With the #3 pick (!) in the 2018 draft, the Mavs get Luka Doncic

[turin]

Has there ever been a league MVP who wasn't at least an All-Star the year prior to winning? Just curious.

[Thespiralgoeson]

Originally Posted by turin

Has there ever been a league MVP who wasn't at least an All-Star the year prior to winning? Just curious.

Wilt and Wes Unseld were both MVP in their rookie seasons. Other than that, I can't think of anyone off the top of my head.

Nash missed the all-star team in 04, but he was already a two-time all-star before that, so I don't think that counts.

[turin]

Originally Posted by Thespiralgoeson

Wilt and Wes Unseld were both MVP in their rookie seasons. Other than that, I can't think of anyone off the top of my head.

Nash missed the all-star team in 04, but he was already a two-time all-star before that, so I don't think that counts.

I did not know that. Thanks.

[Thespiralgoeson]

Nice piece from MacMahon about RC and Luka. It never occurred to me until just now, but even though Carlisle is one of the most experienced coaches in the league, this is a first for him. He's never coached a young superstar. Dirk was already a decade into his career when RC got here. And those teams he coached in Detroit and Indiana were mostly veterans too. A few nice young players like Tayshaun Prince and Jermaine O'neal, but never a superstar even close to Luka's level. I best this is quite an adjustment for him. But he's not stupid. He knows Luka is the Mavs' future and present, and if he can't make it work with Luka it's on him.

How Rick Carlisle learned to stop worrying and love Luka Doncic
Nov 20, 2019
Tim MacMahon

Luka Doncic crosses the half-court line and surveys the defense, setting up a high ball screen on the right wing by using a nifty crossover and hesitation dribble to leave the defender on his heels.

Time for a highlight.

It is Nov. 11 and the Dallas Mavericks are trailing by five points late in the first quarter against the 7-1 Boston Celtics. With 3:05 left in the frame, Doncic, who already has seven points on 2-of-5 shooting, drives into the teeth of the defense. He fakes a pass to Dorian Finney-Smith, who is wide open in the right corner because his defender had to help on Doncic.

Then Doncic pirouettes off his left foot and throws a blind, one-handed -- backward -- pass over his right shoulder to Justin Jackson, who is camped out in the left corner. It's the kind of moment that will make any crowd, home or away, buzz with delight.

Just one problem: The no-look heave is several feet off target, forcing Jackson to lunge over the baseline to save the ball from flying into the stands.

It ends up being a breathtaking ... turnover.

It's the kind of play that can test the patience of a no-nonsense coach. It's also the kind of play a coach has to live with when he has a young star eager to push the limits of his creative potential.

As the next few seconds unfold in front of him, Dallas head coach Rick Carlisle keeps his hands to his side, leaning slightly to his right as Jackson attempts the save, apparently hoping a little body English will help the ball land in a Maverick's hands.

No scowl, no snarl, no screaming.

Carlisle calmly calls timeout after the Celtics score to discuss strategy, rather than confronting his young star.

"Special players like this need to be trusted," Carlisle says.

But it wasn't always so easy.


Rick Carlisle is already comparing Luka Doncic to some of the great playmakers: "Guys like Doncic, Bird, Jason Kidd, Magic Johnson -- sometimes they get bored and they want to get into a creative state and do some things to kind of break up the monotony." Sean Berry/NBAE via Getty Images
Consider Nov. 24, 2018: It was the first time the then-rookie Doncic had faced the Celtics. Doncic had delivered a few spectacular minutes to open the game, hitting a 3-pointer and delivering three dimes, each one prettier than the last, to help Dallas take an early lead at home.

Then the kid had gotten a little greedy, trying to thread the needle to get the ball to a teammate on a backdoor cut into traffic. The result: a turnover and a transition 3 for the Celtics seconds later.

Carlisle had responded by angrily calling timeout, stomping toward Doncic with arms raised and yelling at the rookie about being careless with the ball. Doncic had barked back at Carlisle without breaking stride while walking to the bench.

