2018 NBA Draft: 5 reasons Luka Doncic should go No. 1

2. Offensive role versatility

This may be one of my personal favorite traits in Doncic’s game. Even though he has tremendous value as a ball-dominant playmaker, he can be successful in a lower usage, off-ball scoring role as well.

Doncic was forced into this role while playing in FIBA EuroBasket in the fall of 2017, with Miami Heat all star point guard Goran Dragic. The one-two punch of Doncic and Dragic led Slovenia to a EuroBasket title.

With Dragic being such a ball-dominant player, Doncic thrived in an off-ball role. This is a refreshing change of pace to the ball-dominant role he was forced into playing with Real Madrid this season. He’s more than a scorer when put in an off-ball role as well.

Here you can see Doncic out in transition where he receives the pass from Dragic, takes one dribble and immediately fires a cross-court pass in the corner for an open 3.

His off-ball role in EuroBasket also allowed Doncic to showcase more of his perimeter shooting ability as well. Here’s Doncic knocking down a spot-up 3 over former NBA player Nando De Colo. He does a nice job getting the shot off quickly and knocking it down, unfazed by the contest.

Here he is flashing his ability to shoot off movement as well. Doncic just flashes up from the high post area, sets his feet and buries the 3-point shot.

His ability to thrive in a low-usage role is very important to his fit with the Suns. Phoenix had Devin Booker become a much more high-usage and ball-dominant player as the season progressed. Maybe the lack of quality point guard play forced him into that role, or maybe the Suns see Booker as somebody who can thrive in a ball-dominant role.

Either way, both being able to have successful experience playing off the ball should create a healthy balance to take the pressure off of one another.