Luka Doncic has changed the ceiling for the Dallas Mavericks

Luka Doncic has raised the ceiling for the Dallas Mavericks

Luka Doncic is a special basketball player capable of taking (and making) a step-back 3 or a clever pass that the defense didn’t even account for. While most players see the game of basketball in two dimensions, Doncic seems to see it in three dimensions.

This is a gift that some players have and others do not and it can’t be taught. Doncic never gets tunnel vision with the ball, keeping his options open to either pass, shoot or drive to the basket. With a full offensive package of floaters, step-back 3’s, and elite finishing ability at the basket, Doncic is one of the most complete players in the NBA.

Doncic’s main weakness is on the defensive end, but that should improve as he gets stronger and more used to defending on the perimeter.

Luka Doncic’s rise overseas

The first time most of the basketball world became familiar with his brilliance was during the 2017 EuroBasket tournament that Slovenia won largely because of the play of Doncic and Goran Dragic (Miami Heat). Slovenia beat Serbia in the Final, 93-85 as they finished a magical run to become the champions of Europe.

Doncic continued his winning ways with his former club team, Real Madrid winning the Spanish Liga ACB Title and the EuroLeague Title beating Turkish powerhouse Fenerbahce Dogus, 85-80 in the Final to finish off a very successful 2017-18 season. Doncic earned the EuroLeague MVP, the EuroLeague Final Four MVP, the Rising Star Award, and the Spanish Liga ACB MVP all at the age of 19.

Upon entering the NBA, Doncic was named the Rookie of the Year and by his second year in the league, he is a bonafide top 5 MVP candidate and was an All-Star starter. Doncic is only 21 and has already had a career that most players can only dream of.

Winning EuroBasket and then the EuroLeague should’ve easily made him the No. 1 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. Perhaps it was European bias or because he didn’t play in the US, like the players that went before him in the draft like Deandre Ayton (Arizona) and Marvin Bagley III (Duke). Doncic went 3rd in the draft to the Atlanta Hawks but was traded to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for the 5th pick, Trae Young (Oklahoma) and a future first-rounder.

Trae Young is an exciting offensive player for the Hawks, but it remains a lopsided trade as all those teams that passed on Doncic missed out on a generational talent that plays years beyond his age.

Outside of his basketball skills, Doncic seems to be a natural leader capable of making his teammates feel more confident because he plays a team game that empowers everyone on the court. Standing at 6-foot-7 and with point forward skills, Doncic is crafty enough to create mismatches and draw fouls at a high rate. Doncic can also see plays before they happen and get to his spot before the defense knows it.

Doncic already has a go-to shot, the step-back 3 that is consistent enough for him to hit in clutch situations. The Dallas Mavericks drafted Doncic, a player that can carry the torch left by franchise legend, Dirk Nowitzki. With the passing skills of Magic Johnson, Jason Kidd and LeBron James, and with the step back ability of James Harden, Doncic is poised to become one of the best players in NBA history.

Doncic in his sophomore season is averaging 28.7 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 8.7 assists per game. Doncic has the potential to become the best European (Slovenia) player ever and can lead the Mavericks to years of playoff success and most likely earn multiple MVPs and NBA Titles. Aptly nicknamed “El Niño Maravilla” (Wonder Boy), Doncic continues to dazzle and is one of those athletes that makes fans re-think what is possible to achieve on a basketball floor akin to what Lionel Messi can do on a soccer pitch.

The Mavericks’ current makeup suits Doncic’s skill set well with shooters spacing the floor like Tim Hardaway Jr., Seth Curry, Kristapas Porzingis, Maxi Kleber, and Dorian-Finney Smith. This allows Doncic the space necessary to collapse the defense and find his teammates in the paint or on the perimeter. The fact that Doncic is able to effect winning so early in his career has surpassed most people’s expectations and has the Mavericks grinning knowing they got a special one that has blossomed into a superstar player. Doncic is a triple-double machine, with 22 in his young career showing that he can affect the game in a myriad of ways.

The joy he plays with inspires his teammates and allows for the Mavericks to be an elite offensive team. The Mavericks have the 3rd most efficient offense, averaging 116.36 points per game trailing only the Bucks and the Rockets. Their middle of the pack defense is 15th, allowing 110.31 ppg and will need to improve in order for the team to reach their full potential and become elite on both sides of the ball.

While the Mavericks may not be ready to win an NBA title this season, they are set up nicely for the future behind their star European duo of Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis.

The basketball world watches in anticipation to see what else Doncic and the Mavericks will do next as the NBA prepares to restart in the Orlando bubble. The Mavericks are all but guaranteed to be in the playoffs with a record of 40-27 and they have a decent chance at making a deep run in the postseason with wins over the Nuggets, Rockets, Lakers, Bucks, and 76ers during the regular season.