The Atlanta Hawks selected Luka Doncic as the third overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft. He was later traded to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Trae Young. The Sacramento Kings had the second overall pick but chose Marvin Bagley III instead of Doncic. However, the former Kings general manager Vlade Divac still defends his decision to pass on the Slovenian basketball player.
During a recent interview with Saša Čobanov of the Index, Divac, a Serbian professional basketball executive and former player, explained the reason for selecting Marvin Bagley III over Doncic in the 2018 NBA draft.
“In that position I had De’Aaron Fox, who I drafted a year earlier. At that moment, I thought Fox was a player who could become a franchise player in the future. Time will tell if I was wrong. As things stand now, it looks like I am, but I have faith in young Fox that he will have a better career.” Divac said.
After signing a rookie contract with the Mavericks, Slovenian basketball player Doncic immediately gained popularity in the NBA. He delivered several dominating performances in his debut season, including a game on December 28, 2018, where he scored 34 points and made seven three-pointers. He also became the youngest NBA player to make seven three-pointers in a single game. Due to his stellar skills, he was honored with the 2018 Rookie of the Year award.
Divac Justifies His Choice to Pass on Doncic by Citing the Phoenix Suns’ Example
Divac further explained that De’Aaron Fox and young Doncic had similar playing styles, and in order to add Doncic to the team, he had to trade Fox. He also mentioned that the Phoenix Suns had the first overall pick, and they passed on Doncic despite having the Slovenian coach Igor Kokoškov.
“I love watching Luka, I really love his game, but I had my own reasons for deciding the way I did. Maybe I was wrong, but time will tell.” Divac added.
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Luka Doncic, widely regarded as one of the greatest European players of all time, has become a key player for the Mavericks. With the upcoming NBA season, there are high expectations for the Mavericks, especially after signing Klay Thompson to form a dominant trio with Kyrie Irving and Doncic.
Also Read: Gilbert Arenas Gives A Brutally Honest Opinion On Luka Doncic’s NBA MVP Chances This Season
