Luka Doncic turned a lot of heads this past season in route to securing the 2018-19 Rookie of the Year award. Coming off a being named the youngest Euro-league MVP and Euro-League Championship, Doncic averaged 21.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 6.0 assists during his rookie season with the Dallas Mavericks. This past week, Hall of Famer Julius ‘Dr. J” Erving shared his thoughts with Fanatics view on if Doncic was top-10 in the league after one season.
” Luka is probably not top-ten yet. He has one year in the league and had a great year as a rookie and was phenomenal. Sometimes it could happen quickly for a guy years one through three more so in my estimation when a guy is in the league. His fourth and fifth year is when you really what you got. The fact that he started playing professionally at age 16 or 17 hasn’t hurt him so he might be an early bloomer than some of the guys, who go to the universities in the U.S. The one and done guys, but he had a great season, and he is a great replacement for Dirk.”
Dirk Nowitzki after 21 seasons as a member of the Dallas Mavericks decided to retire. The first-ballot Hall of Famer has had accomplished everything you would want as an active player. Winning an NBA Championship and securing both the Finals MVP, as well as, the regular-season MVP award. He is also currently 6th All-time in scoring with the two closest active players being Carmelo Anthony, and Vince Carter still about 6,000 points away.
Dirk Nowitzki along with Dwyane Wade and Tony Parker will be a lock to headline the 2024 Hall of Fame Class in five years. It will be a special moment for all three individuals considering all of the battles against each other over the years.
During Dwyane’s final visit to Dallas as an active player, he gave Doncic’s passing ability a significant compliment as he compared it to LeBron James.
Dwyane Wade on Luka: “quote me right where I say this – it’s LeBron James-like from the standpoint of how he’s able to rope that pass to shooters in corners, getting blitzed. There’s not many guys who can do that and put it right there. He does an amazing job of it.”
Dwyane Wade on Luka: “quote me right where I say this – it’s LeBron James-like from the standpoint of how he’s able to rope that pass to shooters in corners, getting blitzed. There’s not many guys who can do that and put it right there. He does an amazing job of it.”
— Tim Cato (@tim_cato) February 14, 2019
Dirk was a guest on the Ben and Skin Show on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas back in September and shared that he like was he sees from Luka thus far.
“I’m really liking what I’m seeing,” Nowitzki said. “He’s incredible with the ball for a big guy. He’s unbelievable in pick and roll play. His court vision is already unbelievable. I couldn’t believe what I saw from a 19/20-year-old. He’s a good shooter when he has time and I think he’s going to be great for us for a long, long time.
“He’s an incredible talent. His court vision and passing for his size at his age is something I’ve never seen in my 20 years.”
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Landon Buford is an accomplished sports and entertainment journalist based in Richardson, Texas, with over a decade of experience covering the NBA, WNBA, NFL, WWE, MLB, and the entertainment industry. Known for delivering high-impact stories and headline-making interviews, Buford has earned a global audience through content that blends insider access with compelling storytelling.
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