Luka Doncic

[UcanUwill]

Thats the thing, you are listing one guy on one team. The NBA rosters 1-12 are littered with guys as athletic if not more. I know the Euros will get on me but I don't think a single Euro roster is as athletic/long as the average UK or Arizona team just more physical.

You seriously underrating Europe's athletes. Chase Budinger was a monster on Arizona team, he doesnt stand out at all on this Baskonia team, team Doncic played today.

Chase Budinger was a good leaper and washed out of the league. About it.

He lasted 6 years in the NBA and averaged 8 points. Thats not too bad. He also averaged 17 points per game in Arizona.

[Johnny Firpo]

How do you know who I've seen play? Hanga is clearly not a "top 10 perimeter athlete" in the NBA. Not close.

Yeah, I'm sure you are the 1 out of the 100 American fans that watches the Euroleague and the ACB.

[Bob8]

"team full of former NBA players"

so much dishonesty in this thread especially when those "former NBA players" were defensive sieves and washed out of the league in a hurry. Its amazing some can't conceded the huge gape in athleticism/length/speed between the NBA and Euroleague in terms of DEPTH of high end athletes and the top tier athletes which doesn't "minimize" Doncic's production just contextualizing it when asking what will and won't translate.

But the real question is, against who are playing high school players( year 1999)?
Kids, most of them won't never play professional basketball. If you're not sure how Doncic's game will translate because he plays only against players like Hanga and Budinger. How much doubt must you have for other 2018 draft prospects?

Doncic is the only one 2018 or 2017 Nba Draft prospect who already plays with professionals, so he should be the easiest to predict.

[reanimator]

"team full of former NBA players"

so much dishonesty in this thread especially when those "former NBA players" were defensive sieves and washed out of the league in a hurry. Its amazing some can't conceded the huge gape in athleticism/length/speed between the NBA and Euroleague in terms of DEPTH of high end athletes and the top tier athletes which doesn't "minimize" Doncic's production just contextualizing it when asking what will and won't translate.

But the real question is, against who are playing high school players( year 1999)?
Kids, most of them won't never play professional basketball. If you're not sure how Doncic's game will translate because he plays only against players like Hanga and Budinger. How much doubt must you have for other 2018 draft prospects?

Doncic is the only one 2018 or 2017 Nba Draft prospect who already plays with professionals, so he should be the easiest to predict.

Who said I am high on all 1999 kids? The few kids i am higher have a better blend of physical tools + athleticism + offensive creativity to my linking.

And these kids matchup against each other at the AAU circuit level and then at the blue blood level of college hoops. These kids are better athletes and have better physical tools than those Euros but don't have the physicality of the grown men in Euroleague.

The only thing I can say for certain about Doncic athletically + physically is that he has the strength to play against grown men and is fluid.

[reanimator]

You seriously underrating Europe's athletes. Chase Budinger was a monster on Arizona team, he doesnt stand out at all on this Baskonia team, team Doncic played today.

Chase Budinger was a good leaper and washed out of the league. About it.

He lasted 6 years in the NBA and averaged 8 points. Thats not too bad. He also averaged 17 points per game in Arizona.

So is the argument that Budinger was an above average NBA athlete? He wasn't. Or is it that he is an average athlete in Euroleague? Doesn't tell us much.

[reanimator]

Stop putting NBA players on the pedistal, there are as many bad defenders as there are good.

If you won't concede that there is a athleticism + size/length gap between NBA/Euroleague that leads to a defensive gap then we will have to agree to disagree.

[cloudXXI]

What Doncic has done today, no one in the world at his age, right now, can do.

Obviously, kids of his age are going to improve. He will too.

No one knows who will be the best prospect on draft day. Right now, there's no one like him.

[HeartBreakKid]

Hanga would be an elite NBA athlete, and will be one next year. He has a combination of size, foot speed and hops that would probably put him amongst the top 10 most athletic perimeter players in the NBA. He is 6'7 and has PG speed, extremely fluid too. And he has a chance to be DPOY this year in the ACB, if not the Euroleague too. Definitely first team all-defense, if they have that. Anyway, Doncic once again showed that extremely high skill level trumps a defender's athleticism. The kid is a phenom, and there is no way he is not a top 3 pick next year, if he is healthy.

He's joining the NBA?

[Johnny Firpo]

He's joining the 2018 draft?

