Luka Doncic

[Sports Geek]

Guys, just don't play his game. He is a proven trol. Let him talk whatever he wants to. If nobody pays attention to him, he will get tired in the end.

[Cipoteman]

As much as I've seen from him, I do not have a single reason to think that he will have a worse career than let's say Hedo Turkoglu or a shooting Evan Turner. He is big, makes good decisions, he creates his own shoot and shoots well, he IS athletic for underage Euro standards... and has a wide shoulders frame, not to mention he could still grow 1 or 2 inches. He will possibly never be as explosive as others, but he is already standing out in a team full of Euro stars and players that have spent several years in the NBA (Randolph, Taylor, Ayon, Fernandez, Nocioni...).

'He won't stand against ultra athletic and quick players like Westbrook/prime Rose/Isaiah Thomas' (LOL, who can?) and at the same time none in this bunch would stand a chance against him if he managed to post them. Personally I think he could thrive as a point forward on systems in which the natural PG acts as a scorer (e.g. the Raptors' 2nd unit, which usually feats Lowry as a SG), where he could defend the player which fits him more from the PG/SG/SF/PF position and could be a mismatch nightmare given the circumstances. Every NBA team has at least 1 player limited offensively and 1 subpar defender in the starting 5... honestly I don't think Doncic would be any of those wherever he ends in the NBA.

Anyway, I find it amazing that there're still users understimating the top Euro teams level. A team formed by Dontaye Draper - Jaycee Carroll - Jeff Taylor - Anthony Randolph - Othello Hunter during their NCAA days with Trey Thompkins adding depth would surely be playing in late march and possibly april. Well, none of these six players nowadays with several years of experience into their pro careers start regularly for Real Madrid while a 17 yo Slovenian does.

Of course I don't think he will change the game but if he continues like this he will possibly be the least risky Euro ever picked high in the draft.

[a3r0d]

a3r0d, point taken - but stop with the backseat moderating and personal insults.

- Ruz

[Mirotic12]

As much as I've seen from him, I do not have a single reason to think that he will have a worse career than let's say Hedo Turkoglu or a shooting Evan Turner. He is big, makes good decisions, he creates his own shoot and shoots well, he IS athletic for underage Euro standards... and has a wide shoulders frame, not to mention he could still grow 1 or 2 inches. He will possibly never be as explosive as others, but he is already standing out in a team full of Euro stars and players that have spent several years in the NBA (Randolph, Taylor, Ayon, Fernandez, Nocioni...).

'He won't stand against ultra athletic and quick players like Westbrook/prime Rose/Isaiah Thomas' (LOL, who can?) and at the same time none in this bunch would stand a chance against him if he managed to post them. Personally I think he could thrive as a point forward on systems in which the natural PG acts as a scorer (e.g. the Raptors' 2nd unit, which usually feats Lowry as a SG), where he could defend the player which fits him more from the PG/SG/SF/PF position and could be a mismatch nightmare given the circumstances. Every NBA team has at least 1 player limited offensively and 1 subpar defender in the starting 5... honestly I don't think Doncic would be any of those wherever he ends in the NBA.

Anyway, I find it amazing that there're still users understimating the top Euro teams level. A team formed by Dontaye Draper - Jaycee Carroll - Jeff Taylor - Anthony Randolph - Othello Hunter during their NCAA days with Trey Thompkins adding depth would surely be playing in late march and possibly april. Well, none of these six players nowadays with several years of experience into their pro careers start regularly for Real Madrid while a 17 yo Slovenian does.

Of course I don't think he will change the game but if he continues like this he will possibly be the least risky Euro ever picked high in the draft.

Starting or coming off the bench does not matter in European basketball. It makes no difference if none of those players start or come off the bench every game. Teodosic comes off the bench every game. Papaloukas came off the bench and won MVP...Rodriguez came off the bench and won MVP.

What NBA would call a 6th man, those have been season MVPs in EuroLeague. Because there is no such thing as designated starters and bench. If a guy plays 30 minutes a game, that's a huge amount of minutes. Most of the best players in the league only play 20-25 minutes a game.

