By George Efkarpides / info@eurohoops.net
After a few troublesome years, the Phoenix Suns may have found the man they need to turn the franchise around in Igor Kokoskov.
With the NBA lottery just around the corner and the Suns the favorite to land the no. 1 pick speculation about who they will be selecting has shifted significantly.
Previously, it was broadly believed that given the opportunity, Phoenix would select DeAndre Ayton as the Arizona product would definitely fill a void in a weakened Suns front court.
Now, with Kokoskov in charge, it would make sense for them to select Luka Doncic.
Kokoskov and Doncic share a special bond as it was them along with Slovenian all-star Goran Dragic who brought the 2017 Eurobasket title to Slovenia for the first time in history.
Moreover, as the NBA game has transformed into a guard-dominant league, a potential backcourt of Luka Doncic and Devin Booker may be “just what the Doctor ordered” in Phoenix.
Kokoskov spoke to Eurohoops during the Eurobasket and had this to say about Doncic and potentially becoming the no.1 pick
“Doncic is a really special guy. His talent and potential are really unbelievable. Also, the way he’s carrying this whole pressure, it’s like he is enjoying it. It’s really up to him. He must work on his game, there are many parts in which he can still improve. He is more than mature for his age. I didn’t give him anything that he doesn’t deserve. He has already gained a lot of respect, even his teammates like him a lot”.
And the pairing of Doncic with Kokoskov again might be the perfect match.