Celebrating NBA Legends: Notable Players Born on June 9

With more than 5,000 individuals having played in the NBA throughout its history, there is at least one player born on every single day of the year—including four athletes born on February 29. Our detailed examination of players born on each day of the year continues below.

Here are the most prominent NBA figures born on June 9.

“Mooney” was a standout star in the ABA, which he successfully leveraged into a commendable NBA career. His journey commenced when the Los Angeles Lakers selected him 21st overall in the 1974 NBA Draft. However, he decided to join the Indiana Pacers of the ABA instead, where he made an impressive impact by averaging 17.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.4 steals during a standout rookie season. He followed this achievement with an All-Star selection in his second year and transitioned with the Pacers to the NBA the next season. His All-Star accolades continued in 1977 and 1978, marking the pinnacle of his career with averages of 23.6 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.4 steals per game over that four-year period (1975-1978). Knight concluded his career with teams in Kansas City and San Antonio before officially hanging up his sneakers in 1985.

Stojakovic was selected as the 14th pick in the 1996 NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings, where he would become a franchise icon. After spending his initial two years playing abroad, he officially joined the Kings for the 1998-99 season. He dedicated the first eight years of his professional career to the team, earning sixth place in the Sixth Man of the Year voting in 2000. That would be his final season as a bench player, as Peja began a streak of three consecutive All-Star appearances starting in 2001-02.

His career peaked in 2004, when Stojakovic had a breakout season, averaging a personal best of 24.2 points, along with 6.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. That year, he finished fourth in the MVP voting, leading the league in free-throw percentage and total three-pointers made. Stojakovic wrapped up his last season with the Kings in 2005-06 before proceeding to play for New Orleans, Indiana, Toronto, and Dallas, eventually retiring in 2011. Over his 13-year career, the sharpshooter averaged 17.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 0.9 steals. He ranks second in franchise history for the Kings with 1,070 career three-pointers and holds the record for the highest free-throw percentage at 89.3 percent. Can you envision this player competing in today’s NBA?

Curious about all the NBA players born on June 9? Here’s the complete chronological list: