DeAndre Ayton was at the top of my draft board. Marvin Bagley was 2A. Luka Doncic was 2B. Though there is much yet to accomplish for these three players, and though it's still early in their rookie seasons, I must admit to feeling sheepish regarding my desire to see Ayton slip to the Kings at #2. Every single flaw that scouts saw in Ayton's game has been magnified tenfold on an NBA court. Of course, he has plenty of time to iron out those flaws, but the Suns were absolutely the worst possible team for him to land on. I'm reminded of Demarcus Cousins' early years with the Kings. The dysfunction of the franchise stunted his growth and only exacerbated his issues with effort and immaturity. It seems the same is true for Ayton at this early junction of his career. And while we can't possibly know how he'd fare in the newly-minted culture of positivity here in Sacramento, I certainly wouldn't want his meandering focus to drag this exciting young team down.
All of that said, I couldn't be happier that the Kings weren't forced to choose between Ayton and Bagley, and I couldn't be happier that they selected Bagley over Doncic. Some here will still forcefully disagree with the choice the Kings' front office made, but I think Bagley is going to be a really special talent as he continues to develop. The zeal for the game that so many love in Doncic, the human highlight reel factor, the basketball IQ, the effortlessness he seems to operate with, I honestly believe that Bagley's got all of those same qualities, on top of being an extraordinary athlete. They're clearly different players, and they'll clearly impact the game in different ways for their respective teams, but Bagley just seems to fit this infectiously thrilling roster like a glove.