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“Luka Doncic right now is better than me in my prime”: Dirk Nowitzki assures Mavericks fans that their Slovenian prodigy has already surpassed him

Advait Jajodia
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“Dirk Nowitzki will beat Luka Doncic cause he just won’t miss”: Mark Cuban explains why he picks the Dallas legend to defeat the Slovenian superstar in a one-on-one matchup

During the NBA 2K22 face scan, Dirk Nowitzki humbly reveals how he believes that Luka Doncic, at age 22, is already better than he ever was.

Luka Doncic is a one-of-kind type of player. No one can deny the talent this Slovenian superstar possesses. In only 3 seasons in the NBA, Doncic has been able to achieve numerous feats and break several surreal records. At age 22, Luka is already one of the best players in the league. And will undoubtedly be one of the future faces of the NBA.

The resume the 6-foot-7 guard has racked up in only three seasons is absolutely insane. He is already a 2-time All-Star, 2-time All-NBA selection and was the 2019 ROY.

This 2020-2021 campaign too, was pretty successful for Luka. After averaging 27.7 points, 8.6 assists and 8 rebounds per game, Doncic helped the Dallas Mavericks clinch the 5th best record in the West, to help the team make their second-consecutive playoff appearance. And even during the postseason, Luka was absolutely phenomenal. In only his 2nd postseason appearance, the former 3rd pick of the 2018 Draft, put up 35.7 points, 10.3 assists and 7.9 rebounds while almost upsetting the Los Angeles Clippers.

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Dirk Nowitzki gives an insanely huge compliment to Luka Doncic

Several people have considered Luka to be the next athlete to join MJ and LeBron on the famous GOAT debate. While several analysts and former legends believe that he is the greatest player in franchise history. In fact, Dirk Nowitzki, arguably the greatest Dallas Maverick ever, has called Luka the “greatest Mav of all time”.

Recently, NBA 2K announced the cover athletes for their upcoming NBA 2K22 game. Luka and Dirk are two of the five basketball legends to feature on three editions of the game. During the face-scanning event of NBA 2K22, Nowitzki humbly revealed that Doncic is better than him now, at age 22, than the German star ever was in his prime. The former fadeaway specialist said:

“I would say he’s (Luka Doncic) better than me now than I’ve ever been in my prime. And that how good he is at 22 already. And it’s been a pleasure to be around him. He’s a good kid, he wants to do well and that’s been fun.”

“We’ve had a good relationship and we stay in touch. I’m always there for him if he needs something or if he has a question or if he’s going through something. Obviously, I will always try to help him out.”

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Keep in mind, this huge compliment is coming from not only the greatest Maverick of all time but also one of the best power forwards the league has ever witnessed. The 7-foot big man is a 14-time All-Star, 12-time All-NBA, ranks 6th on the all-time points list (with a whopping 31,560 points), and has also won one of the most difficult championships ever in NBA finals history.

The fact that such a distinguished legend is calling a 22-year-old, who is yet to move past the first round of the playoffs, better than himself, tells us a lot about Luka and his potential. Over the past three years, we have already seen a lot from him, and clearly, the sky is the roof for Luka Doncic.

About the author

Advait Jajodia

Advait Jajodia

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Advait Jajodia, a seasoned NBA journalist, has had a passion for the game for over a decade. His journey from admiring Kobe Bryant's precision to being in awe of Stephen Curry's long-range mastery instilled a profound understanding of basketball. With a background as a two-time National-level player, Advait uses his experience on the hardwood to offer insightful analysis. Over three years of dedicated sports journalism has equipped the 21-year-old with a unique perspective, reflected in his prolific portfolio of 3,350+ articles.

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