5. Luka Doncic, SG/SF, Dallas Mavericks
Luka Doncic is one of the league’s unique players, busting through stereotypes and expectations and living up to the hype in every way. He has shattered the mold for “European wings” and stepped right into the NBA as a fully-functioning offensive weapon despite his young age.
One of the weapons in his arsenal is the step-back 3-pointer, a move only a handful of other players are comfortable unleashing. Doncic uncorked that shot with absolutely no fear as a rookie, hitting it consistently early in the season and somewhat less-so later on.
He clearly felt the drag of the longer NBA season as the year went on, but he still ended the year averaging 21.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 6.0 assists — numbers only Oscar Robertson has hit a a rookie.
This season Doncic should only get better and more used to the NBA game, and he will have a wingman in Kristaps Porzingis to take defense pressure off of him. Together they should elevate the Dallas Mavericks into the playoff mix.
A winning record come All-Star voting could net the Mavericks a selection, and Doncic has the best case on the roster. International players often get a boost in voting from devoted fans overseas, and that could be the case for Doncic as well.
The competition will be steep for Doncic, as it will for anyone in the Western Conference. Young players are often forced to “wait their turn” in the West while their Eastern counterparts make the squad earlier in their career. Whether it is this year or next, Doncic will soon be an All-Star fixture.