Dallas Mavericks rookie Luka Doncic is already showing out at his first of what's likely to be many, many All-Star weekends to come. The Mavs' young sensation exhibited his keen sense of court vision and dramatic passing flair early in Friday night's Rising Stars Challenge, finding fellow European import Lauri Markkanen with a no-look alley-oop pass from just beyond the three-point line.
"Let's see Luka do something…"
Luka: pic.twitter.com/azhxvdyfBu
— Dime (@DimeUPROXX) February 16, 2019
Doncic, an overwhelming frontrunner for Rookie of the Year, is averaging 20.7 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 5.6 per game in his NBA debut, numbers that bear striking similarities to those LeBron James put up as a teenage rookie. But that's not where the similarities between him and the four-time MVP end.
After his team beat the Mavs 112-101 on Wednesday, Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade compared Doncic's otherworldly passing ability to that of James.
“Quote me right where I say this: It’s LeBron James-like from the standpoint of how he’s able to rope that pass to shooters in corners, getting blitzed,” Wade said. “There’s not many guys who can do that and put it right there. He does an amazing job of it.”
There are many guys who can throw a pinpoint, no-look lob pass to a seven-footer in a glorified scrimmage, of course. But considering Doncic already compares to one of the game's all-time great passers, it seems only a matter of time until he really shows off in the Rising Stars Challenge.
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