European star brings intrigue to draft
Slovenian star already has pro title on his resume after MVP season in Spain
Luka Doncic is about to become an NBA player, though he’s unlike the other top prospects who will be drafted.
He’s already a pro. He’s already a champion.
And he might just be the most accomplished and intriguing player in this class.
After capping his brilliant stay in Spain with another title, the Slovenian guard heads the list of international players expected to be selected Thursday, a teenager whose resume is already more complete than even some of the most seasoned veterans.
“He may be the most accomplished European teenager to ever come into the draft,” ESPN analyst Jay Bilas said. “You know, there’s very little that is unknown about him. He’s not some workout wonder that people are projecting. He’s accomplished things and he has been seen in 5-on-5 against highlevel competition for a number of years. He’s played professional basketball since he was 13.” Doncic couldn’t join Deandre Ayton, Marvin Bagley III and the other headliners in New York Wednesday because he was en route from Spain after finishing his dream season by helping Real Madrid win its league championship Tuesday.
The six-foot-seven guard made a three-pointer off one leg with the shot clock running down and Real Madrid clinging to a threepoint lead and his team held on to win the series in four games to allow him to get to Barclays Center in time for Thursday’s festivities rather than stay behind for a Game 5.
He had already been named MVP of the Euroleague season and its final four, the youngest player to win both honours, as Real Madrid won that title as well.
“I’m speechless,” he told the team’s website after Tuesday’s victory. “It has been the season of my life. It’s incredible.”
The Phoenix Suns have the No. 1 pick and are widely expected to draft Arizona centre Deandre Ayton, even though new coach Igor Kokoskov coached Doncic last summer on the Slovenian national team that won the nation’s first EuroBasket gold medal.
Then it’s Sacramento, Atlanta, Memphis and Dallas and any of them could consider a player who’s only 19, but has been playing against some of the toughest competition outside the NBA for years. And while there may always be some skepticism of European players because Darko Milicic bombed so badly after being taken right behind LeBron James and ahead of Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade 15 years ago, it would be a surprise if Doncic failed after all he’s done.
“He should easily transition to the league really well,” Miami guard Lonnie Walker IV said. “I mean, look at what he’s doing in the Euroleague. You’ve got to respect what he’s doing.”
Collin Sexton isn’t asking for much.
All the point guard wants out of Thursday’s NBA draft is to be picked by a good team. Then he wants a long and injury-free career. Playoff and championship runs would be an obvious — and desired — bonus.
“And to just be happy,” Sexton said Wednesday. “Because that’s the main thing. Be happy with what you’re doing because now it’s a job. It’s something that’s going to feed your family. You have to take it seriously.”
This is a 19-year-old speaking. Opting for the fast lane, Sexton declared for the draft after his freshman season at Alabama, a program that hasn’t had a player drafted in the last decade. Sexton helped the Crimson Tide reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time in six years. He then scored 25 points in a victory over Virginia Tech to send Alabama to the second round, a feat it had not accomplished in 12 years.
The Charlotte Hornets have agreed to trade eight-time allstar centre Dwight Howard to the Brooklyn Nets for centre Timofey Mozgov and two second-round draft picks, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press Wednesday.
The Hornets will get the Nets’ second-round pick Thursday (45th overall) and a second-round pick in 2021, the person said. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the teams have not announced the trade and the league cannot approve the deal until July 6.
The 32-year-old Howard played only one season for Charlotte, averaging 16.6 points and 12.5 rebounds per game.