Luka Doncic may have gotten eliminated in the first round this season, but there was no real break for the young Slovenian superstar, as he is currently leading Slovenia in their quest for a gold medal at the Olympics. They will be facing France in the semi-finals, and it will be important for France to find a way to minimize Luka Doncic's impact.
French forward Nicolas Batum was asked about what the French national team could do to stop Luka Doncic when the two countries face each other on the court. Nicolas Batum jokingly suggested that France could bring in his Clippers teammate, Kawhi Leonard.
It is clear that Kawhi Leonard was key to the Los Angeles Clippers beating the Dallas Mavericks, as his defense on Luka Doncic was spectacular. Throughout the whole series, it didn't look as though anyone could even slow down Luka Doncic except Leonard. Nicolas Batum witnessed that defensive masterclass firsthand. France coach Vincent Collet had a more serious answer to the problem, as he suggested the key is to stop Luka Doncic from scoring.
It looks as if the plan will be to force Luka Doncic to make plays for his teammates. While it is usually prudent to get the ball out of the superstar's hands, Luka Doncic is one of the best playmakers in the league, meaning he can make the right pass more often than not. The French team does have some NBA talent on the roster, including New York Knicks guard Evan Fournier, and Nicolas Batum himself.
It is uncertain whether any of France's tactics will stop a superstar like Luka Doncic, but they can definitely put in their best effort. Hopefully, we see a fun game between the two teams, and perhaps the French will find a way to succeed against Slovenia despite Doncic's presence.
More must-reads: