Former NBA great Vlade Divac breaks a hip in motorcycle accident in Montenegro
PODGORICA, Montenegro (AP) — Former NBA center Vlade Divac underwent emergency surgery after breaking a hip in a fall from his motorcycle in Montenegro, doctors said Friday.
The accident happened Thursday on a road near the Montenegrin Adriatic Sea coast. Hospital officials said the 57-year-old Divac sustained a fracture and that an artificial hip was implanted.
'During the day, a surgical procedure was performed,' said Ljubica Mitrovic, a spokeswoman of the hospital in the town of Risan. 'He is in a stable general and physical condition and is under a careful supervision of the medical staff.'
The 7-foot-1 (2.16m) Serbian center started and ended his 16-year NBA career with the Los Angeles Lakers. He also played for the Charlotte Hornets and Sacramento Kings. He was an All-Star in 2001. He later served as general manager of the Kings.
When he joined the Lakers in 1989, he was among the first group of European players to transfer to the NBA.
Divac was also the first player born and trained outside the United States to play in over 1,000 games in the NBA. He was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019.
Divac served two terms as head of Serbia's Olympic Committee.
Winnipeg Jets Game Days
On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBC
30 minutes ago
- CBC
Jonathan Toews joins hometown Winnipeg Jets in return to NHL
Jonathan Toews is coming home. The Former Chicago Blackhawks captain and three-time Stanley Cup champion has agreed to sign with the Winnipeg Jets but can't put ink to paper until July 1. "We are excited to add a proven winner like Jonathan Toews to the Winnipeg Jets," general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff said in a news release posted on the Jets website. "It will be a unique opportunity for Jonathan to play for his hometown team. His talent, drive and experience will be a great complement to our club. We will withhold further comment until July 1." Free agents aren't allowed to put ink to paper until July 1, so the official signing has to wait just over a week. The Jets posted several messages on X on Friday morning, including one that said, "Can't believe this is a real post from @nhljets tbh." Toews, who was born in Winnipeg and played youth hockey in the city, has a sportsplex named in his honour in the St. Vital neighbourhood where he grew up. On Friday, a message on the electronic sign for the facility said "He's home." In a statement included in the Jets release on Friday, Toews said he is grateful to be making his return to the NHL with the club. "It's very special to come home and play in front of my family and friends in Manitoba. The Jets have been on the rise over the last few seasons, and I'm eager to join the group and help however I can." Toews, 37, was drafted third overall by the Blackhawks in 2006 and spent his entire career there, winning three Stanley Cups (2010, 2013 and 2015), before stepping away from the game in February 2023, saying he was suffering from symptoms of long COVID and chronic inflammatory response syndrome. "It has reached the point where I had no choice but to step back and concentrate on getting healthy," he said at the time. He returned to the Blackhawks' lineup on April 1, and about two weeks later, the team announced it would not re-sign Toews after his contract expired at the end of the season. In August 2023, Toews said he intended to sit out the 2023-24 season to focus on his health, but that he was not retiring from the NHL. In March 2025, he announced in an interview with The Athletic that he intended to return for the 2025-26 season, prompting speculation among hockey writers and fans about where he might land. Winnipeg was always considered a front-runner. Toews is a two-time Olympic gold medallist for Canada in hockey (2010 and 2014), won the 2010 Conn Smythe Trophy as the MVP of the Stanley Cup playoffs, the 2013 Frank J. Selke Trophy as the league's best defensive forward, and the 2015 Mark Messier Leadership Award. He's been a Selke finalist three other times and been in four NHL all-star games. Towes also won the gold medal at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, back-to-back gold medals at the 2006 and 2007 World Junior Championships and gold and silver medals at the 2007 and 2008 World Championships, respectively.
The Province
32 minutes ago
- The Province
How Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is quietly becoming the best Canadian basketball player ever
Ontario product and regular season MVP poised to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to its first championship and potentially win NBA Finals MVP honours Regular season MVP and playoff star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is poised to become the greatest Canadian to play in the NBA. Photo by Maddie Meyer / Getty Images Professional basketball's often contentious greatest of all time debate will likely never be settled, but the conversation about the greatest Canadian to play in the NBA could very well be resolved on Saturday night. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors The Oklahoma City Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who this season joined two-time NBA regular season MVP winner Steve Nash of B.C. as the only Canadians to win the award, has dominated this year's NBA Finals against the Indiana Pacers, a series tied at three games apiece that continues in a decisive Game 7 on Saturday night. Should the Thunder emerge victorious on home court, Gilgeous-Alexander is the odds-on favourite to be awarded the Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP Award. Only a handful of players have won both MVP honours in a single season, all of them among the game's true greats: Willis Reed, Kareem Abdul-Jabar, Moses Malone, Magic Johnson, Tim Duncan, Shaquille O'Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon, Larry Bird and LeBron James — who both accomplished it twice — and Michael Jordan, who was bestowed both honours on four occasions. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Steve Nash's MVPs came in successive seasons (2004-2006) when he was pivotal to the Phoenix Suns' success at a time when the league was dominated by future Hall of Famers such as Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, Dwayne Wade and Allen Iverson, to name but a few. Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. But the South African-born, Victoria-raised Nash never played for a title during his remarkable 18-season Hall of Fame career. (Although he would later become a de facto champion by way of consulting duties with the Golden State Warriors in 2017.) In an interview with The Ringer earlier this year, Nash himself admitted that if Gilgeous-Alexander isn't already, 'he'll be the best Canadian to ever play the game — and in short order.' He's done so by approaching the game — on and off the court — with composure and humility, while developing into a leader who recognizes his broader role for the young team and its fans. A case in point: he signed 429 autographs in the hours before Game 2, thinking he'd only signed a few dozen. