Did Vlade Divac’s daddy issues really keep Sacramento from drafting Luka Doncic?
That theory was floated on Adrian Wojnarowski’s podcast by ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, who said Divac — the Kings’ general manager — passed on the Dallas triple-double machine and emerging MVP candidate with the No. 2 pick in the 2018 draft at least partly due to a problem with Doncic’s father.
“My understanding is that [Divac] being so close to Luka and knowing his dad so well factored into their decision,” MacMahon, who covers the Mavericks for ESPN, said on the Woj Pod. “Basically, he didn’t think a whole lot of Luka’s dad, and the whole ‘like-father-like-son’ … Well, no, this is a different dude. You messed that one up, Vlade.”
After the Suns took Arizona big man Deandre Ayton with the No. 1 overall pick in last year’s draft, the Kings bypassed Doncic and selected Duke forward Marvin Bagley III. The Hawks then traded the rights to the third pick to the Mavericks in a package topped by the rights to Trae Young.
The 6-11 Bagley, who has missed all but one game this season with a thumb injury, made the NBA All-Rookie first team last year, averaging 14.9 points and 7.6 rebounds per game.
Doncic captured the league’s Rookie of the Year award, however, with 21.2 points, 7.8 boards and 6.0 assists per game. Those numbers for the 20-year-old Slovenian have risen to MVP-caliber levels through 16 games this season: a near triple-double per game with 30.6 points, 10.1 rebounds and 9.8 assists.