Pat Mahomes became the richest athlete in American sports on Monday when the Kansas City Chiefs tendered a 10-year, $450 million offer to secure him as their quarterback well into the next decade. Yet one can't help but wonder if there was an NBA player worthy of such a contract, who would it be?
Long gone are the days of mammoth seven-year deals and even the lengthy six-year deals were long abolished by the league, resulting in a five-year maximum length for players.
Though if there was an exception to the rule, one would have to be made for Luka Doncic.
The Dallas Mavericks star has only been able to legally drink for four months at the ripe age of 21, but he's already showcased enough to make CEO Mark Cuban scream “take my money” once talks are due.
While the case could be made for guys like Giannis Antetokounmpo, 25; Zion Williamson, 20; Ja Morant, 20; and even Trae Young, 21 — Doncic is undoubtedly the no-brainer choice for what would be a career-long commitment.
Skill
In less than two full NBA seasons, Doncic has put himself in the conversation for the Most Valuable Player award and come close to averaging a triple-double — something that hasn't been done by a player in his second season since Oscar Robertson in 1961-62.
Doncic has shown an uncanny scoring ability, a smooth jumper, nose for rebounding, unique passing instincts, and an unmatched overall feel for the game at his age. The Slovenian wonderboy doesn't shy away from the big moment or taking the clutch shots, a true sign of a franchise star.
The Mavericks made a quick passing of the torch from one European legend in Dirk Nowitzki to their next in Doncic after one season.
Dallas committed to Nowitzki with long-term contracts and even ensured his stay at the end of his career. Making a 10-year commitment to Doncic would be a no-brainer, considering he's developed much faster than Nowitzki and risen to stardom at a relatively early age.
Longevity
When considering a 10-year deal, longevity is a must. Doncic is only 21 years old and will be 22 by the time his three-year deal expires at the end of the 2020-21 season. Tack on another 10 years and a 32-year-old Doncic would be freer than Dobby at the end of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
The Mavs could even start a series of team-friendly deals with Doncic after showing him the big bag that early into his career — something Mark Cuban and Nowitzki managed to do pretty well at the tail end of his career.
In terms of performance, Doncic is the best-suited candidate for a 10-year contract (or extension) not only because of how young he is, but because of how his game is built. Doncic isn't the fastest, tallest, or the most athletic, but he is a well-rounded player with the potential to excel in every area.
Even if Doncic suffers a major injury during this 10-year commitment, it's tough to fathom a steep decline the way Derrick Rose had after his fourth season or how Chandler Parsons turned out after signing a four-year, $98.4 million deal with the Memphis Grizzlies. Even if his mobility and athleticism are lacking — the first two things to go when suffering a major injury — Doncic would still manage to be effective with other tools in his arsenal.
The same can't be said of uber-athletic guys like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Zion Williamson, and Ja Morant, who largely rely on their athletic gifts. Trae Young is an exception to that, but a major injury could greatly impact his mobility, which is crucial to his success as a smaller point guard.
All in all, Doncic is outright the safest 10-year bet a team can make. If the NBA laws allowed it, Mark Cuban would pull that trigger faster than you can say “Shark Tank.”
Charisma
No team would sign a player for 10 seasons if he didn't bring butts into the seats. Luka Doncic has that aspect down pat.
Whether it's his contagious laugh, lively sense of humor, or down-to-earth personality, Doncic is a marketable guy that has already won the hearts of many in NBA circles.
“Lukamania” was a real thing during his rookie season and that has evolved into a whole other monster in his second year in the league, putting him in the MVP conversation next to other greats like Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James, and James Harden.
Doncic is already sixth in the best-selling list when it comes to the most popular jerseys. Antetokounmpo, who has already cemented his place as a star is second to James, and Zion Williamson is the only other player under 24 years old to crack the top-15 list.
Brand
It didn't take Jordan Brand long to lock up a deal with Luka Doncic, as they did so this past summer before finding another gold mine in Zion Williamson soon after.
Due to his fluent Spanish, Doncic would be able to bring his soon-to-be signature sneakers to Spanish-speaking countries like Mexico, Argentina, and Spain; where he played professionally for three seasons before bursting into the NBA.
Doncic brings a brand that appeals not only to American NBA fans but also Europeans — and it's only a matter of time before that stretches into other continents like Africa, Asia, and Australia.
NBA Parallel to Pat Mahomes
There is simply no direct parallel to a Pat Mahomes in the NBA. In his three NFL seasons, Mahomes has already captured a Most Valuable Player award (2018), a Super Bowl, Super Bowl MVP, and has been selected to Pro Bowl twice — all by the age of 24.
ClutchPoints recently released a 24 under 24 list, and none of the players included in that ranking share the same level of accolades throughout their young careers.
Doncic, however, is the one that comes closest — having won a EuroLeague title with Real Madrid along with the EuroLeague MVP honors by the age of 19. Sure, the point guard got his start in the world of professional sports way before his counterparts, but that doesn't take away the achievement of winning it all.
The Mavs star also won a gold medal at EuroBasket 2017, bringing his country Slovenia its first gold medal in a major international tournament.
Luka Doncic may not be Pat Mahomes quite yet, but there's no telling what he could achieve the next three years under this upward trajectory, perhaps even able to surpass the Kansas City Chiefs gunslinger with a cornucopia of accolades awaiting his name.
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