2018 NBA Draft Flashback: Bill Simmons Reacts As Luka Doncic Falls | The Ringer

In this throwback clip from the 2018 NBA draft, Bill Simmons reacts in real time as multiple teams pass on Luka Doncic and he is ultimately traded to the Dallas Mavericks.
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[@jayjones9225]

Still amazing that Luka fell that far. He’s gonna be an all-timer. Bill’s point is spot on too. Who wins the title every year? Teams with perimeter players who can create for themselves and others

[@gonzaloveloso2891]

He doubled down by saying ""I WOULD TRADE ANYONE ON MY ROSTER FOR DONCIC"" Basically saying that to the Suns and the Kings.

[@charleyrubey2839]

True but at the time the suns had DBook. They didn’t need and they still don’t need Luka. They needed either Ayton, Bagley, or Bamba and they by far selected the right choice. Where as the kings messed up like they always do. Ayton makes the suns a championship team, Luka doesn’t.

[@gonzaloveloso2891]

@@charleyrubey2839 Would Phoenix trade Ayton and Booker for Luca?

[@charleyrubey2839]

@@gonzaloveloso2891 no. Luka and cp3 makes them WAY WORSE.

[@evannelson4203]

@@gonzaloveloso2891 I bet they would now hahahahaha

[@carsonkahla9162]

Anyone saying Ayton was the right pick is just asinine. Aytons “fit” doesn’t outweigh just how much better Luka is than him.

[@jaredgrube6320]

I mean, they made the finals before Luka. Seems to be working out

[@TheAliasGaming]

@@jaredgrube6320 yeah because they TOTALLY made it because of Ayton and not Chris Paul. If we’re being asinine about it like that, they WIN the finals if they have Luka on that team instead of Ayton.

[@riccardoferrazzo8283]

@@TheAliasGaming I am not sure they get to the final without the defensive anchoring of Ayton

[@095mateusg]

@@jaredgrube6320 Yeah, like Ayton was the biggest factor in that. Instead of the two all-nba level guys on the team? Nah it was definetely Ayton.

[@jaredgrube6320]

@@095mateusg just saying the pick worked out. Not every pick HAS to be the overall best player. Luka would take the ball out of cp3 hands, sounds like a bad fit.

[@NKSoulMusic]

RIP Tjarks

[@Ryan-qq8bh]

Man, it's good to see Tjarks up front.

[@CalumAtkinson]

man, i miss this roster of ringer nba talent

[@matthogg2252]

No , ‘catastrophe’ wasn’t strong enough.

[@syruplease]

RIP tjarks. miss u buddy

[@a.v.s.c9150]

The "I told you so" moment

[@humzatariq6943]

60-21-10 tonight 😭

[@frozen1762]

I remember Kawhi trade was around this draft and commenting on some video back then that if they can the Spurs should trade Kawhi for a pick to take Doncic and some Spurs fan replied to me they are in "win now mode" something about their culture and how it would take a long time for someone like Doncic to develop.

[@rickster8555]

Lmao, Doncic was one of the most NBA-ready prospects at the time of the draft. That's a bs excuse.

[@shammycat3538]

Yeah, Luka was the most accomplished prospect in the history of the NBA draft. As a Mav’s fan, I’m happy they passed.

[@hahayessir400]

Look. If popovich had luka. He would have a weapon in his arsenal. Just saying. As a european coach. Popovich knows how to handle european basketball players

[@KTF0]

The problem was none of those teams where win now mode to trade for Kawhi.

[@jacksoneast3131]

i love you and your sports takes bill simmons

[@quincysthillaire]

This should get Simmons a gm job. Take this video on the interview

[@JuicyCharon]

Oh boy you must have never head Simmons speak. Also Ryan Hollins had Luka as the number 1 pick. It didn't take a genius to figure that out.

[@donatheexplorer7292]

He isn't wrong. Luka is so good as a prospect.

[@dariuspamellon4896]

They are drooling on Victor but Luka dominated the euroleague as an 18 year old lol

[@vaannebilim]

this is pure gold sports journalism

[@gaiusvelleius]

peak ringer

[@CM-cw1pi]

Bill need to be a GM

[@ahmede4526]

Proof The Ringer is the best NBA media outlet.

[@JuicyCharon]

You didn't need to be an expert to know Luka should have been 1st. Ryan Hollins also had Luka as the 1st pick in his draft board.

