Vladimir Radmanović
A sweet-shooting Serbian forward whose NBA career was a global basketball odyssey, marked by a coveted championship ring and a famous snowboarding mishap.
Born 1980 (age 46)·Serbian basketball player·Birthday: November 19·Generation X
Biography
Vladimir Radmanović brought a distinctly European flair to the NBA: a 6'10" forward who preferred to operate on the perimeter, launching three-pointers with a smooth, unflappable stroke. Drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics, he became a key floor-spacer in an era that was just beginning to value his skill set. His journey took him across the league, from Seattle to the Los Angeles Lakers, where he won a championship coming off the bench in 2009. Radmanović's career, however, is often punctuated by a single, quirky incident—a shoulder injury sustained while snowboarding, which he initially claimed was from slipping on ice, leading to a fine from the Lakers. This moment of off-court mischief somehow encapsulated the persona of a skilled but unpredictable player who navigated a long career on his own terms.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Vladimir was born in 1980, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Vladimir Was Born
The biggest hits of 1980
#1 Movie
The Empire Strikes Back
Best Picture
Ordinary People
#1 TV Show
Dallas
Vladimir's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1980Born
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1985Started school
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1993Became a teenager
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1996Could drive
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1998Could vote
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2001Turned 21
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2010Turned 30
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 40
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 46 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won an NBA championship as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers in 2009.
- Played 12 seasons in the NBA for seven different teams, averaging 8.0 points per game for his career.
- Finished his NBA career shooting 37.6% from three-point range, a strong mark for a big man of his era.
- Represented Serbia and Montenegro in international competition, including at the 2002 FIBA World Championship.
Did You Know?
He was famously fined by the Los Angeles Lakers for injuring his shoulder while snowboarding during the 2008-09 season, violating his contract.
He earned the nickname 'The Snowboarder' from fans and media following the incident.
He played for Partizan Belgrade in his youth before being drafted into the NBA.
After his NBA career, he returned to Europe to play for several clubs, including a stint in Turkey.
“A three-pointer is a high-percentage shot if you don't think about missing.”
