Quote:
Originally Posted by Thespiralgoeson
It's useful just to illustrate how otherworldly amazing Luka has been so far. Seriously, if you want to compare other players who have been this good this fast, you have to look to names like Bird and Magic. It is no insult to Dirk at all to say that he wasn't as good as Luka at Luka's age. Only a handful of players ever have been.
Here is the entire list of players in NBA history in the shot clock era who made all-NBA first team at age 21 or younger.
Rick Barry
Tim Duncan
LeBron James
Kevin Durant
Luka Doncic
A list of players who made all-NBA first team in their sophomore years would be longer, but not much. It would include names like Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Oscar Robertson, Jerry West, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wes Unseld, and Larry Bird. Among names that would NOT be on that list though are Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Lebron James, Shaquille O'Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, and pretty much anyone else you can think of.
The fact that Dirk's leash was shorter doesn't make it wrong to compare the two. Dirk's leash was shorter because he wasn't as good. Not close, honestly. Dirk didn't break out as a superstar until he was about 24-25.
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No doubt Luka is out to a much quicker start. But he is, in many ways, following in the footsteps of Magic and Lebron as an oversized, do it all point guard. Dirk, on the other hand, had to blaze his own trail.
There had been a few good shooting big men, but never before did a 7 footer dominate the game from the outside. Dirk had to convince his coach, his league and himself that such a thing was even possible. The NBA is a different game because Dirk stretched the floor. Embid and the Joker are competing for MVP now because Dirk proved big men could hit the three.
Luka may well surpass Dirk someday. But not unless he does this for at least 10 years.