Luka Doncic believes scoring is easier in NBA than in Europe: "I was surprised... I was never really a scorer"
Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic has gone on record to say that scoring in the NBA is easier than in Europe. Fellow European stars Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo have also added to this sentiment.
Luka Doncic has drawn a lot of attention for his comments about the differences between playing in the NBA and in Europe. In this regard, he garnered particular attention for saying that it was easier to score in the NBA.
While this may seem out of turn, Doncic has certainly been a dominant figure in the NBA as of late. He expressed his take on the matter when he joined JJ Redick on his podcast, "The Old Man & The Three".
Doncic also expressed his surprise at the degree of ease with which he could score. He said:
"Yeah, I was surprised. I didn't expect in my second year — when I started playing way better than my rookie year — to [do that]. When I came to the NBA, I never expected to be this good of a scorer. I was never really a scorer. I was really surprised."
“When I came to the NBA, I never expected to be this good of a scorer. I was never really a scorer [overseas],” Luka Doncic said. “I was really surprised.”
Doncic says scoring in the NBA is “100% easier” than scoring in EuroLeague. He explains why here: basketballnews.com/stories/jokic-…
Building upon this, European stars Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo have also expressed a similar take on the matter. Speaking about the degree of difficulty in scoring in Europe, Antetokounmpo said:
"The game in Europe is way harder than the game in the NBA. And I don't want to disrespect [NBA players]; the talent obviously in the NBA is way higher. But the space, it's just [different], like you have a lot of lanes to drive the ball and create. I think over there, it's more intense."
Jokic also shared a similar sentiment in this regard. The Nuggets big man had spoken about the difficulties involved with playing in Europe during an interview before the season.
Highlighting factors such as court size and different rules, Jokic placed an emphasis on quick thinking and positional awareness being necessary in Europe.
The most common aspect between all three takes is the aspect of positional awareness and team basketball. By virtue of the rules and the leeway given to shot blockers in the paint, players are forced to be more active and ball movement is key.
However, in the NBA, where rules are often a lot laxer, players are given a lot more freedom to express themselves individually. In this regard, one can see the logic behind Doncic's sentiment as well.
While also considering the numbers he and his fellow European stars have been putting up, it is safe to say that there may be some truth to the statement.
Read: Jason Kidd cuts a concerned figure as Luka Doncic drops third 50-piece in six games to secure a win
Luka Doncic is taking over the NBA
The NBA has been struck with "Luka Magic" ever since the Slovenian wonderkid was drafted. However, Luka Doncic, in his brief career, has already emerged as one of the best players in the league.
The Dallas Mavericks superstar has been nothing short of spectacular this season. In the process of emerging as an MVP candidate, Doncic has recorded an average of 34.3 points, 8.8 rebounds and 8.9 assists per game.
His latest stretch of games has certainly been something to take note of. Following his historic 60-21-10 night, Doncic notched another 51-point scoring outing to lead his team to a clutch win.
Needless to say, "The Don" is in top condition right now. With the Mavericks also occupying the fourth spot in the West, Doncic and his team are certainly on the right track.
Read: JJ Redick explores 2nd star options for Luka Doncic and Dallas Mavericks