Vlade Divac has finally offered a clear explanation for one of the most scrutinized draft decisions in modern NBA history. Speaking on Byron Scott’s Fast Break podcast, the former Sacramento Kings general manager admitted that passing on Luka Doncic came down to fit, relationships, and his projection of team building at the time.
“I actually went to Madrid to talk to Luka, a year before the draft. So, he definitely top on the list. But, obviously, it looks like I made mistake. Luka is an unbelievable uh talent, one of the top players in the league.”
“All of my assistants told me that he can play small forward, and I said no, no, Luka is a point guard. Luka is a coach on the floor. And I felt that if I get Luka, I would have to trade De’Aaron Fox, and I already got a relationship with Fox, and I see he’s a perfect fit for us, a small market team, and Luka was a big market player.”
At the time, Sacramento had already committed to De’Aaron Fox. Divac believed Fox was the ideal lead guard for a small-market franchise. He had built a relationship with him and trusted his development path. Drafting Doncic would have created overlap in roles and forced a major decision. Divac chose continuity. He chose Fox and chose stability over uncertainty.
He also made a broader assumption that now looks flawed. Divac believed Doncic was better suited to a big-market environment. Sacramento, in his view, needed a different type of cornerstone. That thinking led directly to the selection of Marvin Bagley III, a player he believed was a better fit at the time.
History moved fast after that decision. Doncic became one of the league’s defining stars almost immediately. He developed into a five-time All-NBA First Team selection and consistently finished in the top tier of MVP voting. He led the Dallas Mavericks to the NBA Finals and later became the face of the Los Angeles Lakers. His rise removed all doubt about his ceiling.
Bagley’s trajectory went in the opposite direction. Once viewed as a franchise building block, he struggled to establish consistency and bounced across multiple teams, now playing for the Mavericks. He now serves as a role player rather than a foundational piece. The gap between the two outcomes has become one of the most cited draft misses in league history.
Divac himself has shifted his tone over time. Early on, he defended the decision, often pointing to the fit and upside. At one stage, he even stated that time would determine whether the choice was right. That evaluation period has long passed. On the podcast, he acknowledged the reality directly, calling it a mistake and recognizing Doncic as one of the best players in the league.
The fallout extended beyond the draft. Divac stepped down as the Kings’ general manager in 2020 after years of inconsistency. With Fox, Sacramento reached the playoffs only once across seven and a half seasons. The long-term plan never stabilized, and the roster direction kept shifting.
Ironically, the one player Divac chose to prioritize is no longer part of the franchise. Fox was later traded to the San Antonio Spurs, marking the end of that era. The Kings now sit deep in a rebuild after a 22-60 season, searching once again for a true franchise anchor.
Divac’s explanation adds context, but it does not change the outcome. He saw Doncic’s talent and understood his role. Yet, he chose a different path based on fit and belief in his roster. That decision reshaped two franchises and remains a defining “what if” in NBA history.
