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Monday 21 January 2019 10:59, UK
Luka Doncic has already outstripped expectations in his first NBA season and is showing why he will be the Dallas Mavericks' centrepiece for years to come, writes Lee Harvey.
The 19-year-old Slovenian is no ordinary rookie. He signed for Real Madrid aged 13 and, at 16, became the club's youngest player to debut for their senior side. At 19, he led Madrid to the 2018 Euroleague title and was named Euroleague MVP before declaring for the NBA Draft.
Doncic has starred at international level too, making his senior debut for Slovenia in 2016 as a 17-year-old and helping his country win the Eurobasket title one year later, earning a place on the All-Tournament team in the process.
Many experts viewed Doncic as a can't-miss Draft pick, a fully-formed talent with the potential to transform a franchise.
The Phoenix Suns and the Sacramento Kings did not agree, taking Deandre Ayton and Marvin Bagley III respectively with the opening two picks of the 2018 Draft.
"Luka's game is definitely ready. He needs to adjust to the speed and athleticism in this league. But everything else is there. He's going to be great."
Neither did the Atlanta Hawks, who selected Doncic at three before immediately trading him to Dallas in exchange for number five pick Trae Young (plus a future first-round pick).
It is too early to say those teams will rue their decisions to pass on Doncic as Ayton, Bagley and Young all have All-Star potential. What is abundantly clear is that the Slovenian teenager is everything the Mavericks hoped he would be and more.
On one level, it's a no-brainer. While American-based Draft picks were playing 30 games a season against teenagers, Doncic became more NBA-ready thanks to his heavier workload (67 club games in 2016-17, 61 in 2017-18, plus international games) gained in high-pressure games against mature professionals.
Doncic was living alone in a foreign country while his Draft counterparts were enjoying the luxury of NCAA college campuses. And yet the Slovenian proved he was the standout player in the world's second-best basketball league - as a teenager.
Doncic's well-rounded game has translated well to the NBA. Through 43 games, he is averaging 20.3 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.1 assists. He is making 37.2 per cent of his three-pointers and has already shown the ability to come through with big shots when the outcome of the game is put in his hands.
He is no stranger to highlight assists either, be it a court-length 'quarterback' pass or a head fake to bemuse a defender before finding a team-mate for an easy basket.
Given all that, it is no surprise Doncic is the clear leader in the race for Rookie of the Year honours. Dallas struggled to a 3-7 start to the season, but allowing Doncic to take the reins of their offense resulted in them winning nine of 11 games. The Mavericks are currently 20-25, just four games adrift of the Los Angeles Lakers who occupy the eighth and final Western Conference playoff place.
It is a better start than anyone expected and it is only going to get better as Doncic continues to develop. He is the player the Mavericks will build their franchise around, just as they did with Dirk Nowitzki 20 years ago.
The legendary German, regular season MVP in 2006/07 and Finals MVP when he led the Mavericks to the NBA title in 2011, is likely in the final year of his illustrious career. Now the Mavericks have the player to whom Nowitzki, the greatest international player in NBA history, will pass the torch.
Nowitzki has created a legacy in Dallas for Doncic to follow and the future Hall-of-Famer acknowledges the Mavericks' rookie is far better prepared for NBA success than he was when he first arrived in the league in 1998.
"A big part of playing well in the NBA is feeling comfortable [away] from the floor," Nowitzki explains. "For me, it was my first time living away from home and it was tough to adjust. There was a language barrier for me at the beginning.
"[Luka] already has those boxes checked. His English is good. He has lived [away from home] in Spain for years. I really think he should be fine. His game is definitely ready. He needs to adjust to the speed and athleticism in this league. But everything else is there. He's going to be great."
Watch the Dallas Mavericks' trip to face Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks as part of Sky Sports' coverage of the NBA on Martin Luther King Jr Day, live on Sky Sports USA ay 7pm on Monday evening.
