By Giorgos Orfanakis / info@eurohoops.net
Young Luka was introduced to the basketball public in the colors of Real Madrid, but the things he has achieved in the current EuroBasket have made even the most skeptical fan bow to his talent.
He finished the tournament as a champ, averaging 14,3 ppg, 8.1 rpg and 3.6 asp! We are talking about a kid that just turned 18 last February, but despite his youth, he stands next to Goran Dragic as a worthy partner in Slovenia’s backcourt.
In the quarterfinal against Latvia, Doncic stopped at 27 points, along with 9 rebounds and some clutch three-pointers. This particular performance bumps the next big thing in world basketball up to 2nd place on the list of the most productive performances of all time for an 18-year-old or 19-year-old player.
Starting in 1981, Eurohoops presents the Top 10 performances with a list that includes some “intimidating” names that prove the greatness of Luka Doncic. The No.1 draft of 2018, right now looks locked in!
Arvydas Sabonis (EuroBasket 1983)
In the EuroBasket of 1983, Arvydas Sabonis, the most talented big man to ever play on European courts, made sure he sent a message very early on for what was going to follow in the coming years of a brilliant career.
It was July 3rd when the then 19-year-old Sabonis went… wild in the colors of the Soviet Union against the Netherlands, registering the best performance for a young player in a EuroBasket from 1981 until today, with 28 points.
For the record, in the end, the charismatic center completed the tournament with an average of 17.7 points and led his team to third place.