The Dallas Mavericks are fortunate to have one of the greatest players in the world leading their team. After the Mavs booked a trip to the 2024 Finals and successfully completed the offseasonThey look set to continue fighting with Luka Doncic leading the way.
However, there was a rumor of minor unrest within the team when Howard Beck of The Ringer discussed the issue Doncic’s dominance on the ball. Per Beck, an anonymous Mavs assistant coach, noted that some players seem to breathe a “sigh of relief” when the Slovenian superstar leaves games because they get a “little more freedom” to play and touch the ball.
Former Mavs leader and current free agent forward Markieff Morris hit back Morris responded to the rumor, saying the team is focused on winning the title. Morris’ comment shows what Doncic’s teammates really think of him, and he’s clearly not a bad teammate by any means.
It’s understandable that Doncic has the ball in his hands most of the time when he’s on the court. His team’s best chance of scoring is if he’s directing the play or attacking the defense. In fact, the five-time All-Star’s +11.9 on/off differential shows that Dallas is much better on the court than off it.
Goran Dragic said it very well in a appearance on Thanasis Antetokounmpo’s podcast (at 11:25) “Thanalysis” when he claims that “it’s easy” to play with his Slovenian compatriot.
It’s worth noting that Dragic got to watch Doncic grow up. Their friendship began to blossom When “Luka Magic” was still a teenager and they were representing Slovenia in international competition, the retired point guard even shared that they were roommates and took Doncic under his wing.
“The Dragon” also told Antetokounmpo an interesting anecdote about Doncic as a kid, recalling seeing him mopping the floor and doing other chores during games or practices. It shows just how dedicated the 25-year-old phenom was to the sport at such a young age.
Years later, Doncic has proven himself to be a generational talent who can make life easier for his teammates with his skill and his exceptional play. Equally important is his leadership development, which was even more evident as Dallas cruised to its first Finals appearance since 2011.
No one has called Doncic out or called him a bad teammate throughout his entire career, and Dragic has helped silence that narrative by telling the truth about who Doncic really is.
