Divac on passing on Doncic in the 2018 NBA Draft: “I didn’t want to trade Fox”
Vlade Divac admits his mistake in the 2018 Draft. He wanted to protect Fox, then the Kings’ cornerstone, and let Doncic slip away
Years later, Sacramento’s biggest regret finally has an official explanation. Speaking on Byron Scott’s Fast Break podcast, former Kings GM Vlade Divac revisited the decision that forever changed the franchise’s history: passing on Luka Doncic in the 2018 NBA Draft.
A decision not driven by poor scouting – Divac personally traveled to Madrid a year earlier to meet the Slovenian – but by a gamble on team chemistry that ultimately proved to be the wrong one.
Luka was at the top of our list. But I made a mistake. My assistants said he could play small forward, but I was convinced Luka was a pure point guard, a coach on the floor. I felt that if we drafted him, I would have had to trade De’Aaron Fox, with whom I had a strong relationship and who I believed was perfect for a small-market team like Sacramento
Vlade Divac
Divac’s strategy prioritized roster stability over the uncertainty of reshaping the team. With the No. 2 overall pick, the Sacramento Kings selected Marvin Bagley III, convinced he was the missing piece alongside Fox, while labeling Doncic (taken third by the Hawks and later traded for Trae Young to the Dallas Mavericks) as a “big-market player.”
History, however, moved faster than his convictions. While Doncic became the face of the Mavericks (and this season came close to an official MVP run), Bagley’s trajectory faded through injuries and trades, eventually turning him into a role player – ironically in Dallas.
A dynasty that never was
The ultimate irony is that the player Divac chose over Doncic is no longer in Sacramento. De’Aaron Fox has been traded to the San Antonio Spurs, where he now thrives alongside Victor Wembanyama (18.6 points and 6.2 assists), leaving the Kings deep into another rebuild after a disappointing 22-60 season.
I called the Bagley pick a calculated risk. Today, I can only say Luka is an incredible talent, one of the best in the league
Vlade Divac
A confession that doesn’t change the past, but finally closes one of the most painful “what ifs” in franchise history.