Photo: Peter Baba

Former Sacramento Kings general manager Vlade Divac recently opened up about his decision to pass on Luka Doncic during the 2018 NBA Draft.

The Kings selected Marvin Bagley III with the second overall pick, while Doncic went to the Dallas Mavericks after being traded by Atlanta.

Divac explained that his decision was largely influenced by the presence of De’Aaron Fox, whom the Kings had drafted the previous year. “At that position, I already had De’Aaron Fox, whom I had drafted a year earlier,” Divac told Saša Čobanov of index.hr. “At the time, I believed Fox was a player who could become a franchise star in the coming years.”

He believed that Doncic and Fox could not coexist on the same roster, as both players needed the ball to thrive, unlike Kyrie Irving and Doncic. “Irving is a classic scorer, just like Luka. Fox isn’t; he’s a playmaker who needs the ball, just like Luka,” Divac said, adding, “I could’ve taken Luka, but then I’d have had to trade Fox.”

Despite passing on Doncic, Divac pointed out that the Phoenix Suns, who had Doncic’s former coach Igor Kokoškov on Slovenian national team, also chose to pass on him.

Divac acknowledged that the decision could ultimately prove to be a mistake. “Maybe I made a mistake, but time will tell,” he admitted.

Addressing rumors that personal issues with Luka’s father, Saša Doncic, influenced his decision, Divac firmly denied any connection. “That’s just nonsense from the media. I know Saša very well, I love and respect him,” Divac said.

He reiterated that his choice was purely based on basketball reasons and emphasized that his focus was on building around Fox.

Though Doncic has since emerged as an NBA superstar, while Bagley has struggled to make a significant impact, Divac still expressed faith in Fox’s potential. “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,” he remarked.

Divac also praised Doncic’s style of play, saying, “I love watching Luka; I really enjoy his style of basketball,” but emphasized that it was the right decision for the Kings at the time.

The Kings’ decision to pass on Doncic has remained one of the most scrutinized moves in recent NBA draft history.