Former Kings GM Reveals Reason To Pass on Luka Doncic

Vlade Divac explains why he had to pass on Luka Doncic during the 2018 NBA Draft.

Mar 29, 2024; Sacramento, California, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) smiles during a break in the action against the Sacramento Kings in the third quarter at the Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images / Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

When NBA fans talk about some of the most significant draft mistakes in recent memory, the Sacramento Kings typically come up toward the top of the list.

In the 2018 NBA Draft, the Kings selected Marvin Bagley III second overall. Bagley was an impressive prospect and there was no reason to doubt the pick, but in hindsight, the next three selections have panned out much better: Luka Doncic, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Trae Young.

Vlade Divac, Sacramento legend and the Kings' vice president of basketball operations and general manager at the time, spoke to Sasa Cobanov of Index.hr to explain his thought process behind the draft decision.

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. 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.

- Vlade Divac, Former Sacramento Kings GM

Divac will not necessarily admit whether he made a mistake, but Doncic is on path to becoming one of the best international players of all time and even one of the best to play the game ever.

Divac was asked why he did not draft Doncic and play him alongside Fox, similar to what the Dallas Mavericks have done by pairing him with Kyrie Irving.

Irving is a classic scorer, as is Luka. Fox is not, he is a play who needs the ball, just like Luka needs it. I could only take Luka, but then I would have to trade Fox... I like watching Luka, I really like his basketball, but I had my own reasons why I decided the way I did. Maybe I was wrong, but time will tell.

- Vlade Divac, Former Sacramento Kings GM

A Fox-Doncic pairing certainly would have been interesting, especially considering the franchise gave up on a Fox-Haliburton backcourt after a season-and-a-half of selecting Haliburton 12th overall.

It rarely works out to have two primary ball handlers in the same backcourt, so fans must understand Divac's position. At the time, nobody knew how Doncic would pan out in the NBA and Bagley seemed like a surefire prospect, but everything is different in hindsight.

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