While the decision was made hours ago, the Kings have made it official and taken Marvin Bagley III with the 2nd pick in the 2018 NBA Draft.

While most fans would have preferred Slovenian sensation Luka Doncic, the Kings seemed to like Bagley more throughout the draft process and stuck with their man. Bagley’s combination of athleticism, rebounding and scoring will hopefully bolster a frontcourt that has been searching for a feature player ever since the Kings traded DeMarcus Cousins.

In Bagley, the Kings found a player who not only wanted to be here (as he and Wendell Carter were the only top prospects who came to Sacramento for workouts) but has incredible potential. Few freshman have had better seasons than the one Bagley just posted at Duke. Bagley should instantly be the best rebounder and athlete on the roster, and if he can expand his offensive game to include a reliable three point jumper and focus on fixing his defensive weaknesses, he can be a star.

For Kings fans, Bagley will face heavy scrutiny his rookie year, especially in comparison to Luka Doncic. Doncic was by far the more popular choice, and we’ll be seeing comparisons between the two for years. There’s a lot of pressure on Bagley to be good, as the Kings used one of their highest picks in team history on him.

Kings fans will get their first look at Bagley, as well as his fellow Duke alum and now teammate Harry Giles, on July 2nd when the team hosts the new California Classic Summer League tournament at the Golden 1 Center.

The Kings still hold the 37th pick in the draft, so stay tuned for more updates and analysis throughout the night.

Welcome to Sacramento, Marvin!