12-04-2021, 06:42 PM
Leadership is extremely hard to pin.
Russell Westbrook has been a terrific player, was a pillar of the community in OKC and yet stars who played next to him wanted out. Maybe it was OK more than Russ and those stars didn’t want to be there but who knows.
Dirk led by example but Dirk was not a born leader and throughout his career, before and after the title run, he struggled with the balance of when to be more aggressive and when to be a team type player. We can’t forget the many game threads of us wishing Dirk would have shot more or asserted himself more. It was something he always struggled with.
What I have loved about Luka is that he wants that leadership. I don’t think the Mavs had to force that on him by moving JJB away. Day 1 here he wanted the ball in his hands and he was ready to shoot in the clutch. I have always maintained that efficiency is not the be all / end all as there is a fine balance between efficiency and not wanting to take the big shot. The fact that Luka has that attitude to go with his size and prodigious talent makes him a true alpha.
Now it is up to him to realize that less talented or not, all the others here are professionals as well, and if he expects to dominate the ball it is a privilege that has been conferred on him and to understand what other things go with that privilege. He has to work on other aspects as well such as conditioning, diet, trying his best on defense, and being a gym rat to up his FT and 3 pt percentages. My comment on Luka last year was that he reminded me so much of a rec coach’s son. Talented but lazy and entitled and knowing no one will say anything because he is the coach’s son ( or in this case because even with all his flaws he is the rarest of commodities…a true franchise player)
So my take is Luka has part of what is needed and something Dirk never had. Plus he is more talented than Dirk because he can do things Dirk couldn’t do. However to be known as the best player the Mavs ever had, there is a long way to go for Luka to catch Dirk. I am not even putting a title as the bar. Just other things in terms of how Dirk was a consummate professional and a great teammate.
Russell Westbrook has been a terrific player, was a pillar of the community in OKC and yet stars who played next to him wanted out. Maybe it was OK more than Russ and those stars didn’t want to be there but who knows.
Dirk led by example but Dirk was not a born leader and throughout his career, before and after the title run, he struggled with the balance of when to be more aggressive and when to be a team type player. We can’t forget the many game threads of us wishing Dirk would have shot more or asserted himself more. It was something he always struggled with.
What I have loved about Luka is that he wants that leadership. I don’t think the Mavs had to force that on him by moving JJB away. Day 1 here he wanted the ball in his hands and he was ready to shoot in the clutch. I have always maintained that efficiency is not the be all / end all as there is a fine balance between efficiency and not wanting to take the big shot. The fact that Luka has that attitude to go with his size and prodigious talent makes him a true alpha.
Now it is up to him to realize that less talented or not, all the others here are professionals as well, and if he expects to dominate the ball it is a privilege that has been conferred on him and to understand what other things go with that privilege. He has to work on other aspects as well such as conditioning, diet, trying his best on defense, and being a gym rat to up his FT and 3 pt percentages. My comment on Luka last year was that he reminded me so much of a rec coach’s son. Talented but lazy and entitled and knowing no one will say anything because he is the coach’s son ( or in this case because even with all his flaws he is the rarest of commodities…a true franchise player)
So my take is Luka has part of what is needed and something Dirk never had. Plus he is more talented than Dirk because he can do things Dirk couldn’t do. However to be known as the best player the Mavs ever had, there is a long way to go for Luka to catch Dirk. I am not even putting a title as the bar. Just other things in terms of how Dirk was a consummate professional and a great teammate.
![[-]](https://www.mavsboard.com/images/collapse.png)