The Sacramento Kings passed on Luka Doncic to select Marvin Bagley III with the second overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft.
Doncic won Rookie of the Year with the Dallas Mavericks and turned into one of the best players of his generation. He is currently having an MVP-caliber season with the Los Angeles Lakers.
On the other hand, Bagley failed to realize his potential and has turned into a journeyman. He is the current backup center for the Denver Nuggets.
Marvin Bagley III on Getting Drafted Ahead of Luka Doncic
Speaking to Bennett Durando of The Denver Post, Marvin Bagley III opened up about always being linked to Luka Doncic.
Bagley admitted that he doesn’t really care about being the player selected ahead of Doncic. He doesn’t want to be compared to other players and would rather focus his energy on his game.
“I don’t care,” Bagley said. “I mean, a lot of times, people try to compare and put a lot of comparisons on you as players, things that you’re not even really thinking about. So I think a lot of that comes from other people. For me, I don’t worry about it. I just do what I’ve gotta do to be better and worry about my path, my process to continue to grow as a player. That’s all I care about.”
The 27-year-old big man added that when he was younger and still early in his career, he would compare his situation with other players in his draft class.
While players like Doncic, Deandre Ayton, Trae Young, and Jaren Jackson Jr. were playing for contenders, Bagley was stuck in Sacramento.
His peers were making the playoffs early in their careers, while he had to wait until last year to make his postseason debut for the Memphis Grizzlies.
Marvin Bagley III’s NBA Career
The Sacramento Kings selected Marvin Bagley III second overall in 2018. He spent three and a half seasons in Sacramento before getting traded to the Detroit Pistons.
Bagley was in Detroit from 2022 to 2024, playing a total of 86 games split across three seasons. He was traded to the Washington Wizards midway through the 2023-24 season.
The Memphis Grizzlies acquired him at the 2025 NBA trade deadline, making his playoff debut that same year. He became a free agent and returned with the Wizards, but the reunion didn’t last long since he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks that same season.
The Denver Nuggets signed him to a one-year deal this summer to serve as Nikola Jokic‘s backup center. He is averaging 5.9 points and 3.6 rebounds on 54.5 percent shooting.
Nuggets’ Marvin Bagley III Makes Blunt Luka Doncic Admission