Every professional athlete wants to go out on top, and that’s exactly what Peja Stojakovic has decided to do.
The 34-year-old veteran, who is regarded as one of the slickest shooters in the game today, has decided to call it a career one year after helping the Dallas Mavericks win their first NBA championship.
There was interest in Stojackovic’s services from a number of potential contenders this offseason, but after a string of back and neck troubles, Peja decided to call it quits after an impressive 13-year NBA career.
“I want to thank the great fans in Sacramento, Indiana, New Orleans, and Dallas who supported me throughout the years,” Stojakovic said in a statement. “I also want to thank the Dallas Mavericks for believing in me this past season and for giving me the chance to end my NBA career with a championship.”
Drafted No. 14 overall by Sacramento in 1996, Stojakovic became a household name with the Kings in the early 2000s. He made three straight trips to the All-Star Game as a King in 2002, 2003 and 2004, won consecutive titles in the NBA’s 3-point contest in 2002 and 2003 and finished second in the NBA in scoring in 2003-04 by averaging 24.2 points per game.
But his crowning achievement came last season when he was a part of the championship run in Dallas, most notably his clutch three-point shooting performance in a Game 4 rout over the Los Angeles Lakers.
He leaves the NBA with career averages of 17 points and 40-percent shooting from three-point range, ranking fourth all-time with 1,760 careers threes.
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