By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
Luka Doncic has been in MVP talks within less than two months in his sophomore season in the NBA and at 20 years of age. His numbers are stunning and with a game-winning impact for the Dallas Mavericks.
Are we talking about the best player in his age ever in the NBA? Former two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash believes that this may be the case indeed.
“I think he’s maybe the best 20-year-old the NBA has ever seen,” Nash said on Doncic in an interview for NBA Cafe Barcelona. “The game’s a little different than when Lebron came in the league. The numbers are little inflated because of the pace and the hand check. But still. I don’t think Lebron was so gifted but I don’t think he was as polished as Luka at 20. Now, Luka’s never going to be the athlete that Lebron is, but he’s a great athlete. He’s an underrated athlete.”
“He’s going to be a Hall of Fame player if he stays healthy,” Nash added.
The question is, will Luka top Dirk Nowitzki as the best European player of all time.
“It’s possible. For sure,” Nash, a teammate of Nowitzki from 1998 to 2004, said. “Especially when you look at Dirk at 20. Dirk was amazing at 20. But compared to Luka? Because physically he was catching up. Luka’s already there physically. I think Dirk was playing in the second division in Germany. Luka has been playing in EuroLeague for Real Madrid. It’s a different time. Dirk was a rare-rare thing then. Now, it’s normal for a guy to come from Europe and be good right away. But Luka’s not normal in any way. He has a chance to be better than Dirk and Dirk is one of the best players we ever had. That says how incredible of a player and talent Luka is. That says how incredible player and talent Luka is.”