Luka Doncic entered the 2018 NBA Draft as perhaps the most highly-regarded and accomplished European draft prospect ever. As the reigning EuroLeague MVP, Doncic proved at 19 years old that he was more than ready to play against some of the world’s best.
After Deandre Ayton and Marvin Bagley III went to the Suns and Kings respectively, Dallas pulled off a trade with the Hawks in order to add Doncic to their roster. Landing in Dallas seems to be a pretty great fit for Doncic, who gets to make his adjustment to the NBA as a rookie under the tutelage of the greatest European basketball player of all time, Dirk Nowitzki.
Doncic has talked about how fortunate he is to be in that kind of situation and how excited he is to work with Dirk, but Nowitzki is likewise enamored with his new teammate. The Mavs are hoping to take a major step forward this season, and Doncic being as good as advertised would be a significant help, as they need more ball-handlers and playmakers on the perimeter.
In a recent interview with the Ben and Skin Show on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas, Nowitzki raved about Doncic, particularly in regards to his court vision and ability to work in the pick-and-roll game.
“Yeah, he’s been here now for a week. He’s scrimmaged every day and works hard. I’m really liking what I’m seeing. 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.”
When asked if he’s better at 19 than Dirk was at that age, the future Hall of Famer said there’s no doubt, and even compared his pick-and-roll savvy to another future Hall of Famer in Chris Paul.
“Oh yeah. I could shoot a little bit but I never had the court vision … the savviness that he brings to the game. Just the way he already reads the pick and roll … all the stuff like Chris Paul and these guys do … He’s going to be fun to watch especially with bigs like DeAndre (Jordan) and Dwight (Powell) rolling to the rim … He’s going to pick defenses apart and it’s going to be fun to watch.”
That’s extremely high praise from Nowitzki, and while he makes sure to say he doesn’t want to put too much pressure on him right now, he can’t help but be impressed with what he’s seen. If Doncic can play at a high level and Dennis Smith Jr. can take a step forward after an up-and-down rookie campaign, the Mavs might have themselves quite the squad in Dallas this season.
