“He’s Not the Fastest Guy…Not the Most Athletic”: Ex-Teammate DeAndre Jordan Unravels His Honest Impression of Luka Doncic

The Nuggets’ DeAndre Jordan and his history with the Dallas Mavericks do not have much substance. The Mavs had tried to sign him in 2015 free agency in hopes of a championship. After giving them his word, Jordan changed his mind and re-signed with the Clippers. Talk about being fickle-minded.

The Mavs still didn’t give up on the veteran and gave him a second chance in the 2018 offseason. He signed with Dallas on a one-year deal, again in free agency. It was Luka Doncic‘s rookie year. And now, at the start of the NBA regular season, DeAndre is invited to talk about his journey so far.

DeAndre Jordan’ first impression of Luka Doncic

Among his more legendary moments in the Clippers and now with the Nuggets, Jordan also opens up about the Mavs star player Luka Doncic. Doncic has always been big for his age. Even at the age of seven, he was playing with kids who were 10 years old.

So, it won’t be an overstatement when Jordan says, “He was a big body … he’s not the fastest guy, not the most athletic … he’s almost like a guard.”

When DeAndre compares Doncic to a guard, his mind immediately goes to former basketball player, Zach Randolph, more popularly known as “Z-Bo”. His ability to score and rebound with the best post players made him an elite talent for any coach to have on their roster.

Another factor he mentions in terms of Luka’s growth in the NBA has to do with how the Slovenian big man took his own time to grow and accommodate. He set his own pace to learn the ins and outs of the league and eventually settled in to become Dallas’s top name.

Doncic’s impressive journey in the in-between

Though DeAndre Jordan spoke his opinion about the Mavs star, maybe going back to his childhood can remind us just how dominant Luka Doncic really was. His father, Sasa Doncic, was a professional basketball player. Bringing it closer to home, NBA fans would probably remember a highly talented Slovenian basketball player by the name of Rasha Nesterović. He is the godfather of Luka.

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So it is no wonder that a baby Luka would grow up hearing NBA stories and holding a basketball. Fast forward to when he is eight. This was the ground-breaking moment for Doncic and his family.

According to Mike Schmitz of ESPN, “Doncic was so dominant at his first Olimpija practice that the coaching staff moved him up to the 1996-born group only 16 minutes into the training session.” From there it was a Luka rampage through Europe. At the age of 13, he won MVP in the championship game of the under-13 Lido di Roma tournament.

This is enough of a sneak glimpse into his younger self to realize just how talented the Slovenian is, isn’t it?

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