Ex-Kings GM Divac states ‘time will inform’ if Luka draft snub was improper
Ex-Kings GM Divac states ‘time will inform’ if Luka draft snub was improper initially appeared on NBC Sports activities Bay Space
Greater than six years faraway from the 2018 NBA Draft, Vlade Divac isn’t able to admit passing on Luka Dončić was a mistake.
Divac, the Corridor of Fame heart who spent 5 because the Kings common supervisor, doubled down on his resolution of drafting ahead Marvin Bagley III over Dončić with the No. 2 general choose in 2018 (h/t Index HR).
The 56-year-old’s reasoning? On the time, Sacramento was betting on the rise of star guard De’Aaron Fox, who then was getting into his second NBA season.
“At that place, I already had De’Aaron Fox, whom I had drafted a yr earlier,” Divac mentioned. “On the time, I believed Fox was a participant who may change into a franchise star within the coming years.”
And though it now appears obvious that Divac made the improper selection by passing up on a five-time NBA All-Star and potential Corridor of Famer, he’s not prepared to confess that simply but.
“Time will inform if I used to be improper,” Divac added. “As issues stand now, it appears I used to be, however I nonetheless think about Fox having an amazing profession.”
Fox, an All-NBA, All-Star and Clutch Participant of the 12 months award winner, has lived as much as his finish of the cut price, changing into the undisputed chief and face of the Kings group.
The identical can’t be mentioned about Bagley, although.
The Duke product left Sacramento for the Detroit Pistons previous to the 2022 NBA commerce deadline after three and a half underwhelming seasons with the Kings.
Positive, on the time, Bagley’s ceiling projected to be larger than Dončić’s by many league scouts.
However did Divac take into account a state of affairs by which the Kings may’ve paired Fox and Dončić – just like the Dallas Mavericks do with Kyrie Irving and Dončić?
“No,” Divac added. “Irving is a basic scorer, similar to Luka. Fox isn’t; he’s a playmaker who wants the ball, similar to Luka.
“I may’ve taken Luka, however then I’d have needed to commerce Fox. Curiously, Phoenix additionally handed on Luka, and on the time, their coach was Igor Kokoškov, who had coached Luka in Slovenia. Atlanta drafted Luka, however they traded him away.
“It was Dallas that ultimately took him. I really like watching Luka; I actually take pleasure in his model of basketball. I had my very own causes for making that call. Possibly I made a mistake, however time will inform.”
Final season, Dončić appeared to chirp Divac in the course of the last seconds of the Mavericks’ 107-103 win over the Kings at Golden 1 Middle.
The Mavericks guard waved goodbye to Divac earlier than telling his teammates and coaches that “he (Divac) ought to have drafted me.”
Admitting to the error or not, it seems that passing on Dončić will hold haunting Divac.
