This is the 5th in a series of six articles about the top NBA superstars who hope to dethrone King James as the best player on the planet over the next decade. Here are links to our four previous articles covering Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant, and Anthony Davis.
Luka Doncic looks more like the NBA version of ‘White Men Can’t Jump’ than a legit candidate to defeat an elite cast of athletically gifted superstars like Giannis, Kawhi, and KD to become best player of the next decade.
But looks can be deceiving and the 6′ 7″, 230 lb 21-year old Luka’s dramatic rise to superstar status and head-to-head exploits against proven superstars like LeBron, Giannis, and Kawhi in two short seasons have turned heads. Luka could finish the decade in the heart of his prime while competitors could be winding down their careers, bolstering the idea Doncic could be the dark horse winner in the race to be king of the NBA for the 2020’s.
To reach those heights, the Luka and KP Mavericks are going to have show they have the talent and drive to compete with championship competitors in the Wild West like the LeBron and AD Lakers and Kawhi and PG Clippers. The road for Luka Doncic to earn the title of king of the next decade not only requires multiple MVP awards and multiple NBA championships for the Dallas Mavs but also goes directly through the city of Los Angeles.
Luka Doncic is already putting up near triple-double superstar numbers in only his second season and nobody really knows how high his ceiling as a player may be since he is still only just 21-years old and not near his peak. Already averaging 28.7 points, 9.3 rebounds, 8,7 assists, Luka’s best could be something we haven’t seen in today’s modern NBA and could set new standards for what qualifies as superstar performance in the future.
While he might lack the supernatural physical talent of other candidates competing for king of the 2020’s, Luka Doncic with his savvy court sense and smarts might turn out to be the best basketball player of the decade.
While the 21-year old Luka Doncic may lack the otherworldly athleticism of LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant, or Anthony Davis, the numbers he is putting up in just his second year in the league tell an entirely different story. There may not be another young superstar who has as savvy or well rounded offensive game. He has the size of Magic Johnson, the shooting touch of Steph Curry, and the passing ability of Jason Kidd. And while he has played pro ball since he was in his teens, he is just getting started.
His biggest hurdles may be that he does not have a legitimate co-superstar, plays for the Dallas Mavericks, and has several more athletic and flashy superstar competitors in the Western Conference. And he’s white and not an explosive athlete. The big question is how high is his ceiling and can he rack up the championship rings you need to become the best player of the 2020’s decade?
Ignoring Luka could be a big mistake as he could develop into the next Larry Bird and surprise everybody. He is that savvy and smart of a competitor with marvelous skills. To me, he is the closest thing I’ve seen to Larry Bird to come around. There is just something about his confidence and competitiveness that reminds me of Larry. I still think he’s a long shot to be player of the decade and could end up being stuck in Dallas for his entire career.
Of all the superstars we’ve talked about possibly joining the Lakers someday, Luka tops my list. When LeBron retires, the Lakers will need a great point guard who can do what LeBron does for AD and the perfect candidate is Luka Doncic. Luke will be in his mid 20’s when he has his first chance to become a free agent. AD would be in his early 30’s. They would be a match made in heaven in my opinion. Kind of like a reincarnation of LeBron James as far as skills and smarts.