Dallas Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson appeared on FS1's Fair Game with Kristine Leahy and was asked about his thoughts on Luka Doncic:
"@luka7doncic is special." 🌟@jalenbrunson1 reveals to @KristineLeahy his thoughts on fellow guard Luka Dončić: pic.twitter.com/7AEjBJuhGh
— Fair Game (@FairGameonFS1) September 9, 2019
And truly, Luka is indeed special. Doncic entered the NBA as one of the most highly-anticipated prospects coming from Europe. Needless to say, the Slovenian sensation was as good as advertised – maybe even better.
Doncic had a hell of debut campaign for the Mavericks last season that saw him run away with the Rookie of the Year award. In 72 games, he averaged 21.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 6.0 assists, becoming just the second rookie ever to post a 21-7-6 statline through his rookie season. The other is Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson.
Brunson, on the other hand, had a decent rookie season for Dallas. The Mavericks got him on a steal with the 33rd pick in last year's draft.
As with any typical second rounder, the 6-foot-3 point guard started off slow. As the games and the reps piled on, Brunson started to get more comfortable with the NBA game. He got better as the months went on and eventually became the Mavericks' starting point guard when they dealt away their former high lottery pick Dennis Smith Jr. in late January.
Brunson started 38 of 73 games in his rookie campaign. In those 38 starts, Villanova standout averaged a solid 13.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 4.3 assists while shooting an efficient 48.7 percent from the field.
With the return of Kristaps Porzingis and the keys of the franchise firmly in Luka Doncic's hands, the Mavericks have playoff aspirations this season. Dallas is excited to see what their international star pairing can do together on the floor. Of course, they'll also need their supporting cast, including Brunson, to step up if they want to reach the postseason in the loaded Western Conference.
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