[@jayjesuswake3140]

Simmons was 1 of the only 1s pulling 4 doncic ...everybody else was sayin bust

[@peterfalkson6730]

koc was literally saying the same thing

[@rabejw]

Shout out to bill, he sees the fucking future

[@chrisrobertson5034]

rip tjarks

[@zpacify]

This show you that the so called "blog boys"KD has been talking about know more about basketball than players who's been in the league. Lol. The ringer guys know their stuff. Former players think they know more just because they played in the league. But player analysis and strategy requires logic and actual analysis which most former players dont like to do or dont know how to do. Most players are driven by their biases and that clouds their reasoning. Most just go with certain rules of thumb or archaic beliefs and refuse to question what they know what is true if it's actually true.

[@andymardubas6564]

So true

[@Bliu2th]

"Blog boy" I think actually came from an interview KD did with Bill Simmons on his podcast lol

[@dokjupidu2068]

i croatia we all know luka will be something special..... before nba:))))

[@dokjupidu2068]

@MBYahooo bellieve to me.... i know before he will do that in nba. :) i wish a will be like this in lottery:)))

[@peixeiragamers]

It is funny to see all of those "nah The suns have Book... the Hawks have Trae, they don't need this Doncic guy" 6 months ago... Luka didn't need much to make those comments look stupid

[@hobbycollectinvest4250]

If there were comments saying the Hawks already had 'Trae'........well, that tells you all you need to know about a person since they were both in the 2018 draft.

[@victorvic4659]

I like this. And i feel bad for Kings

[@zoulzopan]

don't be you're just wasting energy

[@Gordmanbmf]

Does KZbin have the bandwidth to post the videos of when simmons was Dead Wrong?

[@AB-sw4kb]

No, we'd run out of available URLs

[@hobbycollectinvest4250]

Wow, of the recent videos I've seen of BS....this is the first one I've seen him get right

[@KK-pm7ud]

Maybe they should have drafted Ja at one as well.

[@brendanlittle2498]

Is CP3+Book+Ayton better than Luka+Book?

[@rishabhsinha1340]

You do realize Luka is still on his rookie contract, right? The amount of money they are paying CP3 they could got themselves a good center. So it no like Luka+Book or CO+Book+DA

[@x-49nightraven]

Lol definitely is after this match

[@zoulzopan]

@@rishabhsinha1340 honestly I would just run small ball like the Nets and sign an over price center. It's insane how ppl still defend the 2018 draft choices.

[@KK-pm7ud]

What is funny is that the Hawks did better in this draft than the Kings. Then years later the Hawks still suck and the Kings seemed to havs figured it out.

[@KTF0]

The Bagley pick is going to look worse and worse. He hasnt been the #1 option, and he's only played with bad teams. He's 25 right now on his third team.

[@rafk2976]

Yeah the Bagley pick is already in the legendary screwup tier.

[@Lordandmaster26]

Alright let’s hear some of your Devin Booker takes

[@willfulton9276]

I would also love to hear his Lamelo ball pre-draft takes. Surely he thought highly of him as a prospect?

[@lexzone-six9912]

Bill Simmons is the reason people hate Trae Young for no legitimate reason.

[@DemostationshN]

not true he said trae is also gonna be really good. he said mo bamba gonna be a bust

[@riccardoferrazzo8283]

Also, Trae Young is a bit of a weirdo. I think the problem is how he looks.

[@TheGrannyBangerz]

Suns head coach at the time was Luka's national team head coach wasn't it?

[@sld1776]

And he lobbied to get Luka, to no avail.

[@josereyes1148]

I actually had shake milton going number 1

[@alvin081988]

Remember Dennis Scott Jr became irrelevant after Luka Takeover so assuming Sacramento took Luka it might end up the same with Fox

[@greentuseliu517]

Damn Bill Simmons used to know ball. What happened to him?

[@CountFisco]

Aura

[@wildman36845]

BC : before Covid

[@diskodriska5338]

nostradamus bill lol its just sad that the mavs are trying to put luka in a box, he is so frustrated with it he doesn't even want to get in pro shape

[@IamJdTrent]

I don't ever see Luka showing up after the off-season with 8pack abs...even if he's happy. And frankly,I don't think he needs to look like Giannis to win. This roster just needs some tweaks,or he's gonna be gone soon.

[@poker2face]

If only the Hawks or Kings had drafted him...they maybe could make the playoffs and lose in the second round some more. I really don't get why this guy can't win more games. As good as he is he doesn't seem to have much of an impact on wins for some reason.

[@garysalazar5279]

?