It was a moment that had illustrated the occasionally tense dynamic between a championship-caliber coach with a reputation for being controlling and a phenom who had arrived in the NBA as the most accomplished teenage prospect ever, having won titles and MVPs at the highest levels of European hoops.

"Luka just came from winning a championship and expected to win," Mavs owner Mark Cuban said. "That wasn't so much barking at Rick as it was frustration that we were losing. He had never lost before.

"When you're winning and you're becoming a better team and you're on that upswing, everybody's attitude is different. When you're frustrated from losing, nobody likes it. Nobody's happy, and it's difficult on everybody. It was just a different set of circumstances that I'm glad are behind us."

Doncic is blossoming into one of the league's best players, producing unprecedented numbers for a player so young. He ranks fourth in the NBA in scoring (29.5 per game), second in assists (9.3) and 10th in rebounding (10.7) for the 8-5 Mavs, who appear to have a legitimate chance to make the leap from the lottery to the playoffs.

But sources around the league, and even some within the Mavs organization, have questioned whether the Doncic-Carlisle dynamic -- two brilliant basketball minds with a four-decade age gap -- can develop into a successful long-term partnership.

"A great player needs a leash," said former Mavs director of player development Mike Procopio, a sounding board for Doncic during his rookie season. "I don't think it was a toxic thing by any stretch, but it was just a young player wanting more and a coach who wasn't used to doing that with a young player.

"For the development of a great player this young, the best thing they can do is make mistakes and grow from those mistakes. You can't freak out over every mistake. Rick understands that. Rick is intelligent.

"Rick knows this kid is the future of that organization. He can't get in the way of that."

It's no secret that Carlisle is especially tough on point guards -- the position that the 6-foot-7 Slovenian now plays full time after starting his Dallas career as a playmaking forward.

The point guard position has been a revolving door in Dallas since the departure of Jason Kidd, who helped guide the Mavs to the 2010-11 NBA title after Carlisle gave him the keys to run the offense. The Mavs' front office twice acquired point guards it hoped would be franchise centerpieces, but Carlisle's relationships with Rajon Rondo and Dennis Smith Jr. deteriorated quickly, and their tenures in Dallas were ultimately brief and disappointing.

"When we had people here who didn't think they needed to learn anything, that's when we'd run into conflicts," Cuban said. "Luka is a sponge, on the court and off."

Another factor: Carlisle didn't believe in Rondo or Smith. Sources say Carlisle expressed concern about Rondo's fit before the Mavs traded for him, and he had soured on Smith by the All-Star break of the lottery pick's rookie season.

Carlisle, though, considers Doncic to be a legend in the making, declaring on media day this year, "I wouldn't trade him for anybody in the league."

"Rick knows this kid is the future of that organization. He can't get in the way of that."
Former Mavs director of player development Mike Procopio
He often tells Doncic stories about Larry Bird, who Carlisle played with in Boston and coached under with the Indiana Pacers, because that's the kind of company the coach believes Doncic is destined to join. And Carlisle vows not to make the mistake of micromanaging that kind of rare talent.

"Guys like Doncic, Bird, Jason Kidd, Magic Johnson -- sometimes they get bored and they want to get into a creative state and do some things to kind of break up the monotony," Carlisle said. "But the important thing is to understand that there's a time and place for everything. The most important thing is not to compromise your opportunity to win.

"I give him the trust to figure those things out."

That kind of trust doesn't come easily from Carlisle. But players like Doncic don't come along often. Those precious few need freedom and their coach's full support.

"You have to," Carlisle said, repeating himself for emphasis. "You have to."

Opposing scouts and coaches widely consider Carlisle to be among the league's elite offensive playcallers. Ask Carlisle, though, and he insists that he would prefer to never call plays.

"Look," Carlisle said, "when we won the championship, we didn't call anything."

That's because Carlisle trusted Kidd, a basketball savant in his 16th NBA season at the time, to orchestrate the offense. Carlisle sees similar savvy in Doncic, who began playing professionally for Real Madrid at the ripe age of 15.

"I always ask him, 'What do you want to run?'" Doncic said of his coach. "During the game, he lets me call the plays. It's good. It lets the game go and play more with pace. I think it's the best basketball to play."

