http://www.jimrome.com/home/article/article0.html Peja Stojakovic was my guest today on the show, and it was great to hear from the guy who has become the main man for the Kings. Peja has been money this year with a dead eye from the perimeter, and an all around game to go with his shooting prowess.
I wanted to address the issue of him as a leader of the Kings, and whether he still will be once Webber returns. Peja was quick to say that Chris Webber was the Kings'' best player, and thus, their leader. That may be the case, but if the Kings expect to win it all this year, they will depend on Peja just as much as Webber. Peja understands that it''s not necessary to get into squabbles over who the team leader is, and that it''s more important to win titles. I also addressed the ridiculous assertion that the Kings are better off without Webber. Peja wholeheartedly agreed and realizes they''ll need a healthy Webber to win the West. Peja has stepped up and taken more shots this year in the absence of Webber, and that''s what the Kings needed.
We talked about his uncanny ability to create space for his shot. Peja said he really doesn''t need much space to get off that lethal jumper - it just comes naturally to him. It also helps to have such an excellent Point Guard in Mike Bibby distributing the ball.
Finally we spoke about Drazen Petrovic, one of the first Europeans to play in the pros, who was killed in an auto accident in 1993. Peja spoke highly off Drazen, recognizing how the former Net opened so many doors to NBA players from Europe. It was good to have Peja Stojakovic on the program, and I look forward to seeing how the Kings will do come playoff time.
