NBA Draft: Luka Doncic rises to first in 2018 NBA Redraft

The history of wings entering the NBA out of Europe is checkered at best, and that uncertain track record combined with a noted lack of athleticism caused NBA teams to question whether Luka Doncic should be the first overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. That’s the explanation for why he inexplicably fell to the No. 3 pick, where the Dallas Mavericks traded up to take him.

Doncic is the ultimate conductor, operating with the ball in his hands and directing his teammates around him to make beautiful basketball music. He is crafty driving inside, with tight ball-handling and excellent body control to change speeds, lean one way before scooping a layup off the glass from the other. He’s also a threat to take a stepback jumper anywhere on the court, although he is yet to put that into the basket at an above average rate.

The Dallas Mavericks have handed Doncic the keys to the offense, and the past two years everything has revolved around him. Over that time not only has Doncic put up insane personal statistics, averaging 28.3 points, 8.7 rebounds and 8.7 assists per game, but the team has had elite offensive success as well. In 2019-20 they were the league’s best offense, and last season they finished inside the top 10 despite missing entire swaths of their rotation to COVID-19 at times during the year.

There is no question that Doncic is the best player from this draft class, and here in our redraft the Phoenix Suns right the wrong of three years ago and take Doncic. He would pair with Devin Booker to make a devastating offensive combo that would terrorize the league.