Signing With Lakers, Divac Has Riley’s Number

Vlade Divac has had an eventful summer.

First, he was chosen in the first round of the National Basketball Assn. draft by the Lakers, the team he had wanted to go to because of “the excellent coaching.”

Then, days later, he married an aspiring actress named Snezana, in a ceremony that was televised nationally in Yugoslavia, where Divac lives.

Now, his honeymoon barely over, he signed his contract with the Lakers Monday and will join their team in the Summer Pro League today.

One honeymoon ends, another begins, it would seem.

Divac, whose size has been listed from 6 feet 11 inches and 243 pounds to 7-1 and 248, was selected 26th by the Lakers, who were pleased to find him available.

“We were really delighted to have the opportunity to draft a player who obviously is not well known to the people of the United States of America, but he’s one of the premier players outside of this country,” General Manager Jerry West said.

“On draft day, I was talking with Jerry Buss, before the draft, and as the draft was going forward, Vlade’s name suddenly appeared and we said: ‘Could this guy get to us?’ We had watched some tape on him, and were very intrigued with some of the things he could do for a man of his size.”

Still, Laker management realizes that turning Divac into an NBA center will require a great deal of work.

Divac, 21, who spoke through an interpreter, Alex Omalev, will undergo intensive English lessons designed to make him functional in the language by the start of training camp in October.

“We’re just very hopeful that he can come here, to this country, and become Americanized, and understand that there are going to be frustrations on both sides,” West said.

“We have him on a very intensive schedule. We think that in two months’ time, the language problem will really be well on its way to being solved. Basketball is a pretty visual game, and if someone holds up a fist, a player will know that. We think that will be the easy part of it.

“The word we’re going to talk about around here is patience, because it’s a little bit different for everyone. He knows how to play basketball, that’s something you don’t have to teach,” West said.

Divac said: “I’m very anxious to get right into it, and I don’t think it’s going to be a big problem.”

A native of Belgrade, Divac indicated that he knows something of the NBA when he revealed the reason behind his selection of his jersey number, 12. He said he picked it primarily because he had heard that Coach Pat Riley had worn that number during his Laker playing days.

Divac’s multiyear contract was approved by both Divac and his Yugoslav team, the Belgrade Partizan, and included a payment to the club for releasing the center’s rights.

Divac began with Partizan’s cadet team when he was 12. At 15, he had progressed to the junior team, and made his way to the senior level at 18.

On the international level, Divac led the Yugoslav Junior Olympic team to the gold medal in the 1985 World University Games in Japan, and he averaged 11.7 points and 6.5 rebounds last fall as Yugoslavia won the silver medal in the Seoul Olympics.

There has been some doubt as to how well Divac will handle the rougher style in the NBA. If his heritage has anything to do with it, he shouldn’t have any problems. He is from the Montenegro province of Yugoslavia, which has been known for centuries for the ferocity of its warriors.

Still, the doubts remain, and were partially responsible for his being available to the Lakers in the draft.

“I think a number of the other teams got scared,” said Marc Fleisher, who represents Divac. “They were afraid of the language problems.”

Divac seems eager to begin proving his worth to the Lakers.

“I came (to the NBA because) I felt that I’d met all the challenges and I needed a new one,” he said. “I want to play. It’s always been my will to compete in the NBA, and I’m delighted at my chance.

“I feel that as I get stronger and play my game, I’ll contribute. I’ve seen the Lakers on television, and I like their style. I like to run.”

An opportunity to play last year in an exhibition against the Boston Celtics, a team he rates as “weaker than the Lakers,” gave Davic the confidence he needed to make the leap to the NBA.

However, the question remains: Will he ever be able to replace his role model, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar?

“I’ll try, that’s my ambition,” he said. “How long it’s going to take, we’ll see.”