No he is a Spurs draftee, was drafted years ago, and they will probably bring him over after Manu retires, which is very likely this summer.

[Kentavicius]

Watch on YouTube

[No-Man]

Hanga is Euroleague's Andre Iguodala basically

[narcolepsy]

Stop putting NBA players on the pedistal, there are as many bad defenders as there are good.

If you won't concede that there is a athleticism + size/length gap between NBA/Euroleague that leads to a defensive gap then we will have to agree to disagree.

What. Yes, water is wet, NBA players are better than Euroleague players, physical tools help when playing physical sport, such as basketball. There are still many bad/average defenders in NBA that would stay equally bad/average at defending in Europe, defense isnt just about physical tools, its also largely about effort and intelligence. Like I said, I think you're overrating athleticism in all aspects of the game and underrating other basketball skills.
That being said, I'm not even sure why we're talking about this, Luka doesnt have elite athleticism, but he's not a bad athlete either. He can stand his ground vs former/future (Llull, Hanga?) NBA players right now, I really dont see any reasons why he couldnt vs NBA players in a few years.

[reanimator]

He can stand his ground vs former/future (Llull, Hanga?) NBA players right now, I really dont see any reasons why he couldnt vs NBA players in a few years.

who said he can stand his ground? to be a legitimate franchise player not all star or super glue guy, he will need certain aspects to his game which i either haven't seen him flash or i question the effectiveness vs nba speed/length.

[Dr Positivity]

I am sold: The best prospect in the world.

[kayath]

He can stand his ground vs former/future (Llull, Hanga?) NBA players right now, I really dont see any reasons why he couldnt vs NBA players in a few years.

who said he can stand his ground? to be a legitimate franchise player not all star or super glue guy, he will need certain aspects to his game which i either haven't seen him flash or i question the effectiveness vs nba speed/length.

Can we focus on Luka and what is he doing right now in Spanish Cup/Euroleague. Questioning his effectiveness against NBA players is beside the point while he is not playing in NBA yet. And he has time to improve his weak point defense.
But If i am honest, I think he will do just fine as defender in NBA, even If he doesn't improve much. While he does all those things on offensive end already so only the sky is limit.
When healthy and dedicated to the game of course.

[kayath]

I am sold: The best prospect in the world.

sorry can i ask for an argument or two while some may say that your comment is sarcastic or maybe it is.

[reanimator]

Can we focus on Luka and what is he doing right now in Spanish Cup/Euroleague. Questioning his effectiveness against NBA players is beside the point while he is not playing in NBA yet. And he has time to improve his weak point defense.
But If i am honest, I think he will do just fine as defender in NBA, even If he doesn't improve much. While he does all those things on offensive end already so only the sky is limit.

This is a NBA draft forum so we talk about him in the context of the NBA.

My issues with Doncic as a 1st overall pick/franchise player are not with his defense but his inability to convert at a high percentage at the rim, his infrequent use of a pull-up (though he has a floater), and my worries about his ability to create separation without some more creativity as a ball handler. Nowhere have I stated he is not lottery pick worthy, not a future NBA starter or bad but this forum is about critiquing a prospects game and so many of you don't want to do it in this particular thread...which sucks because he is a very interesting prospect and probably the best case study for a European perimeter prospect and the transition to the NBA.

[Dr Positivity]

I am sold: The best prospect in the world.

sorry can i ask for an argument or two while some may say that your comment is sarcastic or maybe it is.

I think there is nothing a high school or NCAA prospect can do that is meaningful to me as being one of the best players in the Euroleague at 17. This is like if Fultz or Ball was dropping 35, 10 and 10 or something. As for whether his game is explosive enough, some of the best perimeter players in the league like Curry, Harden, Paul do it with skill, right now Jokic is killing it barely leaving the ground, Doncic having skill, IQ, size, intangibles is enough

[reanimator]

Curry, Harden, and Paul are all elite pull-up shooters and extremely creative ball handlers. Don't get those names being brought up. Jokic is a big man.

[3baller9]

Curry, Harden, and Paul are all elite pull-up shooters and extremely creative ball handlers. Don't get those names being brought up. Jokic is a big man.

I agree shooting and ball handling are the two areas of his game he needs to improve the most in order to be a franchise player but you are forgetting his shooting and his ball handling are elite for his age and size. I think we can agree he can improve in both those areas regardless if he is athletic or not.