Luka Doncic is quite easily the best player from the draft class of 2018. But fans of NCAA basketball did not see it quite that way, pre-draft.
Advertisement
Doncic first announced himself to the NBA world when he represented Real Madrid as a 17-year-old. It didn’t take long for the Slovenian to announce himself, and he did it on one of the big stages in basketball at EuroBasket 2017.
Luka then proceeded to light the Euroleague up the following year. His MVP and Finals MVP outings led Real Madrid to yet another title as the NBA beckoned for the 19-year-old.
But despite all the coverage for his feats as a teenager in Europe, not everyone was sold on his promise. There was, and still is, a faction of basketball fans who believe that Doncic’s ceiling is capped out by his athleticism.
This take about Luka Doncic aged like milk
The aforementioned doubters were fairly well-represented on NBA Twitter at the time. In the light of his playoff exploits over the past year, Mavs fans have taken pleasure in highlighting some of those asinine takes.
still the worst basketball take in the history of this app pic.twitter.com/f7xiIReM87
— Tyler Conway (@jtylerconway) May 22, 2021
I mean, it’s one thing to be disbelieving of his MVP ceiling, though that is an obviously flawed notion. But to say ‘I wouldn’t touch him with a 10-foot pole’? Now that is unbridled, unfounded hate based on zero consideration for facts.
Looking at Luka light up elite defenders like Beverley, Paul George and even Kawhi, it’s hard to think of any reason why he shouldn’t be considered the NBA’s best young talent.
Luka Magic is here to stay. And the LA Clippers need to pull their socks up soon, or risk first round elimination once again.