Dallas Mavericks: 3 candidates for a breakout season in 2018-19

1. Luka Doncic

The amount of hype Luka Doncic has received after a successful EuroLeague career has many people anticipating big things from the 19-year-old.

Blessed with a tremendous feel for the game and the ability to facilitate the basketball, Doncic should fit right in with Rick Carlisle‘s modernized approach to the offensive side of the ball. Based on early team workouts, Dirk Nowitzki said “Wonder Boy” is something he hasn’t seen in his 20 years in the NBA, while the Mavs head coach said fans who don’t buy season tickets to see him would “sorely regret it later.”

Given his incredible set of skills with the ball in his hands, Doncic is expected to receive plenty of run as the primary ball-handler, a proven method for production and a great way to learn the ropes of what it means to be an NBA floor general.

Most teenagers who come into the league experience a steep learning curve, which sometimes takes the entire season to figure out. Having dominated grown men en route to winning the EuroLeague MVP, such growing pains probably won’t be as concerning for Doncic, which should lead to some impressive statistical averages.