The Luka “Legend” Is Only Beginning
The future is now for Luka Doncic. While his Dallas Mavericks are out after a recent first round playoff loss to the Los Angeles Clippers – something LeBron James still has yet to have happen – the strides Luka “Legend” took this year were astounding. After only two NBA seasons, he has reached superstar status and is a legitimate top-5 player in the league. He is already operating at prime Larry “Legend” levels after only his sophomore season. Remember — Luka is 21 years old.
Great players flash greatness at various points along their journey. Michael Jordan didn’t suddenly become great in 1991 when he won his first title against the “Showtime” Lakers. At the age of 23, he dropped 63 points against Bird’s Celtics in the 1986 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. Most critics consider the ‘86 Celtics a top-5 team of all time. Others who are more delusional and unabashedly biased would say it is the best team ever.
The 2020 Clippers are arguably the juggernauts of this year’s playoffs. Kawhi Leonard is coming off an impressive title run with the Toronto Raptors in 2019, and the Clips have one of the deepest teams in the league. That firepower ultimately took down Luka and the Mavs, but not before Luka dropped a game-winner in game 4, putting the Clippers on their heels. When he wasn’t dropping game-winners, he was making plays that color commentator Jeff Van Gundy noted as, “Legendary stuff right there.” Kevin O’Connor described one particularly amazing play:
Immediately before this play, Kawhi mouthed, “He’s mine”, after nobody on his team could seem to stop Luka. He couldn’t either, at least in that game.
Simply put, Luka is the best player to build a team around right now. Critics rag on his three point shot, but it looked pretty good when it counted against the Clippers. His combination of athleticism, basketball IQ, court vision, and intensity at such a young age should terrify every opposing NBA franchise for what the future could hold.
This Should Come as No Surprise.
Anyone who watched the highlights from Doncic’s Real Madrid days would have recognized his innate creativity, awareness, and ability to pass and score. Doncic played in the EuroLeague for a mere three years and was still named to the league’s All-Decade Team (2010-2020). This accolade supplemented the EuroLeague MVP he won in his final year (2017-2018), along with the EuroLeague Final Four MVP. As Dorell Wright said, who played in the NBA, EuroLeague, and China’s professional league (CBA):
Averaging 12-14 points in Europe is like averaging 22 in the NBA. A lot of people don’t understand that when international prospects from Europe get drafted in the NBA and they average just six points per game. It’s so hard to score in Europe. It’s different. You have to grind it out in Europe to score, while the NBA is more showtime. The atmosphere is something crazy.
Luka averaged 16 points per game in his final season. He was dominating players in the world’s second best league as a teenager. How any team could have passed on Luka in the 2018 draft is mind-boggling, and yet three teams did, including the Atlanta Hawks who traded him. The trade the Hawks made with the Mavericks, which sent Luka to Dallas and Trae Young to Atlanta, is one they will likely regret for decades. Trae Young is talented, but he is no Luka Doncic. That trade and the decisions by the Suns and Kings to pass on Luka may not be as bad as the Sam Bowie pick was for the Blazers, but all three will live to regret passing on a generational talent and superstar like Luka Doncic.
Is America Ready For An International Superstar?
It remains to be seen whether America is ready to fully embrace an international superstar like Luka (from Slovenia) or Giannis Antetokounmpo (the “Greek Freak”). Slovenia is so proud of its favorite son, it made a tourism video featuring him. Despite the hype and excitement surrounding both Luka and Giannis, the face of the NBA has always been a US born player, even though Kobe Bryant was effectively part Italian. While Giannis is arguably the greatest player on the planet – and in line to win a second straight MVP – LeBron James is still considered by many to be the face of the league. Once Lebron – the aging wonder – takes off his shoes for the final time, the NBA will look to Luka and Giannis to carry the torch.
King James has set a high bar for an NBA superstar. In fact, he arguably changed what it means to be a modern day sports figure in America, taking the lead on social justice and political issues in a polarized country. He has distinguished himself from Michael Jordan, who consistently refused to wade into the social and political fray, taking his cue more from likes of Muhammad Ali. If there is any tarnish on Jordan’s legacy, it’s that he stayed silent when people begged him to speak. Say what you will in the James v. Jordan debate, but one area LeBron far exceeds Jordan is in demonstrating leadership off the court and playing an active role in the community.
This precedent is a heavy burden for a foreign born player to carry and follow. Giannis has been in the league for a few years now, and he’s already demonstrated social justice leadership on the Bucks, but neither star has had the full force of the spotlight shined directly on them. They have always had air cover from LeBron. When King James leaves his throne, time will tell whether Luka and Giannis are willing and able to follow his lead.
What Kind of Superstar Will Luka Doncic Be?
The typical comps for Luka Doncic are Larry Bird, James Harden, and LeBron James. I hesitate when making the Larry Bird comparison because so much of it feels influenced by race (whether consciously or subconsciously). My opening paragraph mentioned them both mainly because their nicknames are similar (Luka and Larry “Legend”). The comparisons do not extend much further from there. Luka mostly plays point guard, while Larry was a pure forward. Larry was a superior shooter, but Luka is arguably more creative, a better passer, and more skilled at driving, whether to dish or finish.
There is no good comparison for Luka. He is a unicorn in today’s NBA, particularly given his age. While nobody I’ve seen can go full speed, stop and change direction on a dime like prime Derrick Rose, Luka is above average. James Harden is probably the greatest all around offensive player I’ve ever seen, but Luka has an inside/outside game, and an improving step-back three, that could give “The Beard” a run for his money in a few more seasons. LeBron James is still the most lethal driver to hoop, like a stampeding 35-year-old rhino, but Luka welcomes contact, and in fact thrives on it. His size and ability to create space and get to the basket is nearing elite status. If only his free throw game (65.6% in the playoffs this year) could do the same.
In addition to the free throws, Luka needs to be a more consistent three point shooter (low 30% is not going to cut it for a guard in today’s NBA). He also needs to continue surrounding himself with the right supporting cast members who help space the floor as deep threats. Moreover, in order for Luka to play alpha frontman and take on the opponent’s best defender each night, he needs a Kendrick Perkins type enforcer. Kristaps Porzingis is nice, but he is not going to intimidate anyone gunning for Luka. The Marcus Morris style karate chops are only going to get worse as Luka’s game evolves and teams devise ways to stop him. He needs a bruiser on his side, someone like Charles Oakley, who will make opponents think twice before laying a finger on him.
Luka Doncic has all the skills and attributes to be a perennial NBA All-Star for years to come. With the right pieces around him that offer three point threats and protection, the Mavericks could find themselves deeper in the playoffs in 2021. Luka needs to decide what type of superstar he wants to be though. Would he rather be feared, loved, or some combination of both? Is he ruthless enough to reach the Jordan, King James, and Black Mamba echelon of greatness? Will he demand perfection from his teammates and berate them, the way Kobe did to Dwight Howard, when they don’t live up to their potential? All of this remains to be seen with happy-go-lucky Luka. But one thing is certain – after his thrilling performances in this year’s bubble playoffs, Luka Legend is only beginning and the future is now.
