For all the extensive analysis the experts have been churning out about how they think the 2018 NBA Draft will shake out, sometimes, it’s the most trivial stuff that offers that best clue. Riley McAtee of The Ringer is not one to miss out on minor details, though, at least when it comes to predicting which team will land European phenom Luke Doncic.
While the Phoenix Suns seem to be virtually sure of getting Arizona Wildcats product Deandre Ayton at no. 1 in his week’s NBA Draft, the Sacramento Kings are keeping their top choice at no. 2 close to their chest. However, thanks to the incredible investigative journalism acumen of McAtee, we may have unlocked the Kings’ security box that contains the name of their intended pick: Luka Doncic. And all it took for McAtee to do it was analyze Doncic’s usage of an emoji, particularly the “shaka” emoji
See, Kings owner Vivek Ranadivé’s son had the image below up on his Instagram story last Friday.
Viveks son just put this on Intagram pic.twitter.com/luC0lR9Svw
— Jillian Adge (@JillAdge) June 15, 2018
McAtee said that photo was taken earlier this month when Vivek and company met with Doncic in Spain. Notice the hand sign Ranadive used while posing for the photo. It was the same hand gesture emoji Doncic has been using in higher frequency of late on social media.
What McAtee is basically implying here is that the Kings have already informed Doncic that they are going to take him no. 2 overall if the Suns take a pass on him. It turns out, the NBA is just like a David Fincher movie, full of subtleties which need multiple viewings to register.
The NBA Draft will be held this coming Thursday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
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