continue developing and assume responsibilities in Greece.
In 1996/97, he elevated his numbers to 21 points and 4.6 rebounds. His progression was interrupted by a serious injury—a double leg fracture that kept him off the court for several months. It was the first major physical obstacle of his career, but also a test of maturity for a player not yet 20 years old.
Stojaković returned in the 1997/98 season and posted his best campaign in Europe: 23.6 points and 4.9 rebounds. He was the EuroLeague's leading scorer and MVP of the Greek league, now established as one of the continent's most impactful players.
His farewell to PAOK left one of the most memorable images in Greek basketball. In the decisive semifinal game against Olympiacos, he hit a three-pointer at the buzzer that gave PAOK victory in Piraeus and sent them to the final. The Thessaloniki team ultimately lost the title to Panathinaikos in five games, but that shot would forever be linked to Peja's legacy.
In 1998, two years after being drafted, he finally made the jump to Sacramento. His first season was marked by the lockout, and he could only play 48 games. He averaged 8.4 points and 3 rebounds as a reserve, still adapting to the speed and physicality of the NBA.
During the summer of 1999, he won bronze at EuroBasket with Yugoslavia. It was his first medal with the senior national team and the beginning of an international career that would eventually place him among the great European players of his generation.
In the 1999/00 season, he increased his production to 11.9 points and 3.7 rebounds. The Kings were building a different team based on ball movement and constant motion around Chris Webber, Vlade Divac, Jason Williams, and a young Stojaković who needed less and less time to get his shot off.
His definitive breakthrough came in 2000/01. Now as a starter, he averaged 20.4 points and 5.8 rebounds, shooting 40% from three. He had transformed from a solid rotation player into one of Sacramento's primary scorers and one of the NBA's best shooters.
That summer, he reached the pinnacle with Yugoslavia. At the 2001 EuroBasket, he averaged 23 points, shot an extraordinary 51.4% from three, and was named tournament MVP. He scored 29 points against Latvia in the quarterfinals and 30 against Spain in the semifinals before winning gold against Turkey. It was arguably his best international tournament.
In the 2001/02 season, he maintained his growth with 21.2 points and 5.3 rebounds. He made his first All-Star appearance and won the three-point contest. Sacramento finished with 61 wins, the best record in franchise history, and came one game short of reaching the NBA Finals after losing to the Lakers in a seven-game series.
The season ended with another major international success. Yugoslavia won the 2002 Indianapolis World Championship, and Stojaković was one of its stars, averaging 18.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.8 assists. He scored 20 points in the historic victory over the United States in the quarterfinals and 26 against Argentina in the final, decided in overtime.
In 2002/03, he averaged 19.2 points and 5.5 rebounds. He returned to the All-Star Game and successfully defended his three-point contest title. His mechanics—quick and virtually identical on every shot—had made him a reference point. He didn't need to dribble to get into rhythm: he could catch, set, and shoot before the defense had time to react.
The best season of his career came in 2003/04. With Chris Webber injured for much of the season, Stojaković assumed offensive leadership of the Kings and posted 24.2 points and 6.3 rebounds. He was selected for the All-Star Game for the third consecutive year, made the All-NBA Second Team, and led the league in free throw percentage at 92.7%.
In 2004/05, he maintained a high level with 20.1 points and 4.3 rebounds, though Sacramento was beginning to lose the pieces that had sustained its best era. The team remained competitive, but no longer had the same fluidity or depth of previous years.
The 2005/06 season marked the end of his cycle in California. He averaged 16.5 points and 5.3 rebounds before being traded to Indiana for Ron Artest. With the Pacers, he regained prominence and finished the season with 19.5 points and 6.3 rebounds. His time in Indiana was brief, but proved he remained a first-tier scorer.
In the summer of 2006, he signed a five-year contract with the New Orleans Hornets. His first campaign started well with 17.8 points and 4.2 rebounds, but surgery to remove a disc fragment in his lower back limited him to just 13 games. Back injuries would accompany him for the rest of his career.
The 2007/08 season was his last great year. He averaged 16.4 points and 4.3 rebounds as one of Chris Paul and David West's primary partners. His presence opened the floor and punished defenses trying to collapse on the pick-and-roll. New Orleans posted the best season in franchise history to that point, and Stojaković again led the NBA in free throw percentage, this time at 92.9%.
In 2008/09, he dropped to 13.3 points and 4.3 rebounds. He remained a starter and an outside threat, though his mobility was beginning to be affected by physical issues. A year later, in 2009/10, he registered 12.6 points and 3.7 rebounds, still shooting 89.7% from the free throw line.
His final season, 2010/11, began in New Orleans, where he averaged 7.5 points in six games. In November, he was sent to Toronto. With the Raptors, he reached 10 points per game but could barely play two games before agreeing to his departure. Toronto released him in January 2011, and Dallas emerged as his last opportunity.
With the Mavericks, he averaged 8.6 points and 2.6 rebounds. He no longer had the consistency of his best years, but his shooting could still decide games. In the fourth game of the Western Conference semifinals against the Lakers, he made six three-pointers and finished with 21 points, helping Dallas complete a sweep of the defending champion.
Dallas then defeated Oklahoma City and beat the Miami Heat in the Finals. At 34 years old, Stojaković closed his career by lifting the NBA championship. It was a fitting ending for a player who had spent more than a decade chasing that title and still found the strength to contribute on the path to the ring.
He retired after 804 regular season games, averaging 17 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.8 assists. He was a three-time All-Star, All-NBA Second Team selection, two-time three-point contest champion, and two-time league leader in free throw percentage.
His resume includes a Yugoslav League title, a Greek Cup, and an NBA championship. With Yugoslavia, he won a World Championship, a EuroBasket, and a European bronze medal. In 2014, Sacramento retired his number 16 jersey, a distinction reserved for players who marked the franchise's history. Ten years later, he was inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame.
Predrag Stojaković helped prove that a European small forward could become an NBA star without abandoning his style of play. He didn't need explosiveness or great individual resources. Movement, height, and a shot that always looked the same were enough.
Peja transformed shooting into a form of precision. From Thessaloniki to Sacramento, he built a career in which every inch of space could end the same way: with the ball going cleanly through the basket.