It goes without saying that Luka Doncic is one of the most talented players in the league. He’s already one of the faces of the NBA and some people believe that it’s just a matter of time before he wins an MVP and leads the Dallas Mavericks to an NBA Championship.
But, as it happens with all young players, some growing pains are to be expected, even if he’s too much of a competitor to understand that right now.
That’s why, more often than not, it seems like he’s having some trouble dealing with his character and desire, and it tends to seem like he’s just throwing tantrums when things don’t go his way.
That attitude was at full display during the Mavericks loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. Rick Carlisle didn’t call a timeout and the Mavs bricked to potential game-winning shots, leading to Luka apparently calling out his teammates and even his coach.
Needless to say, that was music to Skip Bayless’ ears, as the TV host once again made the most of the opportunity to rip the Slovenian star, calling him a ‘pouty diva’ and claiming that he’s just not a good player in the clutch:
“Is Luka turning into a pouty diva??? Looked like he was mad at teammates/coaches when he didn’t get a touch as Mavs missed 2 go-ahead threes. Uh, last season, he was 1-10 on late shots to tie or win,” Bayless tweeted.
Is Luka turning into a pouty diva??? Looked like he was mad at teammates/coaches when he didn't get a touch as Mavs missed 2 go-ahead threes. Uh, last season, he was 1-10 on late shots to tie or win.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) January 16, 2021
Skip has a point right here, as Doncic does look like a bit of a spoiled player from time to time. Then again, as it happens with every single thing he says, you have to take it with a grain of salt.
Once Bayless sets his eyes on a player, there’s just nothing he can say or do to change the narrative, for better or worse, so he’s not exactly an objective source.
Doncic needs to do a better job of keeping it together but hey, that’s just the way competitors are. He’s destined to be one of the all-time greats and there will be plenty of game-winning shots on his résumé in due time.
