Luka Doncic is having another historic production season for the Dallas Mavericks this year. After leading the Mavericks to a 17-point comeback against the Orlando Magic, head coach Jason Kidd was in awe of his 24-year-old franchise point guard. He said Doncic is already a better player than Dirk Nowitzki and is in the same atmosphere as GOATs like LeBron James, Michael Jordan, and Kobe Bryant.
“You can’t take this man for granted. He’s better than Dirk. He’s in the atmosphere of MJ, the best to ever do it, LeBron [James], Kobe [Bryant]. And so, just to appreciate what this young man’s doing at the age of 24, it’s something that Dallas has never seen. I’ve said this internally: He is better than Dirk. He does things that Dirk could never do, and now is the opportunity of getting the right people around him to ultimately win a championship.”
Here’s a clip from The Downbeat this morning as Jason Kidd joined @badkaratemovie @MikeSirois and @ktfuntweets
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Kidd further discussed his belief that Doncic will not only win one title before his career is over but will win multiple championships.
“This young man is 24 and is breaking all the records that stand in front of him. He’s a winner, and his ultimate goal is to win a championship. And he will get there and not just win one, but he will win multiple when it’s all said and done.”
No Mavericks fan will be willing to let Doncic usurp the status of the best Maverick ever from Nowitzki without a championship, so that’s all that comes down to it when it comes to being better than Dirk, given Doncic is already snatching franchise records from Nowitzki every season.
As far as comparisons with Jordan and LeBron, Luka has shown he can produce at the level they did in their prime. But winning the amount these three legends have won’t be easy.
Luka Doncic Is Having An Underrated Season
It’s hard to say an All-Star starter has been underrated this season, but the national media conversations around Luka have been incredibly frustrating. He has carried the Mavs for the bulk of the season, keeping the team in the playoff picture despite Kyrie Irving missing most of the season. He’s averaging 34.7 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 9.6 assists this season, second-most in the NBA behind Joel Embiid.
Doncic recently had a 73-point game against the Hawks, the most points scored by anyone since Kobe Bryant’s iconic 81-point performance. That also gave Doncic a higher career high than any active player in the NBA and even Michael Jordan.
Somehow, the conversation around the performance led to people trying to discredit Luka’s heroics as a result of modern NBA defense. Joel Embiid’s 70-point game was hailed as masterful just a few days prior, and Doncic scored 73 on better efficiency and with fewer free throws.
After leading the Mavericks to a 17-point comeback against a top-5 defense like the Magic with 45 points and 15 assists, ESPN discussed whether Doncic is to blame for Mark Cuban and the Mavericks’ refusal to pay Jalen Brunson. We’re witnessing greatness but the appreciation for Doncic has disappeared after missing the playoffs last year.
If Doncic wants to live up to what Kidd said, the Mavericks need to win more games on the court. Without that, Doncic will be remembered as a phenomenal player who can’t be taken seriously as a winning player.
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