Kings Reportedly Didn't Draft Luka Doncic Because Vlade Divac Didn't Think Highly Of Doncic's Dad

[RealGM Wiretap]

Vlade Divac passed up on drafting Luka Doncic in the 2018 draft because he didn't think highly of Doncic's father, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN.

MacMahon relayed the story in a recent episode of Adrian Wojnarowski's podcast discussing the evolution of Doncic.

The discussion turned to how the Kings and Suns both passed up the opportunity to draft Doncic despite having people close to the player last season. MacMahon said that Divac's closeness with Doncic's dad went against the player.

“My understanding is that [Divac] being so close to Luka and knowing his dad so well factored into their decision. 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," said MacMahon.

Via Kurt Helin/Pro Basketball Talk

[MitchB3]

This needs more air time. So because the GM didn't like the father, they didn't draft the son?

[Cassius]

This needs more air time. So because the GM didn't like the father, they didn't draft the son?

Seems like Vlade and Magic got each other's mail.

[FreeBoosie]

lol What’s Phoenix’s excuse?

[kenwood3333]

So the Mavs drafted Luka because of his mom?

[Tussin33]

LMFAO this is so brutal. I'm at a loss of words

[asuran]

Is this situation akin to:
- Spurs and Uncle Dennis
- Lakers and the Lavar Ball thing
- Knicks and Kristaps agent brother Janis
?

[MegaK]

Vlade stupid bro.

[NoZoLakers]

lol What’s Phoenix’s excuse?

Ayton is a big, teams seems to always want bigs over guards, oden over durant for exmaple

[jason bourne]

Vlade stupid bro.

Farking d*mbest GM in the league. How could the Kings picks be released ahead of time anyway?

[westcider]

didn't Phoenix hire his coach right before the draft? did his coach not think highly of his dad either?

[Bill_Thomason]

What's weird is the article saying Vlade did not draft Luka because he (Vlade?) was "close to" the father.

What were they, former lovers or something?r

Or was Vlade a son of the father from a different mother?

Am I missing something here ?????????

[Hans1984]

Another genius move by the kings front office

[D21]

So the Mavs drafted Luka because of his mom?

Technically, ATL drafted him for his mom, but then DAL offered pick 5 with Trae available + 2019 pick (became Reddish) for Doncic and his mom

[scrabbarista]

What's weird is the article saying Vlade did not draft Luka because he (Vlade?) was "close to" the father.

What were they, former lovers or something?r

Or was Vlade a son of the father from a different mother?

Am I missing something here ?????????

The headline is potentially misleading. In my opinion, it should end with "as a player."

My impression when I listened to the podcast was that Vlade probably played with (or, at least, against) Luka's dad and didn't think much of him as a player. There may have been a personal aspect to it. For example - and I am completely spitballing, because I don't know the first thing about Luka's dad - maybe Luka's dad was lazy on defense. But, essentially, I got the impression that McMahon was saying that Vlade was thinking in, for lack of a better word, "genetic" terms here. He wasn't thinking in terms of personal distaste or some kind of vendetta. The phrase "like father, like son" indicates this.

The printed word and the spoken word can be very different in the impression they leave.

[mixerball]

this is the stupidest thing ever. i mean this news.

[NYKat]

What's weird is the article saying Vlade did not draft Luka because he (Vlade?) was "close to" the father.

What were they, former lovers or something?r

Or was Vlade a son of the father from a different mother?

Am I missing something here ?????????

The headline is potentially misleading. In my opinion, it should end with "as a player."

My impression when I listened to the podcast was that Vlade probably played with (or, at least, against) Luka's dad and didn't think much of him as a player. There may have been a personal aspect to it. For example - and I am completely spitballing, because I don't know the first thing about Luka's dad - maybe Luka's dad was lazy on defense. But, essentially, I got the impression that McMahon was saying that Vlade was thinking in, for lack of a better word, "genetic" terms here. He wasn't thinking in terms of personal distaste or some kind of vendetta. The phrase "like father, like son" indicates this.

The printed word and the spoken word can be very different in the impression they leave.

Facts.

As soon as I saw the headline I knew this came from the podcast.

A lot of wiretap headlines come from these reporters offhand remarks on the podcasts and often lack context.

[scrabbarista]

What's weird is the article saying Vlade did not draft Luka because he (Vlade?) was "close to" the father.

What were they, former lovers or something?r

Or was Vlade a son of the father from a different mother?

Am I missing something here ?????????

The headline is potentially misleading. In my opinion, it should end with "as a player."

My impression when I listened to the podcast was that Vlade probably played with (or, at least, against) Luka's dad and didn't think much of him as a player. There may have been a personal aspect to it. For example - and I am completely spitballing, because I don't know the first thing about Luka's dad - maybe Luka's dad was lazy on defense. But, essentially, I got the impression that McMahon was saying that Vlade was thinking in, for lack of a better word, "genetic" terms here. He wasn't thinking in terms of personal distaste or some kind of vendetta. The phrase "like father, like son" indicates this.

The printed word and the spoken word can be very different in the impression they leave.

Facts.

As soon as I saw the headline I knew this came from the podcast.

A lot of wiretap headlines come from these reporters offhand remarks on the podcasts and often lack context.

Yep.

Some of the conversation in the thread has centered on the nationalistic aspect that may have existed, but it's still pretty much all speculation. There's still no reason to believe that this was like Oh, I'm not going to pick you because I don't like your dad or something petty like the headline might lead you to believe.

[br7knicks]

Well, how many MPG were they planning on playing the dad? That's an important factor, I'm sure.


And did divac see Luka's mom? **** idiot. I'd draft her just to have her on the bench for every game, in front of the camera

[Kevin Willis]

Well, how many MPG were they planning on playing the dad? That's an important factor, I'm sure.


And did divac see Luka's mom? **** idiot. I'd draft her just to have her on the bench for every game, in front of the camera

Wondering why everyone talks about Doncic's mom. Researches. Oh....