Vlade Divac, who played 16 seasons in the NBA, announced his retirement in Belgrade, Serbia, according to a story on the Sports Ticker Web site.

Divac, limited to 15 games with the Lakers last season because of a back injury, said he feels a lot of pain in his back when he plays four or five days in a row.

"There is just a 50-50 chance for me to be fully recovered for the season," he said. "As I don't want to become a disabled player, I think this is a right time for me to stop playing basketball."