While the Dallas Mavericks may be just 6-6 on the season, their superstar Luka Doncic has given the whole city a lot to be excited about.
As one of the best and most talented young players in the game, Luka is almost single-handily keeping the Mavs afloat this season and has emerged as a major early front-runner for the MVP.
Through 11 games this season, at just 23 years old, Doncic is averaging 33.6 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 7.9 assists per game on 48% shooting.
He’s been so good that basketball legend Tim Hardaway says he’s better than LeBron was at 23. Here’s the full quote:
“I will take Luka at 23,” said Hardaway. “What he’s doing now, his jump shot, but we have to remember, Luka has been playing professional basketball since he was the age of 16. He’s been playing professional basketball. He’s been playing against grown men. LeBron just started playing against grown men at 18. Then he had to figure it out. That took him about three years. I will say right now, looking back, 23 and 23, what Luka is doing, yeah, I think that he’s doing it better than what LeBron was doing.”
Luka Doncic Has Attracted The Attention Of Various NBA Superstars After Dominant Four-Year Run
Comparisons to LeBron almost never go well, but they may be well-earned in this case. Just like LeBron did years ago, Luka is doing everything for this team and is asked to carry a load every night that would probably weigh far too much for most.
Even LeBron James has taken notice of Luka’s rise to power…
“His size. He’s gigantic. A 6’8″ guard. He’s 225 pounds. He has the ball on a string, and more importantly, his vision. He can control a game. He doesn’t even have to shoot. He would walk the ball up the court 10 straight times and get to his spot every single time. Just because of his pace. He knows where he comes off a pick and roll, if they’re hard-showing, if they’re hedging, or if they’re dropping the pick and roll, he knows I can turn the corner ’cause I got this shoulder, and I know the third line of defense, when I get there, if I just slow down, just slow down and use my pivots, not even jump, just the Euro one-two, this guy’s flying by. He’s flying by every time. It’s the mind,” LeBron said on what makes Doncic so great.
At 23 years old, LeBron averaged 30 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game. He was already one of the best players in the world.
And while Luka still has a long way to go before he comes close to catching LeBron, we can all recognize that he’s off to a pretty impressive start.
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