Top reasons Luka Doncic should land the top pick in next year’s NBA draft

18-year-old Slovenian player Luka Doncic is already turning heads this early, and many basketball aficionados are picking him to be the shoo-in top pick in next year’s NBA draft. Let’s take a closer look at why this argument is becoming more and more agreeable. 

Image source: sportsillustrated.com

Firstly, Doncic is young and already very skilled. He just turned 18 recently, yet has already gotten significant awards in the European League, including MVP for three rounds during his team Real Madrid’s semifinal run. Alongside countryman and NBA star Goran Dragic, the 6-foot-8 star likewise just led Slovenia to its first FIBA EuroBasket championship, beating Spain, France, and Serbia in the process for the historic 2017 win. 

While Donkic is not as athletic as most top draft prospects from the US, he has a very high basketball I.Q. and a generally complete skill set for his age. During Slovenia’s recent run in EuroBasket, he outplayed the likes of Lauri Markkanen, Bogan Bogdanovic, the Gasol brothers, and even Latvia’s best player and New York star Kristaps Porzingis. 

Donkic sees the floor really well, and his passing skills is complemented by a high three-point shooting clip and impressive inside drives. It’s becoming the norm stylistically for big guys in the NBA to shoot from the outside and bring the ball down, and Donkic fits well with this trend.

Ultimately, the conversation boils down to drafting Donkic over Michael Porter Jr. and Marvin Bagley III. But rapid improvements in this still-teenager’s game spiced up by international recognition and awards are surely making him the most solid top-pick contender. 

Image source: theringer.com

Hello, my name’s Shaun Benderson and I’m currently studying at the University of Florida. As a sports fan, I’ve always wanted to start my own sports blog. For similar reads, drop by this blog.