“I Never Forget That”: Jeff Teague Recollects Receiving Stern Warning About “Cold” Luka Doncic in His Rookie Year From Ex-Lakers Guard

Luka Doncic has one of his best seasons yet. But what makes this Slovenian beast so great is his insane game IQ and mastery of angles. He’s extremely good at throwing defenders off-balance and knows how to capitalize on that. So, when 19-year-old Luka first made it to the big league in 2018, neither the world nor Jeff Teague was ready for him.

In a recent episode of the Club 520 Podcast, Teague reveals a moment that made him realize Luka isn’t one to be messed with. At the time, Teague was playing for the Timberwolves, and former Lakers guard Wesley Matthews warned him about Doncic.

When Wes Matthews shuts Teague up

Luka Doncic was fresh in the league, playing his rookie year with the Mavs, alongside Wes Matthews, who was then playing for the team. Teague admits that he was petty and “trying to f*** with them in the game.” So he went up to Wes and said about Luka, “Man, ya’ll going to let the white dude get the ball the whole game? That’s crazy.” Wes, on the other hand, was not fazed. He looked Teague dead in the eye and said, “That motherf****r cold.”

Teague then recalls thinking, “Oh, let me shut the f*** up,” realizing what he was dealing with. He says, “I’ll never forget that.”

In his rookie year, Luka averaged 21.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 6.0 assists. To put this into perspective, LeBron‘s rookie year stats did not even come close to Luka’s. Doncic went on to receive the Rookie of the Year title that season. Jumping on the bandwagon, Wes also recalls a moment when he knew Luka was different.

Luka Doncic impressed Wes

Wes and rookie Luka were playing together for the Mavs and he remembers a game where they were playing pickup. He was posted at the right corner and Luka Magic dribbled the ball from the other end of the court toward him. West says, “At no point did we make eye-contact.” However, the then 19-year-old star pulled off a pass straight to Wes. This was when he realized that Luka was built differently.

Read More: Trae Young Gets Brutally Honest About Being Compared to Luka Doncic: “There’s Been Worse Comparisons”

Luka can shoot from anywhere without hesitation, and his secret sauce is that he plays at his own pace and is in control the entire time. Moreover, he is a pro at being doubled-teamed. He invites being doubled because it naturally throws the defense off-balance and he banks on this. Being an incredible passer, he often creates opportunities for his teammates. There is nothing this man cannot do.

Watch This Story: Who Has Reached 10,000 Points Faster Than Luka Doncic?

And it looks like Luka is just getting warmed up, as he brings his numbers even higher!