As we continue to evaluate and rank the top 25 players in the league we shift our attention to Luka Doncic. An elite offensive player and one of the most skilled players of all time. At 24 Luka already has an elite resume and has had huge playoff moments. Luka has had elite production for years but he now needs to win at a higher level.
Top 25 NBA players 2023-24: No. 4 Luka Doncic
An All-Around Offensive threat
Since entering the league in 2018 Luka Dončić’s incredible offensive talent has been abundantly clear. At 6’7 Luka has elite size for a point guard. He combines that size with an incredible offensive skill set. Doncic is one of the most effective yet effortless scorers in the game. Luka’s unique combination of size, elite shot-creation, and shooting abilities makes him an unguardable scorer. Since his second year, Luka has averaged at least 28 points a game. Including an absurd 32 ppg last year. As a result, Doncic has been named to the All-NBA first team for four consecutive seasons. Furthermore, Luka is one of the league’s best passers and an elite rebounding guard. This all comes together to make one of the best all-around offensive games the league has ever seen.
Season Recap
Last year had its ups and downs for Doncic. On one hand, he had another stellar season from a production standpoint. Luka put up insane stat lines regularly. Fully establishing himself as the most effortless and gifted scorer in the league in the process. The culmination of this was an absurd 60-point, 20-rebound, 10-assist masterclass from Luka in a December game against the Knicks. Doncic’s game is not only one of the best performances of the year but one of the best performances of all time.
In February the Mavericks were 4th in the West and Luka was still in the MVP conversations. However, after trading for Kyrie Irving at the deadline the Mavericks plummeted down the standings. The Mavericks’ poor defense and the repetitive fit of Luka and Kyrie were central to the team’s shortcomings. Ultimately the Mavericks fell out of the play-in tournament finishing 11th in the conference. A complete failure of the season from a team success perspective.
Season Outlook
During the off-season, Dallas re-tooled their roster addressing their defensive flaws in the process. The Mavericks re-signed Irving to maintain their star power. While picking up a high-quality defender in Grant Williams and two rookie defensive specialists in Dereck Lively and Olivier-Maxence Prosper. While it’s unclear how impactful these rookies will be from the jump these moves certainly improve their roster. Similarly, more court time with Luka and Kyrie will improve the duo’s effectiveness and fit. Regardless of how good Dallas will be, Luka will surely have another incredible season from a statistical and production standpoint. The scary part is at 24 years old we have likely not seen the final version of Luka. Furthermore, if the Mavericks can find regular-season success Luka will be an MVP frontrunner.
The Last Word on Luka Doncic
Ultimately Luka is an incredibly talented young superstar and one of the most entertaining players to watch. While his production is never a question, if Luka can have more team success it would further prove his value. Likely moving him into the top three as a result. Regardless, Luka will remain a constant problem for the rest of the league for the foreseeable future.
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