It didn’t take long before Luka Doncic proved that he was the best player in his class. Moreover, he looks like a player that has been around the league for a long time, a savvy veteran that knows how to make the most of his skills.
Doncic’s presence turned the Mavericks around. He put them in a position to compete, encouraged the Mavs to take a step forward and trade for Kristaps Porzingis and looks like the foundation of a winning project.
He can score at a high clip from all three levels, create for others, and rebound pretty well for a guy his size. He’s got the whole package, offensively, at least. However, his veteran teammate J.J. Barea thinks his biggest trait as a player comes off the court and that’s his leadership:
“The NBA championship was really fun, but this group is fun, man. When you get your leader in Luka, and Luka’s a guy that he loves his teammates and he’s always texting ‘hey let’s do this, let’s play cards, let’s go to the pool, let’s go fishing. It’s all about the team and about having fun.
In practice, as we compete, and we compete, and we argue, and we get mad but hey, we love being around each other, we love competing together, and it’s fun. It makes it super fun for me and it gives me energy, and it keeps me positive to play longer so I’m excited to be here with this team,” Barea told the Dallas Morning News.
Barea went on to add the Doncic’s presence has been quite positive for the Mavericks on and off the court with the way he’s tried to help the team bond and pursue a common goal.
Doncic is called to be the franchise’s leader after Dirk Nowitzki’s retirement. He’s done a terrific job thus far, averaging 28.7 points, 9.3 rebounds, 8.7 assists, 2.9 three-pointers, and 1.1 steals per game on 46% from the floor.
