NBA Awards 2019: 3 reasons why Luka Doncic should win the Rookie of the Year Award
Every rookie entering the league wants to win the Rookie of the Year Award, the highest honour given to someone playing their first year in the NBA. Even the greats like Michael Jordan, Tim Duncan, and Lebron James entered the NBA with a bang, winning this prestigious award, and leaving an ever-lasting first impression.
The exciting thing is that every year there is intense competition for this award, and the hype has always peaked after every passing season. However, for a rookie, just coming out of the college, it is not easy to adapt to the NBA environment, which is much more intense and arduous than college ball. There have been cases of top draft picks who have entirely flopped in their first ever NBA season even after so much hype was created around them. But some rookies outshine others and adapt to the environment quickly, leaving a permanent mark.
Luka Doncic is one such player of this season's batch. Doncic has produced spectacular performances for the Dallas Mavericks and has left people awestruck by his talent. In this article, I am listing three main reasons why he deserves to win the Rookie of the Year award this year.
3) Best Player on the Dallas Mavericks' squad
Luka Doncic played like a pro this season, and it never seemed like he was playing for the first time in the NBA. The way he defended against the high-quality players in the NBA, indicates his physical as well as mental strength. He adjusted to the NBA style of play faster than any of the rookies in his class, and his indomitable spirit was worth watching game after game.
Not only his skills, but he also impressed everyone with his tactical acumen and leadership qualities. He ran the floor hard and executed exceptional plays for his team. And how can we forget his clutch shots?
Doncic has played for 32.2 minutes per game for the Mavs and was no doubt their best player on the floor all season long. He averaged 21.2 points, six assists, and 7.8 rebounds this season along with 1.1 steals and 0.3 blocks. He shot an impressive 42.7% from the field and 32.7% from beyond the arc. These are exceptional stats for a rookie.
Doncic's European Basketball experience has helped him adjusting rapidly into the NBA style of play, which is more strenuous. He was the best player and hopefully, will be the future of the Mavs. He deserves his name to be etched in the NBA history books with the honour of Rookie of the Year.