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If it wasn’t already clear, Luka Doncic is one of the best players in the NBA despite only being 22-years-old. A big issue that young superstars typically deal with is how they play in the clutch. That’s not a problem for Doncic as he’s as clutch as they come. He showed that off on Wednesday night by hitting an insane game-winning 3-point shot to beat the Memphis Grizzlies.
The shot was so epic that it got an immediate reaction from Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James.
That shot was certainly one of the best of the season and will be played on highlight reels for a long time. The Dallas Mavericks have been having a down year but they’ve picked things up recently. If they can move into the top-five seeds in the Western Conference, it’s possible that Doncic finds himself back in the MVP race. With LeBron, James Harden and Joel Emiid missing significant time with injuries this season, the race could be wide open at the end of the year, which might be a big opportunity for Doncic.
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LeBron Is a Big Fan of Doncic
At this point, there’s no denying that Doncic is elite. He’s one of the future faces of the NBA and should have a ton of success over his career. LeBron has actually been very high on Doncic for a while. Last year, the superstar revealed that he was trying to get Doncic to be his first signing with Nike.
“Luka is one of my favorite players in the NBA today. For the simple fact of, the way I play the game is exactly how I love the way he plays the game,” LeBron said on the Road Trippin’podcast. “Team-first, gets his guys involved, if you challenge me to score, I’m gonna score. And at the same time, I’m gonna score, but I’m gonna keep my guys involved. … I play for the team, and I’m gonna play with a sense of joy.
“When Luka was going through his contract negotiations with Nike, and you saw him at one point he would wear Jordans, and started wearing the other brands on his feet during practices. … I wanted to begin ‘Team LeBron’ and have Luka as my first signing with Nike.”
That didn’t end up happening but LeBron is still clearly a big fan of the young guard.
Is Doncic the NBA’s Best Young Player?
Doncic already proved that he was the best player in the NBA under the age of 25 last year and he’s just reaffirming it this year. While Zion Williamson is making a really strong case that he deserves the top spot, he hasn’t quite surpassed Doncic yet. Even ESPN recently ranked him as the best player under 25 in the NBA.
Williamson probably brings more star power and will be the face of the league once LeBron retires but that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s a better player. It’s clear that the NBA will be in good hands once the older superstars are done playing.
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