Any pre Mavs Doncic Fans here?

[SportPsychMav]

Just curious.

[Magickian]

YES! in my Keeper fantasy league AND on Scout, I told everyone LUKA is the man we want... so many of yall wanted Bagley, Ayton, WCjr, etc... Most of you wanted a big.

I watched his entire run the year before while we knew we had a high draft pick. So many people said he has already reached his ceiling and that he is unathletic and that his skills wouldn't translate to the big game... 

I even said if we got the first pick we should trade down and get Luka plus a pick... so many of you all called me crazy. 

I am wrong a lot in my predictions but I KNEW he was a star... 

having said that, even though I knew he would be great... I had no idea he would blow up this fast to being one of the best players to ever play the game already.

[Kammrath]

Oh yeah, like Magick, Clutch and I and a number of others were pushing the Luka bandwagon the whole year leading up to the draft.

[SleepingHero]

Been a fan since 96-97, so I think I qualify  

[fifteenth]

I liked Luka but thought he'd be gone when we picked. Donnie's the man! But I didn't start watching YouTube and finding out about him until guys like Magick, Clutch and Kam started telling us about him.

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But I think Psych may be asking about folks that were Luka fans and then became Mavs fans because we drafted Luka.

[BigDirk41]

I thought he was the best player in the draft prior to the actual draft. I followed him a decent amount his last year in Europe. He was really being hyped in the U.S. that whole year and was the projected #1 pick. For whatever reason, the scouts messed up and teams made poor choices. I didn't think we would have a chance to get him at #5. I also thought for sure he would go 1 or 2. I was super excited when we traded up to get him. Trae is a very good player and Cam has started very slowly, but Luka and Trae aren't even comparable anymore. Luka is being compared to the all time greats while Trae is a very promising young star. If that trade were to be redone the Mavs would do it 100 out of 100 times and the Hawks wouldn't even consider it.

If you're asking if any of us were Mavs fans prior to Luka, I've been a fan since the late 80's. I missed their good years in the 80's. The rebuild was rough, but the 3 J's times were fun. Things changed forever once we had Dirk, Nash and Finley. Things have been pretty great since Dirk was drafted. The last several years were tough, but still fun to watch Dirk.

[TheSportyChannel]

Mavs fan since 2006 when we lost to the heat in the NBA Finals. Sweeping the grizzlies 4-0 was my first time watching Mavs playoff and fell in love with this team ever since. Sucks I missed the Nash-Dirk era. Bunch of disappointing playoffs exit to Warriors, Spurs, Hornets, and Nuggets but Dirk and 2011 made up for it. Haven’t missed a single Luka game since we drafted him and don’t plan on missing even 1 if I get the chance since he is must see tv.

[omahen]

Luka fan here :-)

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Started seriously watching him at Euro 2017. Before he was "just" a talented kid. Hardly missed a game since

Nowitky Mavs were one of my favorite NBA teams, really glad Luka ended here.

[Mavsfan12]

I loved watching all of his videos/games the year we were tanking.  There was a lot of noise about him being the target of our tank efforts.  He did not disappoint.  He has always been entertaining!

That said, I will be the guy who admits he had doubts about Luka's abilities translating to the NBA.  I knew he had high BBIQ, but there just aren't many players of his athletic profile that become all-stars, let alone superstars.  Throw in the fact that he was (and still is) a mediocre 3pt shooter, and I didn't see it.  I figured he would play out like Nash without the shooting, but better rebounding - a great passer that struggled on D.  Maybe a less defensive JKidd. Turns out his BBIQ is truly strong enough to overcome his physical limitations.  

I would still like to see him tighten up his 3pt/turnover game (and I KNOW it drives RC bonkers!). He seems to be a solid spot up shooter, but he is doing pullup/stepback 3's a ton.  It is hard to be happy with 9 threes a game from a below average shooter.  Barnes and Wes were shooting high 30's and people wanted them burned at the stake.  However, his defense has been passable - certainly good enough to not be a target (like Trae Young will ALWAYS be).  I particularly like his ability to body people without fouling.  There have only been a couple of games this season where he was in any real foul trouble.