Doncic is off to an MVP-worthy start in his second NBA season: 29.5 points, 9.3 assists and 10.7 rebounds per game. Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images
Doncic certainly hasn't given Carlisle any reason to tighten up the reins. The Mavs rank second in the league in offensive efficiency (112.6 points per game) despite Kristaps Porzingis' inconsistency coming off a 20-month layoff and the roster's lack of proven firepower beyond the two young franchise pillars.

"As Luka demonstrates not just that he makes things happen but he can make everyone else better, why would Rick jump in?" Cuban said. "Because that's the ultimate player. When a guy can see the court, see the time and score and see who's on the court on both teams and know what to do, take the ball.

"But that confirmation only comes from winning."

Doncic, mind you, doesn't have complete playcalling autonomy. There are still games when Carlisle calls a lot of plays, particularly when he feels there are opportunities for the Mavs to exploit that don't require Doncic to dominate the ball.

Sometimes Carlisle responds by quickly twirling his finger. That's not a signal for a play; it's Carlisle's way of telling Doncic to push the pace and attack before the defense can get set.

Scouts consider Doncic a predictable playcaller at this point. He has two pet playcalls, both of which are staples around the NBA: the Mavs' "Push" set that is commonly known as "pistols action," giving Doncic the choice of a dribble handoff or pick-and-roll on the wing; and a high pick-and-roll.

In other words, Doncic is going to call his own number and create. When the Mavs dig deeper into Carlisle's thick playbook, those calls tend to come from the sideline.

"I think they just see it a little bit different," said a Western Conference scout who has watched the Mavs multiple times. "I think they'll get on the same page. It'll take some time. But I think Luka sees things for him more than others.

"It's not like he's trying to ball hog or anything. He just thinks, 'I can take this fool.'"

Off the top of his head, Carlisle can tell you how many followers Doncic has on Instagram. It's three million and counting. And it's a concern for Carlisle.

"Social media has created really an undue pressure on guys like Luka to generate highlights," Carlisle said. "[Fans] want to be seeing stuff every day on their phones."

Doncic delivers those highlights on a regular basis -- 40-foot fastballs diagonally across the court right into the numbers of an open shooter in the corner; perfectly timed lobs just over the hands of helpless defenders; no-look dimes after dribbling behind his back in traffic.

And launching step-back jumpers, often from far beyond the 3-point arc -- smiling and shrugging, in this case, at a trash-talking courtside fan in Boston after swishing a couple.

Luka shows elite vision with behind-the-back dimeLuka Doncic shows off his playmaking skills, whipping a behind-the-back pass to Tim Hardaway Jr. in the corner for an open 3-pointer.

"He's one of those rare players that has not only an amazing imagination for the game but the skill and the ability and the wherewithal to pull it off," Carlisle said.

Even the threat of Doncic's passing frequently leads to fun. His pass fakes have caused several defenders to look like fools, turning their heads or even their whole bodies as he either lays the ball in or dishes to another teammate.

"That's what I do. I like to enjoy the game," Doncic said. "I like to be an entertainer. Sometimes it's good to be, sometimes it's too much. I just like to enjoy playing basketball."

Film sessions with Carlisle, on the other hand, often aren't so fun.

"You're going to be sometimes on video with things you don't want to see," Doncic said with a shrug. "Sometimes it's good things, sometimes it's bad things. It's good to see bad things; you can learn from them."

There were several team film sessions last season when Carlisle was especially harsh on Doncic, drilling him for mistakes in front of his teammates. According to others in the room, Doncic would just listen and take the criticism, but there were times when he seemed uncomfortable, like a student getting scolded by a teacher in front of the class.

"They got to know each other last year," said Mavs veteran point guard J.J. Barea, who has played nine of his 14 NBA seasons for Carlisle and serves as a mentor for Doncic. "This year, they're doing a good job talking to each other. They're attacking it the right way.

"When Coach needs to tell him something, he tells him. He won't stay quiet. But Coach knows the way he needs to talk to him. He does it and they move on."

Through it all, Doncic has earned the respect of Carlisle -- and not just because he is producing the kind of numbers that could land him in the MVP conversation.

