While Vlade Divac may not have stuffed the stat sheet like Shaquille O’Neal or David Robinson, the veteran NBA talent was still among the premier centers in the game for nearly two decades.

More than his on-court presence though, Vlade Divac was a fan favorite no matter where he want and he proved himself to be a global ambassador to the game he loved. From heading Serbia’s Olympic Committee to being an All-Star with our Sacramento Kings, everything Divac touched seemingly turned to gold.

That’s why so many were upset to learn that Vlade Divac had to undergo emergency surgery on Saturday afternoon.

Doctors said Saturday in a statement that Divac was admitted to a Belgrade hospital after feeling “strong pains in his stomach.” The statement said his life was not threatened. It did not specify his exact health problem.

Thankfully a full recovery is expected for the big man, who in addition to the Kings, also spent time with both the Charlotte Hornets and of course two stints with the Los Angeles Lakers.

We’ll continue to monitor the progress of Vlade and report back when an update on his condition is released.

Our best wishes to one of Sacramento’s all-time favorite players.