Who’s Going To Beat Luka Doncic For Rookie Of The Year?
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Who’s going to beat Luka Doncic for Rookie of the Year? It’s not going to be DeAndre Ayton. It’s not going to be Trae Young. It’s not going to be Colin Sexton, Jaren Jackson Jr., or Kevin Knox. There’s not one rookie who’s better than Doncic. In fact, it’s not even close.
Phoenix and Sacramento passed on Doncic. While the jury is still out on Ayton and Bagley III, there are some fans who believe they indeed made the wrong move. Can you blame them, though? Doncic is already a franchise player for the Mavericks. It’s fitting, as Dirk Nowitzki retires at the end of the season.
Looking at the stats, Doncic has had much success. He leads Ayton by 2.5 points in the rookie scoring race. He’s third in rookie rebounding, and second in assists. What’s best, his team is winning.
Look at players like Young, Ayton, and Sexton. Their teams aren’t anywhere in the playoff picture. The Mavericks are fighting for an 8 seed or better in the Western Conference. Whether or not they do, is going to fall heavily on Doncic. He’s already the team’s alpha. How many of the other rookies can say that?
It seems strange that a rookie holds the key to a teams playoff chances. Most rookies aren’t as prolific as Luka Doncic. He was always believed to be a one of a kind talent. There’s no question that’s the case.
One could make the argument that Doncic is having one of the best first years in NBA history. It’s not all about the impressive statistics. His poise and confidence are unmatched by any rookie this season. He’s about as clutch as anyone in the NBA.
What’s going to be the ceiling for Luka Doncic? It’s possible he could be a 25-point per game player. Perhaps he’s averaging double digit assists and rebounds. He’ll join Russell Westbrook and Oscar Robertson as the only players to average a triple-double for a season at some point in his career.
It’s all starting to come together this year. Doncic is taking the steps to become the NBA’s next superstar. He’s the rightful choice for Rookie of the Year. You can’t question that.
Daniel is a guru of baseball and basketball prospects. He’s a very experienced Amusement Park traveler as well. Follow him and his hot takes on Insta @dgentleman9288
