Vlade Divac Joins Kings Front Office: Latest Details, Comments and Reaction

Continuing their organizational overhaul under owner Vivek Ranadive, the Sacramento Kings named former center Vlade Divac their vice president of basketball and franchise operations Tuesday.  

"With an unparalleled philanthropic track record that spans the globe, Vlade Divac is the epitome of our NBA 3.0 philosophy," Ranadive said in a statement. "He has a unique perspective and global stature that will only further elevate our organization around the world."

Divac, 47, played for the Kings from 1998 to 2004, making an All-Star team in 2001 and helping lead the franchise to its longest run of sustained success in Sacramento. The team never missed the playoffs in Divac's six seasons and came within a win of earning an NBA Finals berth in 2002. The Kings retired Divac's No. 21 in 2009.

Per the release, Divac said:

"

It's a great honor returning to the city that has provided a lifetime of unforgettable experiences. Sacramento and the Kings organization were always in my thoughts and I often dreamed of having a role in helping our amazing fans realize the ultimate NBA prize. I'm thankful to Vivek for the opportunity and look forward to creating more special memories here.

"

RICH PEDRONCELLI/Associated Press

Since his retirement, Divac has served as an international scout for the Los Angeles Lakers, the head of operations for Spanish club Real Madrid and the president of the Serbian Olympic Committee. His hiring continues a franchise-wide revamping that's taken place since Ranadive became a majority owner in 2013. He has hired general manager Pete D'Alessandro, hired—and then fired—head coach Mike Malone, brought in George Karl as Malone's replacement and made a number of other internal changes.

The on-court product has yet to show the fruits of that labor. Sacramento enters Tuesday night 20-37 and will miss the playoffs for the ninth straight year, barring a miracle. It's unclear how much say Divac will have in the Kings' day-to-day operations, but at the very least, Ranadive's latest hire will remind fans of a time when this franchise was at the top, rather than the bottom, of the Western Conference.

Follow Tyler Conway (@tylerconway22) on Twitter.