Former Sacramento Kings executive Vlade Divac recently broke down his decision not to draft Luka Doncic at the 2018 NBA Draft. Divac, 56, was the topic of discussion in a recent article by Newsweek. Divac’s decision not to draft Doncic, 25, might or might not be a good thing, but only time will tell.
Doncic has solely played for the Dallas Mavericks since being traded to Dallas by the Atlanta Hawks, who initially drafted him with the third overall pick in the first round of the 2018 NBA Draft. However, the possibility of Doncic’s career in Dallas hasn’t always been a slam dunk, as the Slovenian men’s basketball sensation was reportedly left on a silver platter for the Sacramento Kings.
But Divac and the Kings went in a different direction and drafted Marvin Bagley III with the second overall pick in the first round of the 2018 NBA Draft. Bagley III, 25, played four seasons in Sacramento from 2018 to 2022 but reportedly couldn’t agree on a contract extension following the 2021-22 season. Read on for more details.
Vlade Divac Passed on Luka Doncic
Former NBA Center Vlade Divac made a controversial decision to draft Marvin Bagley III over Luka Doncic in 2018. Divac recently doubled down on his decision to draft Bagley III over Doncic. According to Newsweek, Divac said, “At that position, I already had De’Aaron Fox, whom I had drafted a year earlier … At the time, I believed Fox was a player who could become a franchise star in the coming years.”
Had Divac drafted Doncic, he could’ve formed a strong backcourt in the NBA. However, the Kings selected Fox as the fifth overall pick in the first round of the 2017 NBA Draft. Divac’s initial plan was to pair Fox with Bagley III. Bagley III’s tenure in Sacramento was rather underwhelming, as the Duke alum left the California state capital for Detroit just before the 2022 NBA trade deadline.
Divac’s Reasoning For Passing
Former KK Partizan president Vlade Divac’s reasoning for passing on Luka Doncic in 2018 might sound reasonable, depending on who you ask. Divac told NBC Sports Bay Area, “At that position, I already had De’Aaron Fox, whom I had drafted a year earlier … At the time, I believed Fox was a player who could become a franchise star in the coming years.”
Divac and the Sacramento Kings reportedly predicted the rise of De’Aaron Fox, who was entering his second NBA season, and thought he could become the face of the franchise. Fox has arguably become the face of the franchise but has been snubbed on several occasions, such as being named to the 2024 NBA All-Star Game as a reserve.
Divac Might’ve Made The Right Choice
Former 26th overall pick Vlade Divac reportedly believes he made the right choice in passing on Luka Doncic. According to Newsweek, Divac said, “Time will tell if I was wrong … As things stand now, it seems I was, but I still have faith in Fox having a great career.”
Divac’s statement can be interpreted in more ways than one, as Doncic isn’t the only All-Star and potential Hall of Famer from the 2018 NBA Draft class. However, the former President of the Serbian Olympic Committee appears to see the good in De’Andre Fox while refusing to admit his arguable mistake of passing up Doncic.
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