Hoops Habit
Fansided

NBA: 10 best players of calendar year 2019

By Josh Cornelissen

Toronto Raptors Kawhi Leonard Milwaukee Bucks Giannis Antetokounmpo. Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images
Toronto Raptors Kawhi Leonard Milwaukee Bucks Giannis Antetokounmpo. Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 11
Next
NBA Luka Doncic Dallas Mavericks
Luka Doncic Dallas Mavericks. Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images /

10. Luka Doncic, G, Dallas Mavericks

2019 has brought many things and one of the most exciting has been the introduction to the league’s next superstar. Whether he is the next James Harden or the next Larry Bird — or something entirely new and different — it’s clear that Luka Doncic is destined for stardom. In fact, he may have already arrived.

Since the start of 2019, Doncic has averaged 25.4 points per game over 62 games, 11th in the league. His range extends to the 3-point line and beyond, as only Harden is as comfortable with stepback 3-pointers as Doncic is. His hesitation game is excellent, his touch on floaters and leaners top notch and it’s no understatement to say he can score from anywhere on the court.

What is remarkable about Doncic is that it’s not only the scoring that he brings to the table. The Slovenian guard is averaging 9.4 rebounds and 7.7 assists per contest as well this year, and only Russell Westbrook has more triple-doubles since Jan. 1 than the 16 Doncic has tallied. In a sense he’s a combination of Westbrook and Harden.

His play has lifted his team’s success as well, as the Dallas Mavericks are in the thick of the playoff picture in the Western Conference this season and could realistically land a first-round bye. The Mavericks have built a team designed around him as the centerpiece and he is thriving. In just his second season Doncic still has plenty to prove, but the start thus far has been exemplary.