The Dallas Mavericks took a gamble other teams weren't willing to take, making the first trade of the 2018 NBA Draft and swapping picks with the Atlanta Hawks to snag Luka Doncic with the third overall pick. Many teams were apprehensive when weighing Doncic's international exploits, given the difference in pace and athleticism, which many thought would hinder his progress.

The Mavs bet on his potential as the most-decorated international at his age, having won EuroLeague MVP — an accolade the Slovenian international does not take lightly:

“I played professionally with a lot of good European players. So, yeah,” Doncic said of his preparedness, according to Michael Lee of The Athletic. “It’s just basketball. I want to enjoy it. I think I’ve played better than expected. I’m happy about it, but this keeps going.”

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Doncic is the surefire front-runner for the Rookie of the Year award, posting numbers that put him in elite company with a strong combo of 19.6 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game thus far this season.

A plethora of shot maneuvers, passes and a signature step-back move have all made the Dallas faithful in awe of their new franchise savior, setting the ultimate passing of the torch from one great European in Dirk Nowitzki to another.

At a ripe 19 years old, Doncic is more prepared than the rest of his rookie class, having played for three years against grown men — professionals who have been tried and tested, even if it was under a different game flow.

His maturity at his age is unrivaled, and it is one of the key reasons the Mavs netted a gem with a gutsy move early in the draft.