Where he has made the biggest improvement - and what has made him elite this year - is getting into the paint.  He is killing it down there - both scoring and passing.  He is drawing fouls at a high rate and has made improvements at the foul line.  I would like to see him continue this and work to turn some of his 3pt jacks into scoring opportunities for others on spot ups.  Or him spotting up.  Either way.  Better quality shots.  

He has thoroughly outplayed the expectations I had for him - and I am sure that even the biggest fans of his are shocked at the level he has risen to this season! Keep it coming!

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Just went back and looked at last year's all-stars...  All plus athletes with a couple of exceptions. 

The centers.  Jokic and Vucevic.  I guess being tall is an athletic ability.  Haha.  But yeah - skilled centers can sometimes get away with not being so nimble.

Also, Curry and Lowry.  They aren't slow, but neither I would consider a plus athlete by nba standards.  Curry is the greatest shooter of all-time.  So, that leaves Lowry as an All-star level player that has had success without possessing plus athleticism.  I would add that he would not be making all-star appearances if he was in the WC.  

It is amazing at what Luka is able to do while not having the speed/quickness/length/springs of these other all-stars!!!  Truly remarkable.  He is winning battles with BBIQ, handles, vision, and craftiness!

[SportPsychMav]

I liked Luka but thought he'd be gone when we picked. Donnie's the man! But I didn't start watching YouTube and finding out about him until guys like Magick, Clutch and Kam started telling us about him.

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But I think Psych may be asking about folks that were Luka fans and then became Mavs fans because we drafted Luka.

Haha, exactly, my question lacked precision.

[Mavericks321]

Been a huge fan since I was old enough to follow which was Dirks second year in the league.

[ClutchDirk]

Oh yeah, like Magick, Clutch and I and a number of others were pushing the Luka bandwagon the whole year leading up to the draft.

Enough to have "Luka Doncic Fan Club Member" and his pic in my signature basically the whole season before we drafted him...and I rarely get into draft discussions over the years...I saw a kid from Europe who made the game play at his speed and had elite ability to start and stop on a dime...court vision that is better than most players ever had...

I did have certain posters try to claim the NCAA is a tougher league than Europe was to play in and he would struggle or be a bust in the NBA...

[SportPsychMav]

That he would be a bust was the most stupid take ever. If you just watch his play at 16 he was good enough for the NBA already, not this dominating level good, but good enough to play minutes.

[ClutchDirk]

Wrong thread...

[luka_skywalker_77]

This site (and the precursor to it) have been one of the best sites on the www in terms of NBA coverage. You'll be hard pressed to find a better one, and these folks have been at it for years. Sure there's a few new posters but it's pretty hardcore here.

[SportPsychMav]

This site (and the precursor to it) have been one of the best sites on the www in terms of NBA coverage. You'll be hard pressed to find a better one, and these folks have been at it for years. Sure there's a few new posters but it's pretty hardcore here.

I know, even I am ancient, although not as a poster. Had a brief stint as a rajon rondo hyper, because before his Fall of grace I loved him as a player and Boston was my 2nd team.

Im just curious if some Luka stans have made their way here.

[fifteenth]

Im just curious if some Luka stand have made their way here.

There were several last season. Not sure if they all made it here or not.

[Benskix2]

I was not. I thought we were going to be truly awful the next year regardless of who we drafted, and that we were giving up a guaranteed top 3 pick and the #5 pick to move up just 2 spots for a guy whose ceiling was going to be prime Toni Kukoc or Hedu Turkoglu. I was mad as hell, and stayed that way until at least the 2nd or 3rd game last year.

[SportPsychMav]

I was freaking pumped when we selected him, even watched the draft that night. Which is like watching the Oscars which I endured for the Lord of the rings. 

Imagine if the NBAs draft does some spoofs like the Oscars with Jack black did.

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I didnt expect we could get Luka when we dropped to 5th, I was so happy when the draft trade was announced.

[Benskix2]

Back in the day we had a lot of "Dirk only" fans from Germany (and a few from here). I'm guessing that's because the NBA wasn't as global back then, so a German's exposure to basketball was primarily through the nation team, and Dirk lead that team to places it had never been before. Luka hasn't had a chance to play for his country at that level yet, and the Real Madrid fans are used to success so they probably don't have that level of attachment to him.