Luka Doncic is expected to land within the Top 3 in next year’s edition of the NBA Draft. Many analysts and experts even think he could be the overall top pick. According to scouting reports, the 18-year old Slovenian can play both guard positions and can even play the small forward post.
Christopher Kline of The Sixer Sense wrote that Doncic is an intriguing choice as he doesn’t have the athleticism of other top prospects like Michael Porter Jr. and Marvin Bagley III. But what Doncic may lack in this aspect, he has more than made up for his basketball skills and abilities.
High basketball IQ
Last month, Ricky O'Donnell of SB Nation projected that the 6’8” Slovenian will be the top overall pick of the 2018 NBA Draft even after Bagley III reclassified to become eligible for next year’s draft. He believes that Doncic has the talents and skills suitable for this new era of NBA basketball.
Doncic has already been playing the best players in the Euroleague, playing as shooting guard for Real Madrid and the Slovenian national team and showcasing his shooting, passing, and ball-handling skills. Yet one skill developed and honed which his peers may or may not have experienced yet is an advanced feel for the game, O’Donnell said.
Kline supported this claim by suggesting that Doncic lacks explosiveness, he is a jumper and he can create his own shots.
Even though he can’t outplay certified NBA superstars in one-on-one play, his isolation moves are based more on timing and feel rather than overpowering his defender.
Playmaking, rebounding, and scoring
Doncic’s maturity of the game is evident and well-documented in the ongoing EuroLeague 2017. During the Round of 16 against Ukraine, Doncic led the Slovenians in rebounding (10) and assists (6).
Then he led his countrymen to victory against the Latvian by dropping team-high 27 points. Then he grabbed 12 rebounds and dish out 8 assists in beating the Spanish team led by the Gasol brothers in the semifinals. The Slovenians will meet the winner between Russia and Serbia.
His success during this late stage of EuroLeague only proves his high basketball IQ.
Whether involving his teammates on the play, choosing his shots or banging bodies to get the rebound, Doncic has simply dominated these games.
According to scouting reports, Luka Doncic's ability to see through tight windows, ability to read both defense and offense on the floor, and the understanding of the game flow is evidence of his readiness for the next level, the NBA. And he’s just 18.
