Sacramento Kings reportedly passed on Luka Doncic because GM Vlade Divac didn’t like his dad

[BoogieTime]

I don't know if there's any truth to this but I'm endlessly fascinated by this subject and can't wait for all the details to slowly come out from all sides.

Im not seeing the fascination. Bagley was a phenomenal college prospect and long considered atop the class. He was seen as the better fit as Luka is ball dominant and they just spent the 5 on a PG. Luka had become a majority, but not hard consensus top two by draft night. Vlade needs to be fired at this point for the outcome (although not totally definitive). Some GMs may have done the same thing, though not the better ones

We can dig up the draft thread, and i think the tone would be surprise not shock that a GM made an outlandish pick. That’s the hindsight here

It's fascinating because Valde knew the family. That and the fact that many assumed, perhaps naively, that he'd jump at the chance to pick the next star from the former Yugoslavia region.

I thought it was insane right in the moment that people thought those other guys were at the same level. I definitely posted as much. The way he played in FIBA worlds and throughout the Euroleague season and playoffs, winning MVP at each stage, etc., just dwarfed everything those other guys were doing in college. So I guess I don't care what got said in some RealGM thread is what I'm saying lol. No offense. It was unbelievable then and it's unbelievable now. Hopefully Bagley grows into being a star so we don't have to talk about it like Bowie over MJ.

I know you have basketball knowledge so I don’t question it. But still, an unathletic Euro was coming in the NBA to be a point forward dominating the ball, I personally think that could’ve gone either way. Not to defend Vlade, a better GM may have spotted that talent, for sure. But to the lower GMs, you have a Euro that could/couldn’t translate

[BoogieTime]

This is nonsense

If you have two apparently equal talented specimens as Bagley/Luka were at the time, one dominating college the other an unathletic ball dominant euro, I can see how you could take fit

That said, he needs to be fired for this and his long questionable career

Wat

On draft night it was

A dominant college player who was long considered a possible #1 pick from the class

A talented Euro that could/couldn’t translate

Most people on draft night had Luka in the top two, not Bagley, but it wasn’t a definitive line a la Zion
Morant
all

That could be seen by random draft grades that IMO should have the Kings getting a ‘C’ or something for not taking the consensus guy, but not taking an outlandish pick

[VanWest82]

Im not seeing the fascination. Bagley was a phenomenal college prospect and long considered atop the class. He was seen as the better fit as Luka is ball dominant and they just spent the 5 on a PG. Luka had become a majority, but not hard consensus top two by draft night. Vlade needs to be fired at this point for the outcome (although not totally definitive). Some GMs may have done the same thing, though not the better ones

We can dig up the draft thread, and i think the tone would be surprise not shock that a GM made an outlandish pick. That’s the hindsight here

It's fascinating because Valde knew the family. That and the fact that many assumed, perhaps naively, that he'd jump at the chance to pick the next star from the former Yugoslavia region.

I thought it was insane right in the moment that people thought those other guys were at the same level. I definitely posted as much. The way he played in FIBA worlds and throughout the Euroleague season and playoffs, winning MVP at each stage, etc., just dwarfed everything those other guys were doing in college. So I guess I don't care what got said in some RealGM thread is what I'm saying lol. No offense. It was unbelievable then and it's unbelievable now. Hopefully Bagley grows into being a star so we don't have to talk about it like Bowie over MJ.

I know you have basketball knowledge so I don’t question it. But still, an unathletic Euro was coming in the NBA to be a point forward dominating the ball, I personally think that could’ve gone either way. Not to defend Vlade, a better GM may have spotted that talent, for sure. But to the lower GMs, you have a Euro that could/couldn’t translate

I guess that's what tripped them up...good ole fashioned racial bias. I'm sure there are still teams in the NFL that won't take black QBs either. I'm just surprised Vlade made that mistake as a former unathletic Euro NBA all star, and with a kid he actually knew.

[lonzo_pelota]

Luka was the real deal, No sensible GM would have made this same decision Vlade drops the ball on purpose it seems, aside from leaking pics of their war room draft board The Kings obviously weren't ready for great basketball again, u see they overpaid & resigned harrison & fired the better coach then hired luke , they wanted to stay out of contention & tank a little longer. its starting to look obvious at this point.

[BoogieTime]

It's fascinating because Valde knew the family. That and the fact that many assumed, perhaps naively, that he'd jump at the chance to pick the next star from the former Yugoslavia region.

I thought it was insane right in the moment that people thought those other guys were at the same level. I definitely posted as much. The way he played in FIBA worlds and throughout the Euroleague season and playoffs, winning MVP at each stage, etc., just dwarfed everything those other guys were doing in college. So I guess I don't care what got said in some RealGM thread is what I'm saying lol. No offense. It was unbelievable then and it's unbelievable now. Hopefully Bagley grows into being a star so we don't have to talk about it like Bowie over MJ.

I know you have basketball knowledge so I don’t question it. But still, an unathletic Euro was coming in the NBA to be a point forward dominating the ball, I personally think that could’ve gone either way. Not to defend Vlade, a better GM may have spotted that talent, for sure. But to the lower GMs, you have a Euro that could/couldn’t translate

I guess that's what tripped them up...good ole fashioned racial bias. I'm sure there are still teams in the NFL that won't take black QBs either. I'm just surprised Vlade made that mistake as a former unathletic Euro NBA all star, and with a kid he actually knew.

