Subscribe
Follow Us
Former Atlanta Hawks guard Malcolm Delaney plays in China now, but he took to Twitter to defend Dallas Mavericks rookie Luka Doncic. Doncic was selected by the Hawks with the No. 3 overall in the 2018 NBA Draft before a trade to the Mavs on draft night.
Doncic is the most accomplished teen to ever join the league. The 19-year-old became the MVP of the EuroLeague last season, which is a difficult feat for anyone his age. He's a 6-foot-7 point forward who is considered to be the most NBA-ready player in his draft class, but he has plenty of doubters out there.
Delaney set off a firestorm with a now-deleted tweeted that stuck up for Doncic against the haters.
“People in American that don’t understand international basketball don’t know how tough and rare it is to accomplish what doncic did in Europe. Ain’t no 18 year old in America leading a Team to a euroleague championship. And DAMN sure ain’t getting MVP,” tweeted Delaney.
Delaney responded to numerous people coming after him on Twitter, and he continued to defend Doncic's talent before deleting some of the tweets because of the ruckus.
Doncic looked impressive in his NBA preseason debut, recording 16 points, six rebounds, two assists and three blocks in 30 minutes. He showcased his ability to shoot from deep, handle the ball and defend. His style should fit well alongside Dennis Smith Jr. and DeAndre Jordan as the season progresses.
Delaney has two years of NBA experience with the Hawks, but he also has the international experience to back up his opinion on Doncic. American rookies seem to have it out for Doncic, as none of them voted for him to have the best NBA career, despite his accolades. He didn't play in the NBA Summer League, but everyone will get a clear display of his talents throughout the regular season. The Mavs have a promising future, and Doncic will play a big part in it.
