Luka Doncic has made a great start to the season, being impressive game after game and breaking all records.
The 18-year-old player was a game changer for Real Madrid last season (7.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game) and that was just the beginning, as he was one of Slovenia’s leaders in the 2017 EuroBasket, helping his team win the title for the first time in its history.
This year, Doncic is equally tremendous in all competitions. In four Euroleague matches, he averages 24 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game, having claimed the MVP Award in two straight rounds (Rounds 3 and 4, respectively).
Moreover, he plays excellent on both ends of the floor, breaking every record in the index rating system (32.29 per game) and showing he is the “Whites’” number one “weapon”.
More specifically, he had 27 points, eight boards, five assists and three steals against Armani Milano on Tuesday night in Madrid, while he was equally productive against Zalgiris Kaunas on the road two days later, with 24 points, nine rebounds and four assists.
Following Sergio Llull’s serious injury in the summer (with the great two-way guard being expected to return in April), the versatile combo guard has taken over.
Doing everything on both ends of the floor, the new European champion has helped his squad play at very high standards and overcome their problems, due to key players’ injuries (Anthony Randolph, Ognjen Kuzmic, Llull).
Doncic has a great percentage from beyond the arc (43.5%), while he is equally effective both from mid-range and inside the paint (65.4% in two-pointers), making his opponents’ effort to guard him even more difficult.
Concurrently, he is a great on-ball defender, making many steals and retaining the side’s defensive stability at very high levels.
That said, what is next for the “next big thing” of the European Basketball?
As Real Madrid’s president, Florentino Perez, said a few weeks ago, it will be very difficult for Doncic to remain part of the squad, as the 18-year-old guard will probably move to the NBA next year.
Thanks to his extraordinary performances, he has reportedly become the grand favourite for the number one pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, which means this will probably be his last season in the Euroleague.
Consequently, Doncic will do his best to lead his team to another Euroleague title, with the side trying to return to the top of Europe for the first time since 2015.
Although it was widely believed that Llull’s serious injury would be painful for Real Madrid’s effort to go all the way to the end, things have been very different, eventually.
Despite Llull’s, Randolph’s and Kuzmic’s serious injuries, the roster is so deep and talented that coach Pablo Laso has many players ready to make the difference, both defensively and offensively.
As a result, the Spaniards have dominated their opponents in the first four Euroleague games and the same goes for the ACB, too.
With Doncic as the leader and the remaining players playing very well as the supporting cast, the “Whites’” have been unstoppable so far and want to continue that way in the following matches.
Overall, Luka Doncic has exploded and currently is the best European player, offering magical moments in every game.
With the versatile player being so young, he has the potential to become not only one of the best players in Europe, but also one of the best in the NBA, as he is nowhere near his prime yet.