When Charlotte Hornets fans think of Vlade Divac, their minds almost immediately recall the draft-day trade in 1996 that sent the Hornets’ 13th pick, Kobe Bryant, to the Los Angeles Lakers. It still stings to this day, but in reality, it was always going to happen and frankly, most Hornets fans still have the utmost respect for Kobe.
It’s not like Vlade was terrible, or anything. He helped guide the Charlotte Hornets to the playoffs alongside greats like Glen Rice, Anthony Mason, and Dell Curry.