5 Things To Know About Luka Doncic
Luka Doncic is considered by some to be the best international prospect ever and now he’s poised to be a lottery pick in the 2018 NBA Draft.
Here’s a look at five things you should know about Doncic before he starts his NBA career.
His parents were also athletes
Doncic’s father, Sasa Doncic is a basketball coach and former player in the Slovenian League an EuroLeague. His mother, Mirjam Poterbin was a competitive hurdler.
He’s always been ahead of his age group
Doncic started practicing competitively when he was eight years old and his father was playing for Union Olimpija. When he was 11, he was practicing with the club’s under-14 team but he couldn’t play for them due to age restrictions.
By the time he was 13 he signed a deal with Spanish club Real Madrid and played for the under-16 team. In 2015 as a 16-year-old he became the youngest player to ever debut for Real Madrid in Liga ACB.
Basically, he’s always been a step ahead of his age group and as a 19-year-old dominated European basketball this season.
He’s a winner
With Real Madrid, Doncic has led the team to the 2018 EuroLeague title, three Spanish League titles, two Copa Del Rey championships and a FIBA Intercontinental Cup championship. Meanwhile, Doncic was the EuroLeague MVP and the EuroLeague Final Four MVP as well this season. He was named the EuroLeague’s Rising Star in 2017 and 2018.
On top of that, he led Slovenia to an unexpected title run at FIBA EuroBasket in 2017.
He’s the ultimate positionless player
At 6’8″ and 230 pounds, Doncic isn’t your typical point guard. He’s got a ridiculous basketball IQ, can shoot it from deep, has next-level court vision and is a phenomenal finisher around the hoop. He doesn’t fit into any true mold as he can really line up anywhere on the perimeter. That said, he’s likely to bring the ball up as a point guard in the NBA.
His mom might be a star too
Doncic’s mom is already getting a lot of attention online. She is a former model and dancer and is currently a salon owner.