Vlade Divac, the former general manager of the Sacramento Kings, has stood by his controversial decision to pass on Luka Doncic during the 2018 NBA Draft, choosing instead to draft Marvin Bagley III with the second overall pick. In a recent interview with Croatian outlet Index, Divac discussed his rationale behind the move, which continues to be a sore spot for Kings fans, especially as Doncic has risen to superstardom in the NBA.
“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. No. Irving is a classic scorer, just like Luka. Fox isn’t; he’s a playmaker who needs the ball, just like Luka. I could’ve taken Luka, but then I’d have had to trade Fox.”
“Interestingly, Phoenix also passed on Luka, and at the time, their coach was Igor Kokoskov, who had coached Luka in Slovenia. Atlanta drafted Luka, but they traded him away. It was Dallas that eventually took him.”
“I love watching Luka; I really enjoy his style of basketball. I had my own reasons for making that decision. Maybe I made a mistake, but time will tell.”
Divac explained that at the time, he had recently drafted De’Aaron Fox, the Kings’ young point guard, in 2017, and believed Fox could develop into a franchise player. Divac also noted that his decision was influenced by the fact that both Doncic and Fox are ball-dominant players. He believed they would not be an ideal pairing due to their shared need to control the offense.
Interestingly, Divac pointed out that the Phoenix Suns, who had the first overall pick, also passed on Doncic, despite their coach at the time, Igor Kokoskov, having coached Doncic in Slovenia. He also mentioned that Atlanta drafted Doncic before trading him to Dallas, indicating that other teams shared his doubts.
While Divac maintains that the decision was based on basketball logic, the move has been heavily criticized in hindsight. Doncic has quickly developed into one of the league’s brightest stars, becoming an MVP candidate and leading the Dallas Mavericks to the NBA Finals in 2023. In contrast, Marvin Bagley III has struggled to live up to expectations and was eventually traded by the Kings in 2022 after an injury-riddled and inconsistent tenure with the team.
Divac also addressed rumors that his decision not to draft Doncic was influenced by a strained relationship with Doncic’s father, Sasa Doncic, a claim that has circulated for years.
The decision to pass on Doncic will likely go down as one of the biggest “what-ifs” in NBA Draft history, especially for Kings fans. Divac’s choice will be remembered alongside other famous draft missteps, such as the Portland Trail Blazers selecting Sam Bowie ahead of Michael Jordan in 1984.
While De’Aaron Fox has blossomed into a stellar player, an All-Star, and the NBA’s Clutch Player of the Year, Doncic’s trajectory as a future Hall of Famer makes Divac’s decision a haunting one for the Kings organization.
Ultimately, Divac’s belief in Fox’s potential led him to make a choice that altered the course of the franchise. Whether Fox continues to grow into a true superstar or whether the Kings will forever regret passing on Doncic remains to be seen, but Divac remains resolute in his conviction, leaving time as the ultimate judge of his controversial decision.
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