On the cusp of the 2024 NBA post-season, Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki gave his honest impressions of young star Luka Doncic. Despite being a believer from the very beginning, Dirk recently admitted that he had no idea that No. 77 would ever be this good.
“My last year was his first season,” Nowitzki said of Doncic via Mavs.com. “I mean, what a talent, what a player... I never thought he would be this good. It seems like he’s getting better year to year. How is he doing it? You always think you’ve seen it all and this kid does something once a game and you’re like: what? What is he doing? The creativity and IQ and how he reads the game, and then has the skill to pull that off, that’s unbelievable.”
Luka Doncic is perhaps one of the most skilled players in the entire league and he makes it look easy to put up big numbers. In just 6 seasons as a pro, Luka has solidified himself as a proper superstar with averages of 28.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 8.3 assists per game on 47% shooting. He's already a 5x All-Star, 4x All-NBA player, and just won the first scoring title of his career.
Doncic has transformed the Mavericks from a completely irrelevant franchise in the Western Conference to one of the most dangerous teams in the post-season. To date, the height of Luka's career came in 2022, when he and Jalen Brunson carried the Mavs through two playoff rounds.
This year, while the Mavericks are not considered favorites to win the title, the exceptional play of Doncic and his co-star Kyrie Irving has put Dallas in a position to make some serious noise. Now, it's up to Luka and Kyrie to play their best basketball of the season and elevate the Mavericks to the best version they can be.
Can Luka Doncic Follow in Dirk's Footsteps?
The last time the Mavericks won the championship was back in 2011 against the Miami Heat. Led by Dirk Nowitzki, the Mavericks were dominant that year and the depth/chemistry of the roster made them very tough to beat at full strength. Against LeBron James and the Heat in the Finals, nobody was giving the Mavericks much of a chance but he proved everyone wrong and won the title in a feat that is still cherished by Mavericks fans today.
Unfortunately, the Mavericks fell off hard after that victory and they cycled through various attempts at building a contending roster before Luka joined the fold. While his trajectory was not known right away, it was easy to tell he would be a franchise game-changer and it changed the entire timeline for the Mavericks franchise.
Like Dirk was all those years ago, Luka is now on a mission to bring the Larry O'Brien trophy back to Dallas and his presence alone gives them a puncher's chance at realizing that dream. This year, after finishing 5th in the West, many believe this may be a breakout season for the Mavericks that defines Luka's young career, and Luka himself is confident that his team can go far.
If not, then we can expect the Mavs to return next season better than ever, with a drive to earn redemption for years of disappointing playoff losses. For a star as good as Luka, it seems like only a matter of time before he makes a serious run and Dirk Nowitzki will be watching the whole way there.
More must-reads: