“If Luka Doncic is not the best player in the world, he’s right on the cusp”: Rick Carlisle expresses his respect for the Slovenian MVP’s talent after the Mavs-Pacer clash

After the Mavs-Pacers clash, Rick Carlisle expressed his respect for Luka Doncic as a player on the court and as a person, too.

For the first time since parting ways with the Mavericks, Rick Carlisle made his return to Dallas. The current Indiana Pacers head coach received a touching tribute video for the 13 glorious years he spent with the organization. Even though Luka Doncic and co. ruined Rick’s return to the American Airlines Center, the future Hall-Of-Famer seemed very happy to be in the building.

After the game, the 62-year-old coach was asked several questions about his former team. When asked about the 22-year-old Slovenian youngster, Carlisle spoke highly of Doncic:

“If [Luka’s] not the best player in the world, he’s right on the cusp,” said Carlisle, who got to see Doncic up close and personal for the first three seasons of his career. “He’s just so, so good and I have always had just great respect for his talent, and everything about his game and him as a person, too. I know what a good guy he is, I’ve seen a lot of that. He has just gotten better in every way. Every year he has just gotten better and better and better. He’s one guy in today’s game, and there’s a few, who measure every single meter on the court and who always have an answer.”

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“That’s a team that’s got a real chance”: Rick Carlisle on Luka Doncic and co.

After talking about Doncic, Rick went on to speak about the phenomenal season the Mavs are having as a unit.

“That’s a team that’s got a real chance,” Carlisle said of the Mavs. “Not only to come out of the West, but they’re a good contender. They are very, very good. They are a well-oiled machine and playing at an extremely high level. I’m happy for them. I’m happy for Jason Kidd, happy for Mark [Cuban] – all the people are such great people and it’ll be interesting to watch them down the stretch of the season.”

For someone who was released by an organization, not in the kindest ways, it was a classy move by Rick to acknowledge the success Jason Kidd has been seeing this season.

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The Mavericks are currently placed 6th in the West with an impressive 29-22 record. Currently only 1 game behind the 4th seed Utah Jazz, it is more than possible that Dallas clinches a playoffs berth without having to play in the play-in tournament.