The biggest question about Doncic entering the league was whether he would be athletic enough to be a superstar. Carlisle alluded to this on the night the Mavs traded up to draft Doncic, citing conditioning as a developmental opportunity for the Slovenian star. Doncic, who was a doughy 247 pounds when he reported to Dallas the month before his rookie year, is significantly leaner and stronger after a summer in which he cut sugars and breads from his diet and committed to the Mavs' strength and conditioning program.

The physical improvement has been a factor in Doncic's statistical improvement from average to elite as a finisher inside the restricted area (55.7% as a rookie to 64.8% this season, per NBA.com/stats).

Doncic also has displayed a surprising accountability -- twice publicly blaming himself after close losses when he put up big numbers this season:

Doncic criticized himself for not driving the ball more when the Mavs got into the bonus during the fourth quarter of an Oct. 27 home loss to the Portland Trail Blazers when he had 29 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists.

He ripped his own "bad shot selection" after his 38-point, 14-rebound, 10-assist performance in a Nov. 8 home loss to the New York Knicks, specifically for settling for a step-back jumper with one foot on the half-court logo when the Mavs were down three points in the final minute. (Carlisle did not criticize the shot, saying he was comfortable putting the ball in Doncic's hands late and living with his decisions.)

It's all part of the Luka Doncic experience, a thrill ride upon which Carlisle and the Mavericks are completely on board.

"I understand that he's a performer, he's an artist," Carlisle said. "It's important for him to feel that he is out there doing a job to win a game, but also he's an entertainer. I get that. What the great players in history of sport have in common is they can take the understanding of the entertainment side and fit it into the team concept and still make winning the priority.

"There's no doubt in my mind that for Luka Doncic, winning is the No. 1 and most important thing, hands down."

[Skywalker]

Interesting Woj pod about Luka with Mike Procopio and MacMahon https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1197941896120819714

[DevinHarriswillstart]

Originally Posted by Skywalker

Interesting Woj pod about Luka with Mike Procopio and MacMahon https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1197941896120819714

What was really overblown was Luka's lack of athleticism, and that was something that was pushed very hard by the "experts" and scouts. Many of us on here, including myself, went along with that as a huge crutch that couldn't work in today's NBA.

Then we saw his first preseason game against China, and that was it. I was completely sold, and the athletic stuff was totally out of whack.

[Thespiralgoeson]

Originally Posted by DevinHarriswillstart

What was really overblown was Luka's lack of athleticism, and that was something that was pushed very hard by the "experts" and scouts. Many of us on here, including myself, went along with that as a huge crutch that couldn't work in today's NBA.

Then we saw his first preseason game against China, and that was it. I was completely sold, and the athletic stuff was totally out of whack.

I've said from the word go that the athleticism or lack thereof was really overblown. At most, it will probably prevent him from ever being a great defensive player, but other than that, he'll have no problem being a superstar for years to come.

There's been no shortage of phenomenal, all-time great players who didn't have top flight athleticism. The closest comparison physically to Luka is Harden. Harden has never been particularly fast or jumped very high, but he's big and strong. Luka is even bigger and stronger. Steph Curry, Kyrie Irving, Carmelo Anthony, Paul Pierce, Steve Nash, John Stockton, even the legendary Larry Bird... None of these guys were ever extraordinary physical specimens. That's just guards and small forwards. If you expand the list to include big men, then the list balloons to dozens, probably.

[Underdog]

@bobbykaralla: Doncic finishes the four-game homestand averaging 33.3 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 11.0 assists. The Mavs were +91 in his 121 minutes. That was some of the best basketball we have seen in this building in a long time.

[rimrocker]

Originally Posted by Underdog

@bobbykaralla: Doncic finishes the four-game homestand averaging 33.3 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 11.0 assists. The Mavs were +91 in his 121 minutes. That was some of the best basketball we have seen in this building in a long time.

Some???
Those are insane numbers and I can't imagine anyone ever came close to having that much success over a 4 game period at the AAC.

We are so damn lucky to have someone like a 20yo Luka immediately following 21 years of Dirk.
I can't think of any other sports team fan that has had it that good for that amount of time with this kind of future going forward.
If FAs don't come here over the next few years we'll never get them.