[@homerthompson416]

God I so badly wanted the Kings to trade that #2 pick for Kawhi when he was forcing his way out so the Spurs could draft Luka. He seemed as obvious a #1 pick as Wemby given the way Doncic dominated Euroleague at 19 when most European teams hate playing NBA bound teenagers.

[@ryanmussell739]

That is a interesting what if ? I had never heard of.

[@blblbluh4196]

Has anyone in that room ever picked up a basketball??

[@moneyball647]

And yet they were right vs the so called former players and hoopers 😂

[@jstdun]

Doncic is that dude. Wonder how his public perception will change after this disappointing season for the Mavs. Hope he comes back with a vengeance to murder the league.

[@EduSanjuan777]

He totally did

[@jstdun]

@@EduSanjuan777 indeed he did. Dude is a certified baller.

[@josephkim7512]

to be fair Simmons said trae would be a flop so..... yea

[@iank3924]

ummmm that possibility isn't over?

[@lewystyles]

And what has Trae ever done? He’s not in the same sport as Luka

[@spol]

these comments are insane in here.

[@Gordmanbmf]

Hey team post a video of the one time I was right 5 years ago.

[@larry2timezlarry2timez66]

Duh kings

[@armin38822]

'' hey I'm Bill Simmons,I'm the cool everyday guy but I'm also an important guy,and hey I'm always right,look at me being historicly right when a lot of people in charge and fans were wrong. Hey,I'm Bill Simmons,I make you feel like I'm just like you,the next day you can have a beer with,we have the same problems,wink,wink..meanwhile I'm a multi millioner and a CEO.

[@tincao3840]

Suns picked was fine, they needed a center but Kings in otherhand.... Lol

[@leonardovillegas5712]

This aged well.

[@mi4johns]

Suns destroyed their franchise with that pick, imagine Luka & Book on the same floor

[@waltz9530]

I randomly think about that potential combo more than I should…

[@maciedixon3983]

The suns really don’t regret it anymore. Who knows how Luka and Devin would have worked together

[@brandonperez2267]

Oh they regret it.

[@danielluc4433]

They could just draft Luka and trade him for someone like Ayton and 3 first picks now :D

[@luisgomez-jordanamartin4776]

I think he will have been an incredible match. Maybe it would have been an inexperienced team, but all that we say about the need for a secondary creator in the Mavs you have it in booker, and he is massive without the ball. It will have been an incredible fit i think.

[@devilpvp571]

They would rather have Luka then Devin

[@Kauko13]

This is why they signed Ayton already... right? ;D

[@wyattworld47]

Oh let’s go! Bill and Russillo and KOC are great, the rest of the company sucks

[@4UST1N]

I understand suns taking Ayton, but Kings, Scouts and GM deserves to be fired,

[@sebeku2]

Does Luka knock the Knicks out of the playoffs? Does Luka upset the #1 seed Sixers....Does Luka take the NBA Champs Milwaukee to 6 games on a bad ankle?

[@zwau]

Easily yes to all of those , because the Clips with hewlthy Kawhi and PG were better than those teams.

[@Klocks420]

Yes lol

[@ubadman1]

Hawks fans are delusional.

[@Silvuhh]

Does trae even sniff the playoffs in the west? East is easy mode man Lebron dominated the east BY HIS FUCKING SELF 🤣

[@KW-fb4kv]

Cool clip, but.... do no women work at the Ringer? You've drafted a lot of white guys Bill...

[@CheefChaos]

Ayton 9-0 VS Luca, Luca and Booker never would have worked.

[@user-tagir0552]

Why? Imagine instead of Paul Luka with Booker, Devin now plays as secondary playmaker with Paul. And Booker is exactly the player you need near Doncic, who can play of the ball with him and can run offence without him.

[@CheefChaos]

@@user-tagir0552 No. The defense would be a mess, CP3 brought stability to the entire team that Luca isn't ready to bring.

[@NerdChannelBrasil]

@@CheefChaos except Luka was 19yo and CP3 was 80.... With Luka you have 10 years of a team, with CP3 you have 3. You are watching Luka and Brunson's backcourt? Luka's defense? She is shooting like shit, but the rest is up.

[@hardywoodaway9912]

@@CheefChaos If you’re looking at statistics and not at stupid espn you will see that Luka isn’t bad at defense at all.

[@CheefChaos]

@@hardywoodaway9912 I was including Booker in that equation as well, not Luca alone, neither all hitting an all defensive team in they career, Ayton is well on his way as he is a true anchor and undeniably clutch on d and offense for the Sun's.

[@csmooth202]

RIP Tjarks

[@masala716]

RIP Tjarks