"Luka is just a different type of talent" - Kristaps Porzingis talks about Luka Doncic and what makes him unique, and recounts other big moments in his career
Luka Doncic is an elite-level athlete, and everybody in the NBA community knows that. Although he is not having a great season as compared to his last two campaigns, his teammate Kristaps Porzingis has continued to heap praise on him.
According to Evan Sidery of Basketball News, Porzingis was surprised Luka Doncic wasn't taken with the first overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft.
"I knew he was the MVP of the EuroLeague. And I was looking at the rest of the class, the rest of the rookies, and I’m thinking ‘There’s not one guy that would be able to go to Europe and get the EuroLeague MVP at that moment. So, I knew he was the best player out of that class. There are many great players, but Luka is just a different type of talent."
Porzingis always wanted to play for the New York Knicks and was hopeful Luka Doncic would join him there. Things aligned perfectly for him when he was signed by the Dallas Mavericks.
"I was hoping he would come to New York somehow, but we ended up playing together [anyway]. I knew it. He’s one of the most talented players I’ve ever seen. He’s just a natural-born talent. He was born for this. To see the things that he’s capable of doing on a basketball court is just insane, and it’s not something he thinks about. He just plays instinctively and [it] comes natural to him, so it’s really cool to play with a high-level basketball player like him.”
An interesting list. Through 300 games, total points scored for international players who went straight to the NBA, bypassing US HS or college basketball. Timely since Kristaps Porzingis played his 300th game on Monday. Luka obviously will be well past these numbers at 300 gms https://t.co/3tzQK4Zv6B
Injuries have hampered Porzingis' growth, as the Latvian has not been the much-needed No. 2 on the team. However, Luka Doncic has continued to carry the team. Porzingis also believes they are the dark horses of the league and just need to grow as a team to pose a bigger threat.
Can Luka Doncic lead the Dallas Mavericks to another playoff feature?
The Dallas Mavericks currently sit 6th in the Western Conference standings with an 11-11 record after losing 97-90 to the Memphis Grizzlies on December 4. Regardless, it is still a close race as all teams from 4th to 10th do not have much separation on the standings. For the Mavs to finish in the top six, Luka Doncic has to play his best brand of basketball and get enough help from the supporting cast.
KP and Luka fuel the @dallasmavs comeback 🔥
Porzingis: 29 PTS, 10 REB, 51 FPTS
Doncic: 19 PTS, 11 AST, 47.7 FPTS https://t.co/mbGK1AEjTM
In the last two seasons, the Mavericks have been eliminated by the LA Clippers in the first round despite Luka Doncic's shooting clinic. The Serbian averaged 35.7 points in the seven-game series, but it was not enough to help his team advance to the next round.
Luka Doncic's talent is clear to see, and the Slovenian is already making a lot of noise in his fourth year as a professional basketball player. It is the perfect time to build a team that can contend for championships. He is averaging 25.4 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 8.5 assists while shooting 44.5% from the field so far this season.