“He’s just different with his command of the game, you’re gonna play Luka Doncic’s version of basketball” - Chiney Ogwumike believes Luka Doncic can be the next face of the NBA
Since entering the NBA, Luka Doncic has often been discussed as the next face of the league. But the Dallas Mavericks' recent failures in the playoffs have dampened those discussions in recent seasons.
"I think Luka (Doncic) can be the next guy up, I like what Ja (Morant) is doing, I love Trae Young. But Luka, everybody knows he’s different with his command of the game."
"You’re gonna play Luka Doncic’s brand of basketball, I like that Doncic could potentially be the face, the one question we have, is if he can win in the playoffs. If he can get through a round or too, people might say it’s Luka’s time to win a championship," Chiney Ogwumike said during a recent episode of ESPN'S NBA today.
Still, Doncic is unequivocally one of the best players under the age of 25, and continues to wow with his control of the game and ability to spearhead an offense.
Of course, the 23-year-old does face some stiff competition for the label of "face of the league", with Kendrick Perkins noting that two other players that are in the running for that crown - and that was before Jayson Tatum started clawing his way into the conversation.
Who are you taking? 🤔 @KendrickPerkins https://t.co/etSQXGJfcu
Doncic Still Needs to Improve
Since his sophomore season, Doncic has averaged 8.7 assists, 8.8 rebounds, and 28.1 points per game, but his 33.3% three point shooting continues to be a contention point.
As and when the Ljubljana native figures out his stroke from deep, his game is going to reach a new level, as defenses won't be able to sink into the paint to limit his work around the rim or in mid-range. Being respectable from deep will also allow the Mavericks to add more versatile talent around Doncic, as right now, without multiple floor spacers, their superstar guard is limited in how he can impact games.
The Mavs are 6-2 since trading away Porzingis at the deadline.
During this eight-game stretch, Luka Doncic is averaging:
36.1 points,
10.6 rebounds,
6.9 assists,
4.0 made three-pointers (shooting 39.5% from deep)
According to Cleaning The Glass, Doncic is currently shooting 34% from the corner three and above the break, which places him in the 41st percentile of guards.
When the playoffs roll around and halfcourt basketball is at a premium, Doncic will need a reliable three-point jumper if he wants his team to make a deep run. Of course, roster construction can alleviate that issue in the short-term, but in the modern NBA, the face of the league has to be able to nail deep jumpers.
Doncic Can Win a Championship
Giannis Antetokounmpo won his first NBA championship last season - his 8th year in the league. It takes time to develop your game to the point where you're not only one of the best players in the league, but one of the most ferocious post-season threats.
Doncic is still in his early twenties and is only in his fourth season of NBA basketball. It would be unfair to start placing the expectations of a championship on his shoulders so soon. But when the inevitable does happen, and he puts a ring on that finger of his, you can rest assured he will be one of the most prominent faces of the NBA for multiple years to come.