'Luka Doncic is a Beast': Where Mark Cuban Ranks Dallas Mavs Superstar
One national media outlet views Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic as "the second-best guard in the NBA.''
Lofty stuff. But to Mavs owner Mark Cuban, not lofty enough.
"Luka?'' Cuban said, answering a question in the podcast below. "Top 1 or 2. He's a beast. He's adding stuff to his game this summer, he's going to come back even better."
Cuban put his money where his mouth is in by recently signing Luka to a $207 million contract extension. Doncic’s resume includes three All-Star appearances, three All-NBA First Team selections and some impressive playoff victories.
Doncic became the youngest player to record a 30-point, 20 rebound triple-double at 22. That’s just one of the many impressive records Doncic has accumulated in four NBA seasons.
But just how good is the European guard, who looks to have slimmed down this offseason?
Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley has Doncic ranked as the second-best guard in the league.
“Doncic, who turned 23 in February, just completed his third consecutive campaign of averaging 27 points, eight assists, and eight rebounds,” Buckley wrote. “Throughout NBA history, those marks have only been reached 10 other times: five by Oscar Robertson, twice by LeBron James, and once by Michael Jordan, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden.”
Other accomplishments include being the fourth youngest player to reach 5,000 career points and the fastest Dallas player to ever eclipse that mark.
So, why isn’t Doncic No. 1? Could be his lack of championships. The top-rated point guard Steph Curry just won his fourth NBA championship, four trophies ahead of Doncic.
But Cuban and Doncic, of course, are planning on fixing that - and Cuban sounds secure about a relationship between the two that can help make it happen.
"We get along great,'' Cuban said. "He's just a good, good guy. He's 23, just chills, got a girlfriend, likes to hang, likes to play video games, and watch basketball, you know."