[EricaLubarsky]

There, ladies and gentlemen is your top 10 players in the league according to PER

[endtroducing MASKED]

Luka is somehow better than his stats and his stats say he is one of the best players on earth. Amazing

[mac222b]

Could’ve had Mitchell Robinson too, but for Rick’s affinity for athletically challenged midgets. Still think Brunson will be a fine player for us though going forward.

[SMC0007]

Originally Posted by mac222b

Could’ve had Mitchell Robinson too, but for Rick’s affinity for athletically challenged midgets. Still think Brunson will be a fine player for us though going forward.

I'm ok with Brunson since he seems like a poised veteran, but would definitely prefer to have had Robinson. A starting center vs a 3rd string PG :/

[mac222b]

Originally Posted by SMC0007

I'm ok with Brunson since he seems like a poised veteran, but would definitely prefer to have had Robinson. A starting center vs a 3rd string PG :/

I think Brunson should be a really good backup point guard in this league. It’s just those are a dime a dozen. I believe in taking the high ceiling bigs like Robinson or DeAndre Jordan went in the second round way back. Gafford this past draft. I’m sure they saw Brunson as a really good backup best case and low end starter best case. A Derek Fischer with slightly better offense and lesser defense.

[turin]

Originally Posted by mac222b

I think Brunson should be a really good backup point guard in this league. It’s just those are a dime a dozen. I believe in taking the high ceiling bigs like Robinson or DeAndre Jordan went in the second round way back. Gafford this past draft. I’m sure they saw Brunson as a really good backup best case and low end starter best case. A Derek Fischer with slightly better offense and lesser defense.

I like Brunson, too, but I agree completely with your position. I wasn't a fan of Brunson when he was drafted. It wasn't so much because of who he is but rather what - another smaller guard.

[DevinHarriswillstart]

Player of the week! 37 points, 8.5 rebounds, 11.8 assists in the 4-0 week.

[mac222b]

Originally Posted by turin

I like Brunson, too, but I agree completely with your position. I wasn't a fan of Brunson when he was drafted. It wasn't so much because of who he is but rather what - another smaller guard.

Really surprising that he has fallen out of the rotation, such as it is, so early. His shooting falling off a cliff can’t help. Even his ft shooting is bad and something like 25% from 3

[mac222b]

Originally Posted by DevinHarriswillstart

Player of the week! 37 points, 8.5 rebounds, 11.8 assists in the 4-0 week.

Well deserved. I think he’ll usurp Hardens place in MVP talk if he hasn’t already. Yesterday was nice statement.

[sefant77]

Anyone still cares about our 2019 FRP we had to give up?

[sefant77]

Originally Posted by mac222b

I think Brunson should be a really good backup point guard in this league. It’s just those are a dime a dozen. I believe in taking the high ceiling bigs like Robinson or DeAndre Jordan went in the second round way back. Gafford this past draft. I’m sure they saw Brunson as a really good backup best case and low end starter best case. A Derek Fischer with slightly better offense and lesser defense.

I think Brunson was a big reason too why we started to shop DSJ with begin of january and made the Knicks bite on it

[mac222b]

Originally Posted by sefant77

Anyone still cares about our 2019 FRP we had to give up?

Only in that we had the shitty luck to have to give it up. And then end of last season Salah turned into prime Hakeem for exactly one game causing us to fall out of the top 5 potentially.

[BPo001]

Through 88 career games, Luka Doncic has:

�� More points than Kobe Bryant
�� More rebounds than Kevin Garnett
�� More assists than LeBron James

(h/t Trey Wingo)

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by sefant77

Anyone still cares about our 2019 FRP we had to give up?

Yeah, if Luka's stats didn't convince you, a quick glance at Cam Reddish's stats certainly will.

[Lestat_1795]

Really well done video on Luka.
https://youtu.be/fDjkcVKk5_E

[Furious_Laker]

I come in peace.

I just registered only to say this. I am a lifelong Lakers fan.

