Tim MacMahon

I think it was just a text exchange. And I don't know the specifics of it. It's just Cuban basically saying, you can't do this. And Niko saying, it's done. I don't think there was a whole lot of back and forth there.

And with completely different supporting cast.

And with completely different supporting cast.

And with completely different supporting cast.

Well, and look, Luka was the most accomplished, decorated teenage prospect ever to come out of Europe. And you can argue he was also extremely mis-evaluated by the NBA. Three teams passed on this guy, right? One of whom, the Phoenix Suns, had just hired Igor Koshchkov as their head coach.

Well, and look, Luka was the most accomplished, decorated teenage prospect ever to come out of Europe. And you can argue he was also extremely mis-evaluated by the NBA. Three teams passed on this guy, right? One of whom, the Phoenix Suns, had just hired Igor Koshchkov as their head coach.

Well, and look, Luka was the most accomplished, decorated teenage prospect ever to come out of Europe. And you can argue he was also extremely mis-evaluated by the NBA. Three teams passed on this guy, right? One of whom, the Phoenix Suns, had just hired Igor Koshchkov as their head coach.

This is the guy who was the Slovenian national team coach when 17-year-old Luka is the co-star with Goran Dragic of a team that won Eurobasket. Slovenia has 2 million people. It's like if there's a tournament of all the states in America and Idaho wins it, right? I mean, it's insane. And Igor had never been a head coach, wasn't a coach there for very long, just one year.

This is the guy who was the Slovenian national team coach when 17-year-old Luka is the co-star with Goran Dragic of a team that won Eurobasket. Slovenia has 2 million people. It's like if there's a tournament of all the states in America and Idaho wins it, right? I mean, it's insane. And Igor had never been a head coach, wasn't a coach there for very long, just one year.

This is the guy who was the Slovenian national team coach when 17-year-old Luka is the co-star with Goran Dragic of a team that won Eurobasket. Slovenia has 2 million people. It's like if there's a tournament of all the states in America and Idaho wins it, right? I mean, it's insane. And Igor had never been a head coach, wasn't a coach there for very long, just one year.

They never asked his opinion. He finally goes to Robert Sarver and says, listen, man, I just got to get this off my chest so I can sleep. We've got to draft Luka. We've got this cap space, big offer sheet on the table. Get him Clint Capella. Get him a rim running center. Luca, Booker, Capella. That's our core we can build. And it's like, thanks for your input. You'll coach the guys we give you.

They never asked his opinion. He finally goes to Robert Sarver and says, listen, man, I just got to get this off my chest so I can sleep. We've got to draft Luka. We've got this cap space, big offer sheet on the table. Get him Clint Capella. Get him a rim running center. Luca, Booker, Capella. That's our core we can build. And it's like, thanks for your input. You'll coach the guys we give you.

They never asked his opinion. He finally goes to Robert Sarver and says, listen, man, I just got to get this off my chest so I can sleep. We've got to draft Luka. We've got this cap space, big offer sheet on the table. Get him Clint Capella. Get him a rim running center. Luca, Booker, Capella. That's our core we can build. And it's like, thanks for your input. You'll coach the guys we give you.

We're going with this guy who is from Arizona. You know, Robert Sarver, the Arizona alum. Yeah, no, I'm taking the seven footer who is from Arizona. And like a lot of people did have DeAndre in the morning draft. Then Vlade, Balkan basketball legend, had known Sasha Doncic for decades, Luka's dad.

We're going with this guy who is from Arizona. You know, Robert Sarver, the Arizona alum. Yeah, no, I'm taking the seven footer who is from Arizona. And like a lot of people did have DeAndre in the morning draft. Then Vlade, Balkan basketball legend, had known Sasha Doncic for decades, Luka's dad.

We're going with this guy who is from Arizona. You know, Robert Sarver, the Arizona alum. Yeah, no, I'm taking the seven footer who is from Arizona. And like a lot of people did have DeAndre in the morning draft. Then Vlade, Balkan basketball legend, had known Sasha Doncic for decades, Luka's dad.

One, I was told by a scout who was in the room that Vlade, quote, knew too much, you know, that he knew, hey, you know, Luka likes to have a good time. The discipline's not the best, all those sort of things, which, frankly, Sasha is kind of like the, I call him the Charles Barkley of Slovenia. You know, big, gregarious personality. Yes. likes to have a good time, you know?

One, I was told by a scout who was in the room that Vlade, quote, knew too much, you know, that he knew, hey, you know, Luka likes to have a good time. The discipline's not the best, all those sort of things, which, frankly, Sasha is kind of like the, I call him the Charles Barkley of Slovenia. You know, big, gregarious personality. Yes. likes to have a good time, you know?

One, I was told by a scout who was in the room that Vlade, quote, knew too much, you know, that he knew, hey, you know, Luka likes to have a good time. The discipline's not the best, all those sort of things, which, frankly, Sasha is kind of like the, I call him the Charles Barkley of Slovenia. You know, big, gregarious personality. Yes. likes to have a good time, you know?

So like, knew all that, but then, Vlade didn't think he was a superstar. Well, he'd take touches away from Darren Fox. We don't want that. Marvin Bagley III, Vlade said on draft night, is a better player and a better fit. Well, not sure about any of those, buddy. And by the way, Luca remembers last year, Vlade was sitting courtside in Sacramento.