Vlade Divac says Kings would have drafted De’Aaron Fox No. 1 overall

When Markelle Fultz came off the board first, followed by Lonzo Ball, Jayson Tatum and Josh Jackson, one thing became clear: De’Aaron Fox was going to be a Sacramento King. The franchise, heavily scrutinized after its botched handling of the DeMarcus Cousins trade, took the Kentucky floor general with the fifth overall pick in Thursday’s NBA draft.

It was a welcome sight for fans of a Kings franchise that’s lacked a true point guard for as long as many can remember. And it was a win for GM Vlade Divac, who desperately needed a victory on draft night to salvage his battered reputation with a devout fan base.

In truth, Divac said he would have taken Fox no matter what pick Sacramento had. The Kings had scouted him extensively and landed who they felt was the best guard in the draft. Sacramento’s GM described the war room’s reaction as “screaming” when Fox was available at No. 5.

“It was a guy that we all loved and in some way,” he said, according to The Sacramento Bee’s Ailene Voisin. “If we had the No. 1 pick, he would’ve been our guy.

“De’Aaron is our future.”

The newly dubbed Kings’ floor general mirrored Divac’s sentiments when asked during media availability after he was selected. Sacramento’s received a bad rap for its apparent dysfunction within the front office. But that’s not what Fox pointed out when he touched down in northern California.

“I feel like they really wanted me. The chemistry is up when you really like who you’re playing with, and I feel like I’m able to turn a franchise around,” Fox said, according to The Sacramento Bee. “They (Kings players) were in the gym when I was working out, and I can feel that they really want to get better. (And) the fan support. It’s really like Lexington. They really take pride in their basketball.”

Sacramento hasn’t had the best go-round.

The Kings never made the playoffs during the Boogie Cousins era, a feat hard to accomplish given the perennial All-Star’s dominant skill set. Their last playoff team featured Mike Bibby, Peja Stojakovic, Corliss Williamson, Bonzi Wells, and Ron Artest, now known as Metta World Peace.

But Fox entered the NBA after capping off a standout freshman performance with a 39-point NCAA Tournament performance against the UCLA Bruins, one where he held Ball to just 10 points on 40-percent shooting. Some scouts compare him to Mike Conley, a calm, collected game manager who controls the tempo on offense and pesters opponents defensively.

The Kings also drafted Justin Jackson 15th and Harry Giles 20th, two players Sacramento selected after trading pick No. 10 to Portland for the pair of first-rounders. The trio of rookies join a Kings roster highlighted by Buddy Hield — the standout name in return from the Cousins trade — along with Skal Labissiere and Willie Cauley-Stein.

And leading the triumvirate of froshes headed to the Kings, Fox is the beacon of hope for the franchise’s future. Sacramento has endured a decade-long playoff drought. The scrappy first-year guard has come to change that, and as a team.

“I feel like we can grow together,” Fox, according to CSN Bay Area. “Of course, it’s going to take some time, but every franchise takes time.

“I just want to help a city turn a franchise around. I’m finally where I want to be.”