Luka Doncic is arguably the best player in the NBA right now. He was recently named an MVP finalist, and has led the Dallas Mavericks ever since the team drafted him. Former NBA player Goran Dragic believes in Doncic, but thinks the Mavericks star still needs to make a “change” in order to win a championship.
It is important to note that Dragic and Doncic previously played together on the Slovenian National Team. The two have known each other for a while, so Dragic is quite familiar with Luka's game.
“I think so, he can win, he just needs to change a little bit, maybe trust his teammates more,” Dragic said of Doncic, via The OGs podcast. “I'm not saying, because he does pass the ball, but just get off the ball a little bit more. And because of, you know, if you have the ball so much in your hand you get tired, and then it's a long season and even in the playoffs you know I think that's too much.”
Dragic acknowledges that Doncic passes the ball. After all, Luka averaged 9.8 assists per game in 2023-24 and has recorded 8.3 assists per outing for his career. However, Dragic thinks that Doncic would benefit from playing off the ball at a more consistent rate.
That is something Doncic could do with Kyrie Irving on the roster. Both players are capable of handling point guard duties without question. Of course, Doncic is also one of the best players in the NBA, so Dallas typically benefits when he has the ball in his hands.
Goran Dragic is a fan of Luka Doncic, but thinks a change may be necessary
Again, Dragic and Doncic have known each other for a long time. Goran added that he knew Luka would reach the NBA from a young age.
“Even back then when he was playing, he was 10,11, you know he was so dominant even then,” Dragic said of Doncic. “He would score like 40, 50, 60 points it’s crazy… He was already a hooper.”
During the 2023-24 season, Luka Doncic averaged a league-leading 33.9 points per game. He impacts the game in different ways, but when the Mavs need a bucket Doncic can deliver.
Luka has displayed signs of stardom ever since he made his NBA debut. In fact, Dragic saw the signs before Doncic even reached the NBA. And although Luka certainly featured a high scoring ceiling, Dragic knew Luka would bring more to the table.
“I knew in 2017, when we had a training camp for our National team two months before EuroBasket,” Dragic said. “He was 17 and just watching him at practice, oh my God, he would make some passes that I don’t even know how he was doing that. His IQ was so good at 17, I knew it. The only thing I kind of questioned a little bit was his speed and everything for the NBA.”
Dragic's comments about Doncic are attention-catching. The championship quote about needing to change is clearly constructive criticism as opposed to pure negativity, as Dragic seems to admire the way Luka plays the game of basketball.
The Mavericks are currently playing the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round of the NBA playoffs, and Luka Doncic is trying to help Dallas erase their 1-0 deficit.
Perhaps this will be the year that Doncic leads the Mavericks to an NBA championship.
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