Kristaps Porzingis once gave his rival Daniel Gafford the ultimate praise by stating “If you’re late, you’re in trouble. And that’s the thing with him. He can get up like few guys can in the league. And guarding that is dangerous.” Gafford may not earned any significant accolades during his five years in the NBA. However, he has impressed fans and analysts alike with his dunks, defensive skills, and overall energy. A Dallas News report even claimed that the player was responsible for transforming the Dallas Mavericks from a playoff-hopeful squad to a legit contender. He reportedly helped the franchise set an 18-3 record. This might’ve left a positive impression on Luka Doncic. Yet, Gafford didn’t take advantage when the opportunity arose.

According to a report by Eurohoops, the Slovenia National Basketball Team was actively trying to get Daniel Gafford to serve as the team’s center. How is this possible? Well, as Gafford was born in Arkansas, discussions were running rampant back in June to naturalize him as a Slovenian, just before the 2024 Paris Olympics. Slovenian Basketball Federation President Matej Erjavec confirmed the rumor about the team approaching Gafford. Moreover, Luka Doncic’s father Sasa played an active role in the discussions. Unfortunately, fans from Slovenia could not see Gafford representing them during the Olympics, and there was a good reason why.

Highlighting the meeting between Sasa Doncic and Gafford, Erjavec revealed, “Immediately after leaving the game and still a little sweaty, he was asked if he would play for the Slovenian national team. He was really surprised at first, but he quickly reacted very positively. (He said) that he is honored, that he is flattered by the initiative and that he needs time to think. When he called us a few days later, he said that this summer was simply not going to work, as he had ordered individual exercises, programs, personal trainers, and some other matters. [But] he is definitely interested in the future.”

Consequently, they abandoned efforts to naturalize the player. In the end, the national team chose Josh Nebo as the center. The European country naturalized Nebo, an American. Regretfully, neither Nebo nor Luka Doncic had the chance to showcase their talents at the Olympics. By losing to the Giannis Antetokounmpo-led Greece squad at the FIBA qualifying tournament, Slovenia was unable to earn a spot in the Olympics. This marked the eighth time in the last nine instances when the national team has been unable to qualify.

Having the NBA center on the national team could’ve helped in efforts to qualify for Paris. Having averaged 11.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.6 assists during the 29 games with the Dallas Mavericks, Daniel Gafford had already proven what he was capable of on the offensive front. He began establishing records within the limited time frame, setting a 33 consecutive field goal streak that is the second highest in NBA history, right behind Wilt Chamberlin’s 35. On top of all that, the player shared a good rapport with Luka Doncic himself, who once praised him and P.J. Washington by stating “You can see how important it is. You can see the impact (Gafford and Washington] have, so I think it’s really important.”

Daniel Gafford felt that the timing wasn’t right, and so he didn’t push himself. Given the earlier struggles that he faced during his NBA career and the recovery he undertook, any further disappointment would have caused the player to spiral back.

“Re-evaluate myself” – Did Daniel Gafford fall out of love with basketball during Chicago Bulls tenure?

Before his trade to the Dallas Mavericks, Daniel Gafford devoted a four-year stint to the Washington Wizards. During his tenure, he went on to average 8.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks throughout 218 regular season games. While the stats may not seem like much, adding those numbers to his name was what the player needed after a disappointing tenure with the Chicago Bulls.

During a post-game presser back in March 2024, Gafford revealed “I kind of fell out of love with the game and I had to kind of like re-evaluate myself. Once I got traded to Washington, it’s like I took a step back and figured out how to bring myself back into loving the game. It was a lot when it came to just me mentally here in Chicago. I wanted to be better than what I was, of course.”

The center himself admitted that he did not take things seriously when playing for the squad over at the United Center. The same was also evident by the 5.0 points, 2.8 rebounds and 0.5 assists he averaged during the two seasons. The 22-43 and the 31-41 record set by the Bulls wasn’t helping the situation much. Therefore, with a better win stat, the Wizards provided the motivation needed by the player. Aligned with a squad that reached to the NBA Finals recently, the player has no excuse to fall out of love with his chosen sport.

Do you believe that a team-up between Luka Doncic and Daniel Gafford would have helped Slovenia qualify? Let us know in the comments down below.

Before you go, remember to check out this crossover between BG12 and Georgia Bulldogs star Silas Demary Jr.