The 'NBA rookies to average 15 points, 5 rebounds & 4 assists' quiz

It took Luka Doncic less than two months to become one of the most beloved young players in the NBA. Not only has he performed like a future superstar on the court, but he’s captivated fans with his charisma and youthful exuberance. I mean, who could look at this goofy dance and not smile? Luka-mania isn’t limited to Mavericks fans either. Earlier this week, two members of The Ringer performed their “Hallelujah” cover tribute to Doncic, titled “Halleluka,” during a break in a Rockets-Mavericks game. And if people weren’t fans before all of that, they were after Doncic went on his own 11-0 run in the last three minutes of the fourth quarter to lead the Mavs to an improbable victory over the Rockets. His personal run even featured two step-back threes that probably had The Beard himself blushing.

After curiously (and stupidly) being passed on by the Suns and Kings (and really the Hawks as well), Doncic has crushed it in his first 24 games as an NBA player, averaging 18 points, seven rebounds and four assists per game. His numbers were impressive enough to earn him Western Conference Rookie of the Month honors for November, but his spectacular highlights really jump off the page. Have you ever seen someone nutmeg a defender on a fast break while leading his teammate away from the basket? Now you have.

Doncic is averaging just four assists per game this season, but his vision and feel for the game are already among the game’s elite. These genius-level skills allow him to utilize passing angles that other players don’t even see and attack defenses with crafty moves and counters that even some of the game’s best players don’t have in their bags. Not to speak in hyperbole, but people could argue that they see some Larry Bird in his game. Obviously, he’s got a loooooong way to go to even be mentioned in the same category as Larry Legend, but if you’re looking for an offensive ceiling for Doncic, a more modern version of Bird would be his best-case scenario. He's simply that good. 

Doncic’s excellent beginning to his career has the Mavericks off to a nice start with a 14-11 record, which is good for seventh place in the ever-fluid, competitive Western Conference a quarter of the way into the season. With their 2019 first-round draft pick almost certainly conveying (it's only top-five protected) to the Hawks as part of the Doncic-Trae Young deal, Dallas will look to ride Doncic all the way to the playoffs this season. The questions about his conditioning have some concerned that he’ll hit the infamous rookie wall and ultimately derail the Mavericks’ playoff hopes. However, anyone who followed Doncic in the EuroLeague knows that he’s played at least 70 games each of the past two seasons (and won everything anyway). Thus, the rookie wall may not impact him the way it has impacted others in the past.

Which brings us to today's quiz of the day. Regardless of whether the Mavericks make the playoffs, Doncic seems destined to join an exclusive group of NBA rookies. Right now, he is averaging 17.8 PPG, 6.7 RPG and 4.3 APG. Throughout NBA history, just 24 players have averaged 15 points, five rebounds and four assists during their first season in the league. So with that in mind, how many of the 24 can you name in five minutes?

Good luck!