Last Updated on July 20, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

Peja Stojaković was one of the greatest shooters of his generation, stretching defenses with his effortless three-point range and polished offensive skill. A multiple-time All-Star and NBA champion, he played a pivotal role in the rise of international talent while helping redefine the value of elite perimeter shooting in the modern game.

Here’s information about Peja Stojaković:

Player Profile

  • Full Name: Predrag Stojaković
  • Nationality: Serbian (born in Yugoslavia)
  • Age: Born June 9, 1977
  • Hometown: Požega, SR Croatia, Yugoslavia (modern-day Croatia)
  • Height: 6 feet 10 inches (2.08 m)
  • Weight: 220 pounds (100 kg)
  • Wingspan: 6 feet 11 inches
  • Shoe Size: Size 16 (US)
  • Number: 16 (worn most famously with the Sacramento Kings)
  • Position: Small Forward / Power Forward
  • High School: Did not attend high school in the United States (grew up and played in Europe)
  • College: Did not attend college (played professionally in Europe before entering the NBA)
  • NBA Draft: Selected 14th overall in the 1st round of the 1996 NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings
  • Teams Played For:
    1. Sacramento Kings (1998–2006)
    2. Indiana Pacers (2006)
    3. New Orleans Hornets (2006–2010)
    4. Toronto Raptors (2010)
    5. Dallas Mavericks (2011)
  • Championship Rings: 1 (with Dallas Mavericks in 2011)
  • Kids: 3 children
  • Siblings: Not much is publicly known about his siblings

Player Archetype / Play Style

Peja Stojaković’s player archetype was that of an elite sharpshooting forward, a tall perimeter scorer who stretched defenses with quick-trigger shooting, polished off-ball movement, and calm half-court efficiency. Defensively, he was more of a positional team defender than a shutdown stopper, using his size to hold his ground on the wing while fitting within scheme rather than overwhelming matchups with speed or strength. Offensively, his role centered on floor spacing, running off screens, spotting up, punishing help defenders, and making opponents pay whenever they gave him daylight, with enough touch and skill to score beyond just standstill jumpers. At 6-foot-10 and 229 pounds, Stojaković had unusual size for a pure shooter, and that combination of height, balance, and smooth mechanics made his release difficult to bother. His overall play style was built on precision rather than force: a long, fluid forward who bent defenses with shooting gravity and turned smart movement into efficient scoring. (Basketball Reference)

Scouting Report

People remember Peja Stojaković for the shooting, but reducing him to that misses how exhausting he was to defend before the ball even found him. He rarely stood still. He drifted behind penetration, curled tightly off staggered screens, changed speeds through floppy actions, and had an instinct for slipping into the tiny pockets of space defenders abandoned for a split second. By the time the pass arrived, the advantage had usually been created. That’s what made him so dangerous. Close out too hard and he’d take one or two long, balanced dribbles into a pull-up or glide all the way to the rim with deceptively smooth strides rather than explosive bursts. The interesting thing is that his scoring wasn’t built on difficult isolation basketball—it came from constantly punishing defenses that lost discipline for a moment. Defensively, he was at his best within structure. He understood rotations, tagged cutters when necessary, and used his size to contest without needing to gamble, although quicker wings could force him into uncomfortable recoveries if possessions broke down into space. The trade-off was that he wasn’t creating separation against elite individual defenders with sheer athleticism, so his effectiveness rose alongside teammates who bent the defense first. Give him a creative pick-and-roll guard and a screener willing to free him off multiple actions, and suddenly every help decision becomes expensive because his release punished even slight mistakes. I’ve always thought there was more Reggie Miller in his game than people acknowledge—not because of constant movement alone, but because both understood that the real work happened before the catch. There were shades of Klay Thompson as well, particularly in the effortless balance coming off screens, but Peja relied more on rhythm, timing and spatial awareness than overwhelming physicality to turn good offensive possessions into great ones.

Fun Facts

Peja Stojaković was one of the best shooters of his generation, known for his sharp shooting from beyond the arc. He had his best years with the Sacramento Kings, helping the team to multiple playoff runs. Stojaković was a three-time NBA All-Star and a two-time NBA Three-Point Contest champion. After retiring, he took on roles in basketball management, including working for the Kings in a front-office role.

Sources:

Basketball-Reference — Peja Stojaković Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more
NBA.com — Peja Stojakovic | Forward