Jason Kidd Compares Luka Doncic's 'Late Passing' to LeBron James
Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic has established himself as one of the NBA's elite passers and is the type of talent that can drop 30+ points when needed. Combining those two abilities makes for a transcendent player that can lead a team to impressive heights.
Doncic is constantly making the defense have to account for mismatches, sending a double-team, pre-rotating the low defender, and not getting caught up with ball watching due to the threat of his passing. His combination of scoring and passing talent tend to offer counters to how defenses adjust throughout a game or a series, which isn't always the case with other stars.
“I feel like he gets easier shots,” Mavs forward Dorian Finney-Smith said. "He always gets easy shots for everybody else. But for himself, he posted up a lot more last year. And also, J-Kidd does a good job of making it easier for him."
“All he can do is pay attention to details, how teams are guarding him. They’re pushing him right. So he’ll figure that out. You can’t show superstars the same look the whole game. They’ll figure it out, unless they don’t want to pass. We got one that loves to pass.”
Jason Kidd, who offered incredible court-vision during his NBA career, offered his perspective into what makes Doncic such a rare passing talent. He likened Doncic's ability as a big perimeter player to LeBron James, both of whom are able to use their size and court vision to execute "late passing."
“He’s 6-8 and he has the ability to hold it longer than most guards can,” Kidd said. “The next one close to him is LeBron. You talk about late passing, behind the head, the flick passes when he might be in trouble or stuck, he can bail himself out. It lends to continuity as a quarterback knowing where your receivers are.”
In order to thrive at late passing, Doncic has proven to be a master at staying poised when he draws two defenders and using great timing and use of his eyes to manipulate the backline of the defense. With great pass accuracy, he's often putting the play in the hands of a teammate in a favorable position.
From the perspective of Doncic's teammates, there is a clear understanding that being "shot-ready" is a must, even late in the play when a pass wouldn't be the most expected outcome. Knowing when to be at certain spots on the floor is an essential part of the process.
“You got to be shot-ready, quick trigger, ready to fire that thing off,” Mavs guard Tim Hardaway Jr. said. “For the most part, you’ll know, you’ll find out, when and where you’re going to receive the ball and the spots you’re supposed to be at to help him out and making his job a lot easier while you’re on the floor. It’ll take time, but not a lot of time.”
One player currently going through the acclimation process of being a recipient of Doncic's passes is Christian Wood. He is learning where to be, especially when the defense sends double teams at the ball. When that happens, Wood knows that Doncic will find him.
“It’s definitely knowing where to be with him, because they mix in double teams on top and at the post,” Wood said. “And it’s finding the open space so he can find you – and he’s going to find you every single time.”
It doesn't take long for some opposing players to start thinking about what it would be like to be on the receiving end of Doncic's passes. JaVale McGee, who was a member of the Phoenix Suns last season, even admitted to pondering the possibility after watching Doncic as a competitor throughout the Western Conference Semifinals.
“Seeing seven straight games of Luka definitely helped with the decision of coming here,” McGee said. “He’s a player who gets everybody involved. I like being around players like that.
“All the attention that he draws and the way that this system is set up to have all the shooters around, that really opens up the lane for players like me who are dynamic at the rim.”
The Mavs have fully leaned into "Luka ball" by deploying two 3-and-D wings, a rim roller, and a secondary creator alongside him. His passing ability sets the tone for the half-court offense and the best could be on display in 2022-23.
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