Also, many of the best players in EuroLeague come off the bench. In most teams, you have several of their best players coming off the bench all the time. So the starting and not starting thing for European basketball means absolutely nothing at all. It means nothing that those players don't start, and means nothing that Doncic starts, and nothing if he comes off the bench and never starts. There is no starters caste system in European basketball. You have elite players that come off the bench there.

As far as Doncic being compared to Hedo...you are thinking way, way, way too low for his ability and talent level. Hedo wasn't even that good of a player for European basketball. He never played decently with his national team, never once did anything to help in FIBA basketball. And he would have never been a good EuroLeague player.

Hedo had a terrible basketball IQ, he was a huge chucker, and he was incredibly inefficient as a player. He also needed the ball to be at all effective, yet he was a mediocre ball handler (NBA allows travels and palming so he could get by there - but not in FIBA, same situation like Giannis)...

Hedo's whole game was run screen roll and pick and pop all game long.....being an overrated passer, a not too good play maker and decision maker, and a very streaky shooter.

Doncic right now is a better player than peak Hedo was.

[Chambers]

You know where peak Hedo played as an integral part of his team? In the NBA Finals 2009, and you are calling a, surely very talented,17year old a better player than Hedo. Don't embarass yourself.
I really have a high opinion of Doncic and I also think that Hedo has a questionable character and nature, but come on... One might think you are kind of biased
Doncic has a long way to go even though he is a really talented player. I wish him all the best and I'm sure we will see him soon enough in the NBA.
And for the record, I don't think Luka isn't as talented as Hedo, he certainly has more talent and upside.

[Johnny Firpo]

You know where peak Hedo played as an integral part of his team? In the NBA Finals 2009,

To be frank though, that's not necessarily an argument against what he said. Doncic did not have a chance to play in the NBA finals, we have no idea how would he fair. Theoretically, a 17-year-old can be better than a 28-year-old. Teenagers are usually useless in basketball because they have very limited skillsets.

Doncic is a huge outlier in that regard. I'm not saying he would have been great, just that your argument isn't necessarily a good one, and it's based on preconceptions. Watching Doncic play, I have no doubt that he could play in the NBA today. In what role, who knows? But he could play already, and that's huge.

[CptCrunch]

Who is this scrub and why do have a bajillion page thread on him. Everyday I read this forum. I see this thread at the top.

Doesn't seem to be highly ranked on NBADraft nor Draftexpress. Is this OP trying to sell him as the next Euro great?

[reanimator]

The more I watch, the more the Gordon Hayward seems like an optimistic projection (as many have said). Doncic has more mass and is a more advanced passer at the same state of development. Doesn't possess Hayward's ballhandling, shooting off the dribble, or athleticism just yet.

[SportsGuy8]

Who is this scrub and why do have a bajillion page thread on him. Everyday I read this forum. I see this thread at the top.

Doesn't seem to be highly ranked on NBADraft nor Draftexpress. Is this OP trying to sell him as the next Euro great?

I guess that means that according to you, Brandon Ingram also wasn't highly ranked on DraftExpress at this time last year.

[UcanUwill]

Who is this scrub and why do have a bajillion page thread on him. Everyday I read this forum. I see this thread at the top.

Doesn't seem to be highly ranked on NBADraft nor Draftexpress. Is this OP trying to sell him as the next Euro great?

Green font?

[peja_the_legend]

What sets him apart from 99% of other teenagers of his age is his body.He has the body of a 30 year old pro.That aint normal.That's why any comparison to other teens of the past is fruitless imo.PPl say "wow when was the last time a 17 year old guy had this productivity in Euroleague"..well of course other teenagers wont do same things cause most of them still grow in their bodies.That doesnt mean they won't develop and catch up with him later..Galinari was skin and bones until he was 22 or sth..Doncic is a very rare exception and i dont think his ceiling is as high as his fanboys think.A Galinari/Hedo hybrid,which is fine.He'll propably be a solid starter.But the hype is unreal allready.An expert on twitter wrote that he's the best prospect since Lebron(!!)..Jeesus.

