News
Dec. 27, 2008 -- Maryland’s Jordan Steffy and Nevada’s Luke Lippincott receive Student Humanitarian Awards at Roady’s Humanitarian Bowl
Oct. 31, 2008 -- USC AD Mike Garrett Receives Tradition of Excellence Award
June 25, 2008 -- Warrick Dunn, Vlade Divac, Jimmie Heuga Join World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame
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Jimmie Heuga '08: The Heuga Center for Multiple Sclerosis’ board appoints Kim Sharkey as new CEO
Warrick Dunn '08: Tampa Bay Buccanneers running Back awards 84TH home
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Vlade Divac
Inducted: 2008
Induction Class: Vlade Divac (Basketball), Warrick Dunn (Football), Jimmie Heuga (Alpine Skiing)
Sport: Basketball
Years Active:
Born: February 3, 1968
Birthplace: Prijepolje, Serbia
Community Focus: Human Rights
Foundation: Humanitarian Organization Divac (HOD)
Vlade Divac, one of the first European players to make an impact on the NBA and dedicated humanitarian worker, was inducted into the World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame as a part of the Class of 2008 which included football great Warrick Dunn and Olympic skiing pioneer Jimmie Heuga.
Divac began playing basketball in his home town Prijepolje for the team KK Elan. He began his professional career in Yugoslavia playing for KK Sloga Kraljevo. Divac was drafted into the NBA in 1989 by the Los Angeles Lakers, where he quickly gained recognition for his basketball skills and became a fan favorite. He was selected to the NBA All-Rookie team and was later traded to the Charlotte Hornets in 1996 where he played two seasons. In 1998 he signed with the Sacremento Kings where he brought new life to the franchise, helping them become a championship contender. He ended his career with the Lakers.
Off the court Vlade organizes and actively supports numerous humanitarian initiatives. In addition to being a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and an active philanthropist throughout his 17-year professional basketball career, Vlade dedicates himself to the Humanitarian Organization Divac (HOD). It was created with the goal of providing crucial resources for refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs) and uncared-for persons, regardless of background, race, or orientation.
At the time of his induction, Divac’s work had provided more than $9 million in humanitarian assistance and educational programs to children in Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina, the United States, Indonesia, Ethiopia and China. Divac’s attention is now focused on improving the circumstances of nearly 7,000 refugees displaced over 15 years ago from war-ravaged Yugoslavia.
His You Can Too campaign has enlisted the support of NBA commissioner David Stern, the Los Angeles Lakers and a number of NBA players and coaches and Hollywood elite to raise $15 million to empower Serbian refugees to realize their right to housing, work, material security and self confidence.