 Ian Thomsen, a "Sports Illustrated" columnist, grouped Divac with fellow international players Anderson Varejão and Manu Ginóbili as the players who "made [flopping] famous", exaggerating contact on the court in a manner analogous to diving in FIBA games.On July 1, 1996, Divac was traded to the Charlotte Hornets for the draft rights to Kobe Bryant and played two seasons there until signing with the Sacramento Kings in July 1998.During the 1998–99 NBA lockout, in January 1999, Divac played 2 games for Partizan's eternal rival KK Crvena Zvezda, in the 1998–99 EuroLeague season.