Basketball was an easy choice for Luka Doncic. Having grown up around the sport, he knew it was what he wanted to do from a very young age. But that was where the easy part ended. To become the player, we now know him to be, the 4x All-Star trained hard. When he was seven, Luka was playing with 10-year-olds who were bigger, faster, and tougher than him. Only 24, the Slovenian native has more than 25 awards and honors to his name already. Even before entering the NBA, Doncic was famous in the EuroLeague and Real Madrid.
Drafted in 2018 by the Atlanta Hawks, he was traded for Trae Young to the Dallas Mavericks. While we know the goofy Doncic, it’s a widely acknowledged fact that he turns deadly on the court. And we have got a trustworthy source who can attest to the fact!
Ex-NBA champion narrowly escapes “cold” Luka Doncic
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The Club 520 podcast has always kept it real and fun-filled. In the latest episode, the Hawks’ guard, Wes Mathews, joined former champion Jeff Teague. In the following tête-à-tête, the duo recounted a hilarious encounter with a rookie Luka. As per tradition, rookies need to be broken into the NBA. While that might not have been the first thing on Teague’s mind, (he admits that he’s “petty”), it didn’t stop him from goading Wes to take Doncic on.
When he tried to probe Mathews into getting aggressive with the Slovenian player, the latter said, “That motherf***er cold! … He different.” That was more than enough of a warning for Teague. He subtly withdrew from further aggravating the soon-to-be Dallas Mavericks superstar! Trash-talking is not new in the league.
In fact, it is one of those finer nuances that makes the game all the more entertaining. Many games have been won with it, while many have been lost, too. Yet Mathews and Teague, who were already in their sixth year with the league, didn’t think twice about letting Luka off the hook.
But “The Don” impact in the league is nothing short of remarkable. He has not only garnered respect and admiration from his fellow players and teammates, but veterans and NBA legends are in awe of the young guard’s extraordinary shooting ability and playmaking skills.
Allen Iverson chooses Doncic among the active players to be his partner
Joining Rachel Nichols on a recent episode, AI was asked who would be his pick for a backcourt partnership. Thinking of the potential candidates for a few seconds, Iverson goes with Luka Doncic. His reason – “Because he’s a big point guard. I can still play the two. He can guard the two, I can guard the one. I think it’d just be deadly.”
"I think it'd just be deadly." – Allen Iverson tells me on Headliners that if he could pair in the backcourt with any current NBA player, it would be…Luka Doncic. Listen to find out his reasoning ⬇️ Full convo streaming now on Showtime/Paramount+. pic.twitter.com/a3ixy3KqBv
— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) January 5, 2024
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Regarded as one of the greatest scorers and shooting guards, Iverson has made a name for himself in the league. The Philadelphia icon has never failed to keep the crowd entertained with his flashy style of play and hip-hop love. Despite being just 6 feet, the former MVP used the comparatively diminutive size, handle, and agility to his advantage.
While not as flashy as the Hall of Famer, Doncic has his own signature style (read: HORSE) that keeps his fans enamored. Though the 11x All-Star never got a ring; his one journey to the Finals had one of the most deadly duos of the NBA in his path – Kobe and Shaq; having Luka by his side then could have had a different result.
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Well, one thing’s for sure. Farming goals aside, Luka Doncic is just getting started with the NBA!
Watch This Story: Who Has Reached 10,000 Points Faster Than Luka Doncic?