Luka Doncic is objectively the best young player in the NBA today. No one else at his age currently in the league has done what he has been able to do, nor have they led their respective teams to the heights he has led the Dallas Mavericks.
That said, Doncic has one fatal flaw: his emotions.
This has manifested itself in the NBA with him being a magnet for technical fouls because of his constant whining over calls he perceives as not having one his way.
And this week, on the international stage, Doncic’s emotions got the best of him again.
Over the weekend Doncic’s Slovenia squad saw their 11-game winning streak snapped in a loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina. Doncic’s tantrum over his team’s struggles stole the show towards the end:
Ajde dosta više ovog fake news škandala 🤦
“Mi bi prišli do finala pa to, a? Ajde u pičku materinu, dajmo malo borbe.. U pizdu materinu. Kar naprej govorimo ej.”
Nije ni spomenuo “Bosnu” ili “gubimo” https://t.co/YCrfaAZzuP
— Marko Turk (@turkmarkoo) September 5, 2022
Doncic’s frustration is somewhat understandable. He put up 16 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, and four steals on the night, which would be decent numbers for anyone else, but come with an asterisk when it comes to him.
One, Doncic needs to be the best player for Slovenia on a daily basis for them to win, and he wasn’t in this case. Goran Dragic, who put up 20 points, six assists, five rebounds, and four steals in the losing effort, was the team’s best player.
Two, and more importantly, Doncic’s 16 points came on 18 shots. He also missed all eight of his attempts from beyond the arc.
Doncic has had a pretty great summer up to this point. Between his good times with his girlfriend and the body transformation he has undergone over the last few weeks, it has been a steady stream of good news.
Now that’s how you celebrate winning $4 million. https://t.co/MT92TQJN2C
— Game 7 (@game7__) September 5, 2022
That said, he needs to learn how to deal with adversity better. It’s one thing to behave like this at 23. But if he is still pulling this stuff at 28 it’s going to get old – quickly.
Will Doncic rebound from this weekend’s disappointment to lead Slovenia to a EuroBasket title?
Time will tell.
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Charles Kruger has been credentialed to cover two Super Bowls, four NBA Finals, and one World Series. A 20-year veteran in the sports world, he has sources spanning the NBA, MLB, NFL, UFC and NASCAR. Currently residing in Los Angeles, Calif., he is Game 7’s go-to source for rumors surrounding the Lakers, Clippers and Dodgers.
