NBA: Player attributes once seen as a flaw that are now an asset

2. Luka Doncic

How Luka Doncic fell down to the third overall selection in the 2018 draft is mind-blowing still to this day. The Dallas Mavericks got an absolute steal in Luka Doncic and will have a generational superstar to built around for years to come. Doncic was regarded as a basketball prodigy even before he was drafted to the NBA due to his incredible feel for the game. However, there was a reason he fell in the draft.

Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report stated that “Doncic lacks explosiveness for a guard or wing. He isn’t a blow-by driver, which forces him to rely on lower-percentage shots away from the basket in isolation situations.”. This was the big concern going into the draft for teams looking at Doncic. Teams thought he would be too slow and wouldn’t be able to hang in the NBA athletically.

However, in just two seasons in the NBA Doncic has proven that this supposed weakness is actually one of his greatest strengths. Doncic uses his lack of speed to his advantage by lulling guys to sleep on the perimeter and using his crafty handle and herky-jerky style of play to get by his defenders.

As mentioned, the reason Doncic was seen as a basketball prodigy was due to his feel for the game and his craftiness. However, this was seen as a weakness by some teams and they’ll be regretting that evaluation for years to come. Luka Doncic is here to stay.