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Calling Luka Doncic must-watch television would be an understatement. From the minute he suited up with the Dallas Mavericks, he’s lived up to his pre-draft hype. However, in year two, the reigning Rookie of the Year has double-downed.
Doncic’s sophomore season has been elite. In the month of November, Doncic is averaging 31.9 points, 11.4 rebounds and 10.5 assists per game while shooting 49.5% from the field and 35.5% from beyond the arc. Doncic leads the NBA with seven triple-doubles this season in only 14 games. The one-time EuroLeague MVP is now garnering NBA MVP buzz.
The Slovenian star has carried Dallas to a 9-5 start to the season, with his latest victim being the Golden State Warriors.
The 6-foot-7 stud torched the struggling Warriors for 35 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds in only 25 minutes, the quickest 35-point triple-double in NBA history.
Championship coach Steve Kerr had a front-row seat to Doncic’s latest triple-double and had high praise for the 20-year-old rising star when he discussed his performance with NBC Sports Bay Area after the loss.
Kerr said he doesn’t have an exact comparison for Doncic since the game has changed so much over time, but he’s a mixture of a current All-Star and a certain Hall of Famer.
I think he and James Harden have a similar type-game for the modern game. The threes, the passing ability, so I think he’s a little bit like Harden.
Comparing Doncic to the reigning MVP is an excellent compliment for a 20-year old second-year player, but Kerr didn’t stop there.
He’s got a little bit of Larry Bird, the ability to see the game a step ahead, but it’s a very different game these days. Bird wasn’t shooting those step-back threes like that off the dribble, he’s a unique player to himself.
You can hear Kerr’s comparison of Doncic at the 1:26 mark below:
For a coach that’s watched players like Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant, that type of acclaim shouldn’t go unnoted.
The only positive with the Warriors’ 3-13 record is that they’re currently in line for a high lottery pick. If they’re lucky, they’ll have a shot at acquiring a talent as rich as Doncic.