Giannis Praises 'Exciting' Luka Doncic, Thinks He'll Make an Immediate Impact
Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo believes Euroleague experience gained by Dallas Mavericks rookie guard Luka Doncic will allow him to make an "immediate impact" in the NBA.
Antetokounmpo told Spanish outlet Marca (via EuroHoops.net) that Doncic, who led Real Madrid to the 2018 Euroleague championship, is the "most exciting player that has appeared in basketball...in the recent years":
"He has shown that he is ready to play and has matured faster than the rest players. He has played against professionals, as Charles Barkley said. People in the NBA sometimes forget that in the EuroLeague competition, they play very well and very hard. It's harder than the NCAA. You have to be very good to stand out in the EuroLeague, and Luka is."
Doncic collected a massive amount of hardware for the 2017-18 season.
The 19-year-old Slovenian was named the Euroleague MVP and the Euroleague Final Four MVP as part of Real Madrid's championship run. He also earned Liga ACB MVP honors as the team won its domestic title in Spain for the fourth time in the past six years.
He was selected with the third overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft by the Atlanta Hawks and then traded to the Mavs for a package that included fellow top prospect Trae Young.
Doncic should instantly take over as Dallas' starter at shooting guard alongside Dennis Smith Jr. to create of the league's most exciting backcourts. If his transition is as smooth as the Greek Freak expects, the European sensation should contend for Rookie of the Year.
