What Makes Luka Doncic So Deadly?

Lukaaaa Maaagiccc!!!

That’s what everyone calls it when he puts on a show like he did on Sunday with a career high 19 assists. Averaging almost a 30 point triple double and carrying his team to the playoffs at just 21 years of age, Luka Dončić is nothing short of a magician.

Unlike most rookies in the NBA, who ‘take time’ to get accustomed to playing professional basketball with players who are more experienced than them, Luca Dončić was a threat right from his rookie season of 2018-19. Averaging 21.2 PPG with 6 assists and 7.8 rebounds he went on to make the All NBA Rookie team and also won the Rookie of the Year award.

Going into the 2019-20 season which is only his second season in the NBA, he became an All Star starter and an MVP candidate. He is now a finalist for the Most Improved Player. He has totally held up his own and on many occasions even destroyed teams with a much more experienced rooster.

So what makes Luka Dončić so deadly? Let’s take a look.

He had already spent 3 years playing professional basketball with adult athletes before he joined the NBA. The experience that he had gained at Real Madrid now propels him to be fierce and willing, to take on the responsibility of making important plays and even scoring buzzer beaters.

Another reason why Dončić is so good at what he does is his 6’7” frame for a point forward. This allows him to rise over smaller defenders easily and even muscle his way into the paint when he wants to. To put this into perspective, the only other large Point Forward in the NBA right now is LeBron James.

Looking at his skill set, he has an arsenal of moves that he can choose from, he’s got sick handles, he’s good from the mid range, he knows how to draw contact and he has arguably the most devastating weapon in modern NBA, the step back 3.

Combining these with his elite ability to compliment his teammates, he elevates his team to another level. Despite not being very athletic, he knows how to use counters to always make good plays. He has the ability to trap defenders behind him and already uses fakes like a veteran. His offensive game is almost as flawless as it gets for any NBA player, let alone anyone who has only been in the league for less than 2 years.

Despite all these attributes, the single most important reason why Luka Dončić is so deadly is his high basketball IQ.

“For me, playing basketball is like playing chess”, Dončić said in an interview, “You got to read the game. If they double you, there’s going to be somebody open”.

He has an impressive court vision and has the ability to find the open man on the weak side after a pick and roll almost effortlessly. Given that he is about half a decade away from his prime, his decision making is commendable. Dončić is always a step ahead of his defenders, sometimes even leaving then clueless as to what happened.

Luka Dončić is truly a deadly player and one whom teams should be weary of. It won’t come as a surprise if he goes on to win a few MVPs along the road. One can’t help but admire this young player.

Written by Nischal Mohan