VLADE DIVAC

Former NBA star Vlade Divac, who is in the country for an exhibition game, will wear a different hat on Thursday when he meets with Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Jose “Peping” Cojuangco Jr.

Divac, for those who may not know it, is also president of the Serbia Olympic Committee and he will meet with Cojuangco to discuss the possibility of expanding the sporting ties between the two National Olympic Committees.

The 41-year-old Divac was elected president of the Serbian committee last February is part of the NBA Generations team that will play an exhibition game against former and current PBA superstars in the NBA Asian Challenge tomorrow at the Araneta Coliseum.

The meeting between Cojuangco and the 7-foot-1 Divac is set at POC office in Pasig City at 3 p.m. and was arranged by POC spokesperson Joey Romasanta and Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) executive director Noli Eala.

“It’s a good opportunity for the POC and Serbian Olympic Committee (SOC) to discuss how to help each other,” Romasanta said on Wednesday. “With a Serbian coach in basketball, maybe they can help us in other sports.”

Romasanta is referring to Serbian mentor Rajko Toroman who has a three-year deal with SBP to be the Project Director of the Smart-Gilas Developmental Team which is preparing for various international tournaments.

“It is momentous especially in the light of the role of Divac’s compatriot in coach Toroman in our Olympic quest,” Eala said. “The SBP is proud that we were instrumental in breaking the ice of cooperation.”

“I’m confident that the meeting will usher in better relationship between the Philippines and Serbia and allow more exchanges that will be mutually beneficial to the sports progress of the two countries,” Eala added.

Divac played 16 seasons in the NBA where he saw action for the Los Angeles Lakers, which drafted him in the first round in 1989, the Charlotte Hornets and the Sacramento Kings. Prior to the 2004-05 Season, he signed with the Lakers but back problems diminished his playing minutes.

He arrived last Monday together with other NBA legends including former Lakers superstar Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Dominique Wilkins, Tim Hardaway, and Robert Horry, who also won three of his seven titles with LA.