Former Kings GM’s Bizarre Reason For Passing Over Luka Doncic in The Draft Shocks Fans – “No Way This is Real”

Vlade Divac passed on Luka Doncic because he saw him as a ball-dominant point guard.

Former Kings GM’s Bizarre Reason For Passing Over Luka Doncic in The Draft Shocks Fans – “No Way This is Real”

Vlade Divac on Luka Doncic (Image credits - Firstsportz)

In Short
  • Vlade Divac passed on drafting Luka Doncic in 2018, choosing Marvin Bagley III instead.
  • Divac cited concerns about team dynamics and Doncic's potential as a "big market player."
  • Doncic has since become a six-time All-Star and led the Mavericks to the NBA Finals.

Vlade Divac served as the Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager of the Sacramento Kings from 2015 to 2020. During his five years with the club, Divac made one of the biggest blunders in modern NBA history by passing up on Luka Doncic in the 2018 NBA draft.

In the 2018 draft, the Kings held the second pick. In one of the most scrutinized draft decisions, the club decided to draft Marvin Bagley III instead of Doncic.

Divac opened up about the decision not to go for Doncic and his projection of team building at the time.

I actually went to Madrid to talk to Luka, a year before the draft. But, obviously, it looks like I made mistake. Luka is an unbelievable 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, Luka is a point guard. 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.

Vlade Divac on Fast Break podcast

With Vlade Divac and the Kings deciding to build their team around De’Aaron Fox, they chose Bagley III. The forward played in Sacramento for 3.5 seasons before getting traded to the Detroit Pistons. The Kings moved on from Fox as well after trading the guard to the San Antonio Spurs at the trade deadline last year.

Meanwhile, Luka Doncic was drafted as the number three pick and played for the Dallas Mavericks for over 6 seasons. He took the Mavs to the NBA Finals in 2024. The Slovenian was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in one of the most shocking trades in NBA history last year.

Doncic has cemented himself as one of the best players and is the face of the most esteemed franchise in the league. Unfortunately for Divac, Doncic finds himself playing for the Lakers and just led them to a fourth-place finish in the Western Conference standings this year, while Bagley’s trajectory went in the opposite direction. The move was a huge misstep during Divac’s tenure with the Kings.

Fans react to Vlade Divac’s reason for passing on Luka Doncic in 2018

NBA history would be a lot different if Vlade Divac decided to draft Luka Doncic. Doncic is a six-time All-Star, two-time scoring champion, and was one of the candidates to win the MVP award this season. He has gone on to have a more successful career compared to both Fox and Bagley.

After Divac revealed his reason for not drafting Doncic, NBA fans were quick to react to his statements on social media.

Fans were in disbelief with Divac’s reason for not going for Doncic. The Lakers guard was considered to be a special talent when he was playing for Real Madrid in Europe. He was the EuroLeague MVP at 19 and has taken the NBA by storm since being drafted.

Vlade Divac looks back on the Kobe Bryant trade

Vlade Divac was drafted by the Lakers as the 26th pick in the 1989 NBA draft. He spent seven years with the Lakers before being traded to the Charlotte Hornets for the draft rights to Kobe Bryant. It was a move that disappointed Divac as he enjoyed playing for the Lakers and even considered retirement upon being traded to the Hornets.

Vlade Divac and Kobe Bryan
Vlade Divac and Kobe Bryan (Image credits – Lakers Lockdown/X)

Divac spoke about his trade from the Lakers and revealed that it left him unhappy.

I was in Europe, and my agent called me and told me I was traded. I wasn’t happy, obviously. I loved LA. I loved the Los Angeles Lakers organization. It was really like a family to me. Time goes by. And I would trade myself for Kobe Bryant. I’d trade the entire team for Kobe.

When the Lakers traded for Bryant, they ended up making one of their best moves in NBA history. Bryant went on to establish himself as one of the greats in the game and as a legend of the Lakers. He delivered the franchise five NBA championships and a number of accolades.

While Divac was upset about the trade, he went on to spend two seasons with the Hornets as he flourished in their system. It ended up being a win-win trade for the player and the franchise, eventually.

Also Read: