Giddey can be ‘next Doncic’

ONLY 10 Australians have been picked in the first round of the NBA draft, but the latest, Josh Giddey, has such potential that legend Andrew Gaze believes he can become the next Luka Doncic.

Most consider Doncic among the best players in the world, alongside LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

So it is no faint praise from Gaze, who has played a key role in the development of 19year-old Giddey who was drafted No.6 by Oklahoma City Thunder and will earn $8m in his first season.

“I go back to what I said before he was even drafted and when he was still developing, I looked at Josh Giddey and I said, ‘He has the traits that we saw through the formative years, the NBA years in particular, and even some of his time when he was playing in Spain, of Luka Doncic’,” Gaze said. “I don’t think anyone a year-and-a-half ago thought that Luka Doncic would be regarded right now as arguably one of the best players in the world.

“Of course, he’s not exactly like Luka, but he has the capacity to have that type of impact, which is extraordinarily high.”