Steve_424
Hall-of-Famer
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HEIGHT: 6'8" (203 cm)
WEIGHT: 228 lbs (103 kg)
AGE: 18.9
POSITION: G
HOMETOWN: Ljubljana, Slovenia
AGENT: Bill Duffy
CURRENT TEAM: Real Madrid
Scouting Report (Source: Sporting News)
Doncic’s strengths are universally recognized. At 6-7 and nearly 230 pounds, he possesses the skills of a point guard in a wing’s body. It’s really just a matter of what position he slots in at in a lineup. Real Madrid frequently uses him as a lead ball-handler, but he can also play away from the ball. In that sense, Doncic is already a valuable commodity when it comes to team construction. Offensively, a front office can build around him a variety of ways.
The easiest place to start with Doncic is his passing, and it’s one of the primary reasons to put the ball in his hands as much as possible. His combination of size and court vision gives him the ability to sling passes that most other point guards can only dream of. For example, Doncic launching a two-handed overhead pass from the top of the key to a shooter in the corner is not an infrequent occurrence. His passing ability makes him a dangerous threat in the pick-and-roll as well where he likes to slip bounce passes through the defense to a rolling big man. Between launching from overhead and sneaking passes down low, Doncic can create for his teammates from a variety of different angles.
In transition, Doncic is capable of whipping hit ahead passes or launching long outlets. It’s in these situations where his court vision seems to shine most, as he’s a bit more measured in the halfcourt, often waiting for a ball screen to read and react to a set defense.
Doncic is a menacing scorer out of those ball screens, too. He displays a certain level of maturity in his ability to get defenders on his hip when he gets into the lane and when using re-screens to create additional space. However, because he lacks the explosive quickness to turn the corner against many defenders, Doncic is going to have to rely on his off the dribble jumper as both a tool to score and to draw in more athletic defenders when he’s looking to drive.
The Slovenian has finally started to knock down his 3-point attempts at a consistent rate this season, shooting 36.2 percent across all competitions. His high free throw percentage (84.6) suggests that could even improve as he becomes more comfortable with range. If Doncic can consistently connect on off-the-dribble 3s — his go-to move to get the shot off is a step back featuring a right to left crossover through his legs to create space — he’ll be a scheme-changing ball-handler. That’s largely where his offensive upside lies.
At worst, Doncic can fit in offensively off the ball, acting as a second or third ball-handler as needed. While he lacks the burst to blow by defenders one-on-one from a standstill, he is quick enough to beat them on close outs. Doncic is also a viable catch-and-shoot option and a very smart off-ball cutter. Combining those skills with his passing sets a pretty high floor for his offensive game.
So far, it’s been easy to paper over Doncic’s lack of athleticism with his elite skill level on the offensive end. Although there should be some concern about his ability to be a top tier one-on-one creator in the NBA, his production at the highest levels of European competition allays many of those worries. It’s harder for Doncic to overcome his lack of physical tools, including what appears to be average length, below average vertical explosiveness and mediocre lateral quickness on defense.
Although Doncic is largely credited with being an intelligent defender who uses his body well to cut off penetration, he seems to regularly find himself getting beat off the bounce. It happens most often when the ball rotates to Doncic’s man. He has a habit of being upright and often overcompensates by getting out of position. That gives up driving lanes to opposing offensive players that force potentially backbreaking defensive rotations from his teammates.
Whereas Doncic’s skill makes up for his lack of athleticism on offense, his intensity helps compensate somewhat on defense. He’ll offer resistance when posted up by bigger opponents, even if he’s not going to win, and he’s always active trying to recover to shooters. Doncic’s competitiveness also translates on the defensive boards where he shows good timing and a willingness to battle, often allowing him to rip and run to create transition opportunities.
Still, there’s only so much ground that playing hard can make up defensively without the physical tools to back it up. Doncic is likely going to need a strong defensive lineup built around him in the NBA, and on most nights, he’ll be tasked with guarding one of the opposing team’s worst offensive players. Notably, though, Doncic’s size does mean a head coach will have more flexibility with where to hide him.
What we’re left with is a high-IQ 18-year-old who is putting up historic numbers in Europe and possesses primary ball-handler upside assuming he can consistently knock down 3-pointers off the dribble. Doncic will probably never be a high-level defender in the NBA, but he’ll try hard enough to save face. That package is currently enough to make the Slovenian the favorite to be the No. 1 pick in 2018.
NBA Comparisons: James Harden, Manu Ginobili, Gordon Hayward, Ricky Rubio
Other Notable Information
- In April 2015, Doncic made his first-team debut for Real Madrid and was the youngest player ever to do that.
- Doncic signed with Real Madrid at the age of 13.
- Luka's parents divorced in 2008, with custody and legal guardianship awarded to his mother. Luka's father is a former professional basketball player, his mother is a former model who now owns a beauty salon.