[reanimator]

What sets him apart from 99% of other teenagers of his age is his body.He has the body of a 30 year old pro.That aint normal.That's why any comparison to other teens of the past is fruitless imo.PPl say "wow when was the last time a 17 year old guy had this productivity in Euroleague"..well of course other teenagers wont do same things cause most of them still grow in their bodies.That doesnt mean they won't develop and catch up with him later..Galinari was skin and bones until he was 22 or sth..Doncic is a very rare exception and i dont think his ceiling is as high as his fanboys think.A Galinari/Hedo hybrid,which is fine.He'll propably be a solid starter.But the hype is unreal allready.An expert on twitter wrote that he's the best prospect since Lebron(!!)..Jeesus.

Agree with all of this

[Sports Geek]

The more I watch, the more the Gordon Hayward seems like an optimistic projection (as many have said). Doncic has more mass and is a more advanced passer at the same state of development. Doesn't possess Hayward's ballhandling, shooting off the dribble, or athleticism just yet.

Did you ever watch Hayward at 17?

What sets him apart from 99% of other teenagers of his age is his body.He has the body of a 30 year old pro.That aint normal.That's why any comparison to other teens of the past is fruitless imo.PPl say "wow when was the last time a 17 year old guy had this productivity in Euroleague"..well of course other teenagers wont do same things cause most of them still grow in their bodies.That doesnt mean they won't develop and catch up with him later..Galinari was skin and bones until he was 22 or sth..Doncic is a very rare exception and i dont think his ceiling is as high as his fanboys think.A Galinari/Hedo hybrid,which is fine.He'll propably be a solid starter.But the hype is unreal allready.An expert on twitter wrote that he's the best prospect since Lebron(!!)..Jeesus.

That and the fact that he can shoot pretty much as good as any other player in the Euroleague. And pass. And he is able to realize which tempo his team has to play. And he is able to find advantages for himself and his teammates. Again, it is not about his body (that is impressive btw), it is about his mind. All the experts, TV commentators, ex-players and even teammates and rivals are saying the same thing, that he is awesome already and learns much faster than they thought he would. Last season they were demanding him to be a more solid shooter and to be able to shoot off the dribble. Bang. Now he is one of the top shooters in the Euroleague and has won games creating his own shots.

But as I said several times, I hope all of them are wrong and we can keep him in Madrid for years. Even if he doesn't improve more, he is already pretty much leading the team.

PS: all those users that don't understand why so much hype on him, stop just watching highlight videos and watch full games on a solid basis. Then you will understand.

[UcanUwill]

Peja is making a good point there tho.

[QRich3]

What sets him apart from 99% of other teenagers of his age is his body.He has the body of a 30 year old pro.That aint normal.That's why any comparison to other teens of the past is fruitless imo.PPl say "wow when was the last time a 17 year old guy had this productivity in Euroleague"..well of course other teenagers wont do same things cause most of them still grow in their bodies.That doesnt mean they won't develop and catch up with him later..Galinari was skin and bones until he was 22 or sth..Doncic is a very rare exception and i dont think his ceiling is as high as his fanboys think.A Galinari/Hedo hybrid,which is fine.He'll propably be a solid starter.But the hype is unreal allready.An expert on twitter wrote that he's the best prospect since Lebron(!!)..Jeesus.

A lot of people did say that about Lebron himself though, the "he's just abusing high school kids because he matured early" school of thought. Obviously that's far from meaning he'll have close to the same development as Lebron himself, but you can't disregard him just because he matured early, or use it to project he'll necessarily slow his development because of it.

Gallo was drafted 6th, being all skin and bones as you say, with the hope that his body would develop into something similar than Doncic already has. That's a good thing, not a bad one. If you already know his body's gonna be good enough, you just have to worry about getting the rest right, which is more than you could say about guys like Gallinari or Pau. He's not using his overdeveloped body against underdeveloped kids where you can have trouble projecting how he'd do against professionals, you can already see that and just have to worry about how he'll adjust what he's doing right now to a higher level of competition.