There are other fit reasons, such as Fox being the ball handler and envisioning a team that got up and down the floor. I doubt it was ‘racial bias’, maybe bias against lack of athleticism being the point creator in the nba (though Luka deceptively gets where he wants and is more athletic than given credit). A PF/wing without top flight athleticism coming to be a de facto PG, could be seen as many as getting smothered. Much different to an unathletic Euro wing/big

[Pachinko_]

I know you have basketball knowledge so I don’t question it. But still, an unathletic Euro was coming in the NBA to be a point forward dominating the ball, I personally think that could’ve gone either way. Not to defend Vlade, a better GM may have spotted that talent, for sure. But to the lower GMs, you have a Euro that could/couldn’t translate

Nah that doesn't make sense. Luka was exactly the same thing as Vlade and Peja 30 years ago, a young Yugo coming out of european basketball that everybody called soft and questioned if he can make it in the NBA. If there is anyone at all in this world who knew what this kid is worth it's Vlade and Peja, if they questioned Luka's talent it would be like questioning their own talent. And both those guys are on the Kings.

They knew. It was something else that made them pass, **** knows what.
I guess one of them will eventually talk about it, probably years later.

[Tracymcgoaty]

Watch on YouTube

[Pachinko_]

Could it be some weird Serbia V Slovenia thing?
Is that even a thing?

[BoogieTime]

Could it be some weird Serbia V Slovenia thing?
Is that even a thing?

Bro, peoples jobs are on the line. Their legacy as a GM is on the line. But they would choose who they think is inferior because of their dad or because of their nationality (Doncic is half Serbian ethnically).

If I read this about another team, I couldn’t believe it, just because it wouldn’t make sense to me personally

[Pachinko_]

Could it be some weird Serbia V Slovenia thing?
Is that even a thing?

Bro, peoples jobs are on the line. Their legacy as a GM is on the line. But they would choose who they think is inferior because of their dad or because of their nationality (Doncic is half Serbian ethnically).

If I read this about another team, I couldn’t believe it, just because it wouldn’t make sense to me personally

Yeah it doesn't make sense to me either, plus I think Vlade is better than that
(especially considering that awesome doco about Drazen)

Just checking every angle because I'm really running out of logical explanations. Luka is literally the same thing as a young Vlade and Peja, and to be rejected by them of all people ...

[Trippinskarlo]

How many threads are yall gonna start here about Vlade?

It was a mistake every Kings fan admits it now, even I went bonkers here at the draft night after the pick, what is done is done.

It depends on how many monumentally stupid things Vlade does.

[KingFox]

This is an opinion of 1 reporter now everyone is grabbing the story. I don't believe it. Vlade had 2 dinners with Luka in Spain and in Belgrade after final4, his dad had nothing to do with it.

People will believe anything to bash Vlade or Vivek. Nothing new

[BoogieTime]

This is an opinion of 1 reporter now everyone is grabbing the story. I don't believe it. Vlade had 2 dinners with Luka in Spain and in Belgrade after final4, his dad had nothing to do with it.

People will believe anything to bash Vlade or Vivek. Nothing new

As Kings fans we are used to nonsense publicity about the team, from the regretting Barnes contract stuff (during Hield negotiations probably from his agent) to BOgi not wanting to come off the bench (from this same author on a podcast). People still believe Vivek compared Buddy to Curry because of a tweet from Baxter Holmes “sources”, and the stuff of the previous era. We know how the media can work

But folks need to be diligent about not taking stuff for fact and deciphering its potential viability for themselves as well. But then some don’t care if it’s true and delight kicking other teams

[Archx]

Could it be some weird Serbia V Slovenia thing?
Is that even a thing?

Bro, peoples jobs are on the line. Their legacy as a GM is on the line. But they would choose who they think is inferior because of their dad or because of their nationality (Doncic is half Serbian ethnically).

If I read this about another team, I couldn’t believe it, just because it wouldn’t make sense to me personally

Only Luka's grandfather is Serbian. Luka is not half Serbian but this has nothing to do with Slovenia vs Serbia. Vlade just messed up the draft.

[seorang]

The Kings have been trash since the end of the Webber-Bibby Kings. This one slip up wasn't going to turn them around. Luka wouldn't have saved that franchise. Dallas is different.

So you mean to say a player in MVP contention in his second season wouldn't have turned the Kings around?

[seorang]

I don't know if there's any truth to this but I'm endlessly fascinated by this subject and can't wait for all the details to slowly come out from all sides.

Im not seeing the fascination. Bagley was a phenomenal college prospect and long considered atop the class. He was seen as the better fit as Luka is ball dominant and they just spent the 5 on a PG. Luka had become a majority, but not hard consensus top two by draft night. Vlade needs to be fired at this point for the outcome (although not totally definitive). Some GMs may have done the same thing, though not the better ones

We can dig up the draft thread, and i think the tone would be surprise not shock that a GM made an outlandish pick. That’s the hindsight here

Phenom is someone like Zion not effing Bagley

[durden_tyler]

Can we all be happy about Divac's decision, if true? i mean, these are the Kings, Doncic would have had a bad start to his career if they drafted him

[Sulico]

Where is this "jump two times in a row" thing comes from?
I heard it few times already and have no idea what's this about.

[jason bourne]

Ugh. JUST FIRE HIM NOW!!!

[Andi Obst]

If you have two apparently equal talented specimens as Bagley/Luka were at the time, one dominating college the other an unathletic ball dominant euro, I can see how you could take fit

We're really still doing this?