Just wanted to say you guys have an absolute diamond with Doncic. WOW! In my opinion he is already the best player in the league! The guy is incredible and I can't even imagine how good he will be say in 5 years.

I also absolutely love that he Destroyed the Rockets and mr inefficient James Harden the other night. I won't get into how much I despise that guy but just seeing Doncic put up those numbers againt him and the Rockets was pure joy.

Mavs need to hang on to this guy forever!

How much do you think the Suns are kicking themselves?

[SMC0007]

Originally Posted by Furious_Laker

I come in peace.

I just registered only to say this. I am a lifelong Lakers fan.

Just wanted to say you guys have an absolute diamond with Doncic. WOW! In my opinion he is already the best player in the league! The guy is incredible and I can't even imagine how good he will be say in 5 years.

I also absolutely love that he Destroyed the Rockets and mr inefficient James Harden the other night. I won't get into how much I despise that guy but just seeing Doncic put up those numbers againt him and the Rockets was pure joy.

Mavs need to hang on to this guy forever!

How much do you think the Suns are kicking themselves?

Welcome on. The kings are pissed and some of the Suns are as well but not as many as you would expect.

It's good to hear other fans can appreciate our guy. I'm not sure he is yet the best player in the league but theres no one else i would take over him.

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by Furious_Laker

I come in peace.

I just registered only to say this. I am a lifelong Lakers fan.

Just wanted to say you guys have an absolute diamond with Doncic. WOW! In my opinion he is already the best player in the league! The guy is incredible and I can't even imagine how good he will be say in 5 years.

I also absolutely love that he Destroyed the Rockets and mr inefficient James Harden the other night. I won't get into how much I despise that guy but just seeing Doncic put up those numbers againt him and the Rockets was pure joy.

Mavs need to hang on to this guy forever!

How much do you think the Suns are kicking themselves?

Thanks for the compliments... You guys are looking pretty good too with Brow and American Luka Doncic leading the way, can't wait until we rumble in the playoffs!

[Thespiralgoeson]

Originally Posted by Furious_Laker

I come in peace.

I just registered only to say this. I am a lifelong Lakers fan.

Just wanted to say you guys have an absolute diamond with Doncic. WOW! In my opinion he is already the best player in the league! The guy is incredible and I can't even imagine how good he will be say in 5 years.

I also absolutely love that he Destroyed the Rockets and mr inefficient James Harden the other night. I won't get into how much I despise that guy but just seeing Doncic put up those numbers againt him and the Rockets was pure joy.

Mavs need to hang on to this guy forever!

How much do you think the Suns are kicking themselves?

Welcome aboard. I've hated the Lakers my whole life, but I love Lebron and always want him to win, so now I'm in the bizarre position of rooting for the Lakers- as long as they're not playing the Mavs. If Luka can't be MVP this year, I really hope it's Lebron.

[DevinHarriswillstart]

It's pretty funny how much friendlier everyone is now that we have Luka. What a cosmic effect that guy has had...

[Five-ofan]

Originally Posted by Underdog

Yeah, if Luka's stats didn't convince you, a quick glance at Cam Reddish's stats certainly will.

I would hope we would have drafted Brandon clarke(which I wanted us to trade up for him when he fell to 21) and that being said I still wouldn't care about the pick

[Scoobay]

Originally Posted by Five-ofan

I would hope we would have drafted Brandon clarke(which I wanted us to trade up for him when he fell to 21) and that being said I still wouldn't care about the pick

Clarke looks like he would have been a solid pick...

I was thinking if we didn't win the Zion sweepstakes, we could have traded the pick for a nice piece. Would have accelerated our timeframe that much more.

[Furious_Laker]

Originally Posted by Thespiralgoeson

Welcome aboard. I've hated the Lakers my whole life, but I love Lebron and always want him to win, so now I'm in the bizarre position of rooting for the Lakers- as long as they're not playing the Mavs. If Luka can't be MVP this year, I really hope it's Lebron.

Well, if it keeps going the way it is going now I honestly don't know how anyone can not vote for Luka.

[Thespiralgoeson]

Originally Posted by Furious_Laker

Well, if it keeps going the way it is going now I honestly don't know how anyone can not vote for Luka.

