As you all know, the Dallas Mavericks traded franchise point guard Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers— a move that shook the NBA world.
Even though Doncic and the Mavericks organization didn’t end on the best terms, his resume alone warrants a jersey retirement when his career is complete.
Only four numbers in Mavs history have been retired:
- Derek Harper (12)
- Brad Davis (15)
- Rolando Blackman (22)
- Dirk Nowitzki (41)
Doncic immediately put the NBA on notice
After making a name for himself with the overseas basketball club Real Madrid Baloncesto, Doncic entered the 2018 NBA Draft. Initially, the Atlanta Hawks drafted him as the third overall pick but instantly traded his draft rights to Dallas for Trae Young.
During his rookie year, Doncic averaged 21.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 1.1 steals per game.
He became the fifth rookie in history to average at least 20 points, five rebounds and five assists per game, joining Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Tyreke Evans as the only rookies to achieve this feat. He also recorded eight triple-doubles that season, ranking fourth behind Russell Westbrook, Nikola Jokic, and Ben Simmons.
His efforts that season helped him win the Rookie of the Year Award. He joined Pau Gasol as the only European player to earn the honor and joined Jason Kidd as the second Mavericks player to win it.
Luka Doncic continued to pave his historic path
The rest of Doncic’s time in Dallas was unforgettable. For the next five years, he averaged a combined 30.3 points, 8.9 rebounds, 8.8 assists, and 1.2 steals per game.
Doncic’s greatest season was last year’s campaign. He was the NBA’s leading scorer with an average of 33.9 points per game while logging 9.2 rebounds, 9.8 assists, and 1.4 steals per contest.
His best performance occurred on January 26.
One day after being named a Western Conference All-Star starter, he recorded a career-high 73 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists against the Atlanta Hawks. The scoring outburst made him the fourth player in NBA history to score 72 or more points in a game. It was also the most points a player scored in a game since Kobe Bryant’s 81 in 2006.
Doncic’s historic stats and performances are only a slice of the cake. He also made the Mavericks a playoff-contending franchise for the first time since the 2015-16 campaign.
He led them to four playoff appearances, including a Finals appearance last year. In the playoffs, Luka averaged 30.9 points, 9.4 rebounds, 8.0 assists, and 1.7 steals per game.
Luka Doncic’s run with the Mavericks was nothing short of incredible. He is No. 6 on their all-time scoring list with 12,089 points, No. 4 in rebounds (3,655), No. 5 in assists (3,489), and No. 2 in 3-pointers made (1,276). He also earned five All-Star and All-NBA selections.
Whether he will return to Dallas in the future remains unknown.
Regardless, the Mavericks should reserve a spot in the rafters for No. 77.
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