Two of the better young guards in the league prepare for an international contest on Friday as Australia plays Slovenia in the second round of the 2023 FIBA World Cup.
This matchup will be headlined by Luka Doncic and Josh Giddey — two players who’ve grown accustomed to each other over the last two seasons when the Oklahoma City Thunder and Dallas Mavericks compete.
While they’ll likely be fierce rivals for the foreseeable future, respect isn’t lost in the competition. Doncic spoke highly of Giddey to SI’s Mavs reporter Grant Afseth, stating he thinks he’s a great all-around player.
“Great player, I know him well from the NBA from OKC,” Doncic said of Giddey. “He is very versatile. His shot is probably his weakest link but even that is pretty good.”
Entering his third season, Giddey continues to show signs of growth as he’s been the face of Australia throughout the international tournament. It’s evident his constant improvement has been well respected by his peers as receiving praise from a likely future MVP winner is quite the endorsement.
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