I like the way you think, but honestly if the vote was today, I think Giannis would win it somewhat easily.

[SMC0007]

Originally Posted by Thespiralgoeson

I like the way you think, but honestly if the vote was today, I think Giannis would win it somewhat easily.

I'm going to disagree with this. I think it's a total toss up right now. If it were to remain a toss up throughout the season, I'd put my money on someone new getting it.

[Zeus]

Originally Posted by Thespiralgoeson

I've said from the word go that the athleticism or lack thereof was really overblown. At most, it will probably prevent him from ever being a great defensive player, but other than that, he'll have no problem being a superstar for years to come.

There's been no shortage of phenomenal, all-time great players who didn't have top flight athleticism. The closest comparison physically to Luka is Harden. Harden has never been particularly fast or jumped very high, but he's big and strong. Luka is even bigger and stronger. Steph Curry, Kyrie Irving, Carmelo Anthony, Paul Pierce, Steve Nash, John Stockton, even the legendary Larry Bird... None of these guys were ever extraordinary physical specimens. That's just guards and small forwards. If you expand the list to include big men, then the list balloons to dozens, probably.

Luka has a very quick first step, excellent hand/eye coordination and emerging strength. He also has great balance while moving laterally. People need to stop thinking of athleticism as purely absolute vertical leaping ability. Luka has started lifting weights for the first time and will likely grow into a physically dominating beast within a few more years of progressive resistance training. Isn't strength and size while mainaining quickness with the ball an athletic attribute? He is a good athlete. The scouts and media were stupid in this regard

[SMC0007]

Originally Posted by Zeus

Luka has a very quick first step, excellent hand/eye coordination and emerging strength. He also has great balance while moving laterally. People need to stop thinking of athleticism as purely absolute vertical leaping ability. Luka has started lifting weights for the first time and will likely grow into a physically dominating beast within a few more years of progressive resistance training. Isn't strength and size while mainaining quickness with the ball an athletic attribute? He is a good athlete. The scouts and media were stupid in this regard

No doubt. I'd also add plyometric workouts would improve the only thing athletically that he could use for his leaping ability.

[Thespiralgoeson]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8RhyUzW3t0

A point-by-point analysis of Luka's incredible improvement from last year. This is my favorite basketball-related youtube channel by far. Seriously people check it out.

This same guy did a great video on Luka's rookie season as well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEhZe8n0CJQ

Apologies if it's been posted already.

[FollowedKPtodallas]

Originally Posted by Zeus

Luka has a very quick first step, excellent hand/eye coordination and emerging strength. He also has great balance while moving laterally. People need to stop thinking of athleticism as purely absolute vertical leaping ability. Luka has started lifting weights for the first time and will likely grow into a physically dominating beast within a few more years of progressive resistance training. Isn't strength and size while mainaining quickness with the ball an athletic attribute? He is a good athlete. The scouts and media were stupid in this regard

This is my first year watching and following the Mavs. What surprised me the most is how physically strong Luka is..there was a play when luka was in the lane against Marcus smart. Luka put his shoulder into Smart and he flew back 3 feet.

[Scoobay]

Originally Posted by Thespiralgoeson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8RhyUzW3t0

A point-by-point analysis of Luka's incredible improvement from last year. This is my favorite basketball-related youtube channel by far. Seriously people check it out.

This same guy did a great video on Luka's rookie season as well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEhZe8n0CJQ

Apologies if it's been posted already.

nice videos - thanks for sharing

[Underdog]

NBA MVP race: Is Doncic, Harden or Giannis winning right now?
https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/...ning-right-now

We went from "he's not even the best player on his team" to "he's certainly not a top-20 player" to "is he a top-10 player?" to "at this rate, he might be considered for the MVP race" to "there are only 4 players in the MVP race and Luka's one of them" to "the only reason he might not win MVP is because he's 20 years old and you just can't pass over previous MVPs still playing at a high level like Giannis, LeBron, and Harden without careful consideration" in a damn hurry... We're , what, a month or so into the season? At this rate they'll be creating a Super Galactic MVP award just to accommodate Luka.