[UcanUwill]

What sets him apart from 99% of other teenagers of his age is his body.He has the body of a 30 year old pro.That aint normal.That's why any comparison to other teens of the past is fruitless imo.PPl say "wow when was the last time a 17 year old guy had this productivity in Euroleague"..well of course other teenagers wont do same things cause most of them still grow in their bodies.That doesnt mean they won't develop and catch up with him later..Galinari was skin and bones until he was 22 or sth..Doncic is a very rare exception and i dont think his ceiling is as high as his fanboys think.A Galinari/Hedo hybrid,which is fine.He'll propably be a solid starter.But the hype is unreal allready.An expert on twitter wrote that he's the best prospect since Lebron(!!)..Jeesus.

A lot of people did say that about Lebron himself though, the "he's just abusing high school kids because he matured early" school of thought. Obviously that's far from meaning he'll have close to the same development as Lebron himself, but you can't disregard him just because he matured early, or use it to project he'll necessarily slow his development because of it.

Gallo was drafted 6th, being all skin and bones as you say, with the hope that his body would develop into something similar than Doncic already has. That's a good thing, not a bad one. If you already know his body's gonna be good enough, you just have to worry about getting the rest right, which is more that you could say about guys like Gallinari or Pau. He's not using his overdeveloped body against underdeveloped kids where you can have trouble projecting how he'd do against professionals, you can already see that and just have to worry about how he'll adjust what he's doing right now to a higher level of competition.

Thing is, Gallo and Pau dominated even with their teen bodies. So there was far more untapped potential there.

[Sports Geek]

Let's wait for him to be an adult to see if his body was developed at 17 or not. After seeing his father, he could still grow a lot more muscle.

[peZt]

If you think about it, the players who absolutely dominated youth competitions early on all grew up to be solid NBA players at best or no NBA players at all. Players like Kanter, Valanciunas, Saric, Motiejunas, Mirotic, Rubio, Dejan Musli, Kosta Koufos etc.

On the other hand the best european players right now are all late bloomers who only started to shine at the u18 level at the earliest if at all like Giannis, Porzingis, Jokic, Schröder or Gobert.

So I'm not at all confident in saying that Doncic will be a future superstar based on the fact that he is doing what he doing at the age of 17 like no one before. I could easily see Isaac Bonga for example having a better career down the line.

[XTraderXL]

I could understand some of you guys reasoning that Doncic has a limited upside in the case he would be slowing down in his development. The thing is though, he is advancing so fast that the gap between him and the rest of the players in his age group is getting bigger by the week. He basically improved every element of his game by quite a lot since the start of the season and is still improving with every game he plays. In the last 5 games, he has the highest PIR in EuroLeague and is playing the least minutes per game of the top 10 players ranked. And he is doing all this with being 2nd or even 3rd offensive option for his team. He is already one of the most valuable players in the EL and even if he would not improve anymore, he would have a great Euro career.

I also dont understand the discussion about his body. He is still pretty skinny and far from being fully developed. He needs to put on some more weight, especially up top. His body still looks like a teenagers body, I really dont know what you guys are looking at. He has a big frame, but that doesnt mean he has developed his body. In my opinion, he will vastly improve his skills, athleticism and his body in the next 2-3 years. Skill wise, this summer with Slovenian NT and G. Dragic should help him a lot. They know each other for a long time and Dragic said he cant wait to play with him and be his mentor.

[reanimator]

Did you ever watch Hayward at 17? .

Yup, my college was recruiting him. Hayward was nowhere as good as Doncic....he just had the physical tools but that sort of makes my point. A kid from a rural area of Indiana who had never seen a weight lifting regimen or trained with professional skill coaches theoretically has more untapped development than a kid playing in a competitive European league who is dedicating way more practice hours to the craft.

Just because Hayward made a tremendous leap from HS to college and then college to the NBA does not mean Doncic will experience the same prolonged rapid growth. Doncic has a ways to go to be the athlete and ballhandler as Hayward and it can't be assumed he will get there just because he is better as a youth.