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'Greatest season for a Canadian' Statistically, the 26-year-old from Hamilton, Ont., conclusively produced the single best regular season by a Canadian player ever this year. His 32.7 points per game average led the league — as did his 49 games with 30-plus points — and was supported by five rebounds, 6.4 assists and a field goal percentage of 51.9 per cent. His true shooting percentage, a stat used to determine shot efficiency, was an incredible 63.7 per cent. Only two other players in the NBA's history have averaged similar figures: Jordan and 2017-18 MVP James Harden. Michael Jordan is considered by many to be basketball's greatest of all time. Photo by John Swart / AP 'Steve (Nash) would tell you this is the greatest season for a Canadian,' said Dwayne Washington, founder of UPLAY Canada, who coached a young Gilgeous-Alexander for several years before he left to finish high school playing against stiffer competition in Tennessee. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'So when the dust clears, people are only gonna look at statistics, and statistically it's undeniable.' Similarly, Gilgeous-Alexander, already the recipient of the Western Conference Final MVP award, has produced playoff numbers that put him in rare air. He has scored 30-plus points in 15 games, tying him with Kobe Bryant for the most in a single postseason and one off the record held by Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon. He also set an NBA record by scoring at least 30 points in 10 straight home games. More history for SGA 🔥 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander joins Kobe Bryant, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Michael Jordan as the only players in NBA history with 15 or more 30+ point games in a single postseason! — NBA (@NBA) June 17, 2025 This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Three of those have come in the Finals, during which he is averaging 32.4 ppg and 2.4 steals, both of which rank among the top five in history heading into Game 6, per the league. That includes a 35-point performance in Game 4 — highlighted by a 15-point run in the final 5 minutes to help the Thunder come from behind and tie the series up at two apiece — and a 31-point, 10-assist double-double in Game 5. According to Sportsnet, his 162 points through the first five games were the fourth most by any player. Gilgeous-Alexander was held to just 21 points in a Game 6 loss to the Pacers on Thursday night. He also joined an elite group last week when he became the 12th player with more than 3,000 total points in a single season (regular season and playoffs combined). This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Humble and hard-working Like he was all season, Gilgeous-Alexander has continued to be humble about his success on the court, promoting selflessness and a team-first mentality in post-game interviews, often hailing his teammates' contributions as being just as vital. After Game 5, he heaped praise on forward Jalen Williams' 40-point effort and said he was just 'trying to affect winning.' 'Trying to make a basketball play. I was trying to help the team win, trying to be in position for the next rotation, next play defensively. Whatever comes with that, comes with that.' Shai Gilgeous-Alexander shoots over Aaron Nesmith during Game 5 of the 2025 NBA Finals on Monday night. Photo by William Purnell / Getty Images Washington, whose program has provided coaching and mentorship to other Canadian NBA talent such as R.J. Barrett, Lindell Wigginton, and Shaedon Sharpe, told National Post he's been impressed with how Gilgeous-Alexander is handling the defensive pressure, even likening it to what Jordan experienced in the playoffs. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'That is so hard to do. Some of the best athletes in the world are double- and triple-teaming you, and you're still getting 30, 10 assists and winning with a team so young,' he explained. (The Thunder's average age is just 25.6 years, making them the youngest squad to play for a title since the 1977 Portland Trailblazers.) Washington offered more comparisons to Jordan, along with Bryant, in terms of Gilgeous-Alexander's approach to the game off the court — 'He's out-studying, outmaneuvering, out-planning, and out-working people before they even step on the court,' he said — and a fall-away mid-range jump shot that both legends deployed with lethal efficiency throughout their careers. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. He said the six-foot-six guard has been working on that shot for years, and it comes naturally to him. However, most NBA coaches preach against the generally low-percentage shot attempt despite it being a go-to for elite offensive players. Washington said Gilgeous-Alexander has been told not to shoot it 'most of his career,' but he's continued to perfect it anyway. 'I know he's been working on it, so it's great to see it in real time,' Washington said. 'I'll be honest with you, if he'd listened to other people telling him what not to do, he wouldn't be there.' Nash also offered a Jordan and Bryant comparison in an interview with the Toronto Star last month, saying Gilgeous-Alexander 'does the same thing they do.' 'If you look at the numbers and you break it down, there's a lot of things he does that are greater than everyone that's even close to those type of players. So he's ascending towards that category.' He'll look to continue that ascension when the NBA Finals concludes on Saturday. Game time is 8 p.m. ET. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here.
Winnipeg Free Press
33 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Wolves sign attacking midfielder Fer Lopez from Celta Vigo on 5-year contract
WOLVERHAMPTON, England (AP) — Wolverhampton has signed attacking midfielder Fer Lopez from Spanish La Liga side Celta Vigo on a five-year contract, the Premier League club said on Friday. The 21-year-old Spaniard is the first summer signing for Wolves and follows forward Jorgen Strand Larsen, who also joined the English team from Celta last year. The transfer fee is reportedly worth 19.5 million pounds ($26 million). Lopez made 20 appearances for Celta after making his senior debut in October, scoring four goals and helping the club to finish seventh in La Liga. It is a return to England for the product of the Celta academy, who spent four months at a school in Stowmarket in Suffolk at age 15. 'It's an amazing opportunity for my career to play in the Premier League, and I'm very happy,' Lopez said. 'The club told me, and (manager) Vitor (Pereira) told me, that they thought I was a good fit in the squad. ' ___ AP soccer:
