How Luka Dončić developed from European prodigy to NBA superstar
Raised in Europe, Luka Dončić quickly adapted to the NBA and started breaking scoring records as he rapidly adjusted his play style from Europe to the NBA.
That day in February, Luka Dončić looked like a man whose world had just been shattered. He stepped off the plane in Los Angeles looking despondent, downcast and red-eyed, his first time in the city as a Laker.
Now part of the most famous basketball team in the world, a moment that should have been joyful was instead shrouded in clouds. One of the only homegrown European superstars had just had the rug swept from under him, and it showed.
Nine years earlier, 17-year-old Luka Dončić visited Los Angeles with his mom, Mirjam Poterbin, and girlfriend, Anamaria Goltes, to who Luka is now engaged and has a daughter with, one-year-old Gabriela. Back then, during his first visit to the US, Luka could walk freely around like a tourist, taking pictures in front of the Staples Center.
But all that was about to change.
Shortly after, Luka became a phenomenon in Europe, particularly in Madrid and Slovenia. He went from rising star to superstar at a speed with which only the biggest legends of the game in America have matched.
Before long, he would become the star of European powerhouse Real Madrid, win the EuroLeague, receive the EuroLeague MVP award and win Eurobasket gold with Slovenia. The legend of the homegrown European wonder boy was growing on the old continent.
Back in America, most people didn’t watch him play before he was drafted in 2018, and many would probably be surprised to see how his style of play has developed since his time in Madrid.
Luka Dončić, child of Real Madrid
These days, you probably know Luka as an isolation type of player who likes to have the ball in his hands. Heliocentric, he has been called. Some may say he has poor off-ball skills and is a defensive liability, but most agree that he thrives in big moments.
Except for the last part, which came to be while Luka was still a teenager in Madrid. His style of play back then was somewhat different from what he has developed into as an NBA player.
Something that may surprise NBA fans is that in Madrid, Luka was a great off-ball player. He also made big plays on both sides of the floor and was great in transition, running the floor constantly while having quite the bounce.
Here is a clip of some of his big plays for Real Madrid, where he shows off his vision and passing already as a teenager. As you can see, he was already a showman back then, embracing big moments like no one else his age.
Adapting to the NBA
After getting drafted by the Dallas Mavericks at 19, Luka quickly realized that he could be more effective in the NBA by iso-ing more. The culture of isolation plays and “your turn, my turn” type of basketball, which is much more prevalent in America, became a style of play that proved successful in the NBA for him.
In Europe, where the focus is more on the collective rather than on the individual and superstar culture, they generally run more set plays. Team plays and defense, systems, and a strict hierarchy with the coach as the ultimate leader on top make it a very different approach than that of US basketball culture, reflecting the culture and values of both places.
But already as an NBA rookie, Luka realized that he could score more in the NBA than he did in Europe. He adjusted to the NBA's different play style very quickly and with great success. Over the next six years, Luka Dončić broke scoring and triple-double records and averaged nearly triple-double last season.
Compared to Europe, the NBA is tougher, which Luka said in 2022, because there are so many players that are basically impossible to guard.
“But I would say that scoring is easier in the NBA just because of the different rules,” Luka explained, “the amount of space, the time, so that’s why I said it’s easier to score in the NBA.”
The different rules that Luka is referring to are mainly the fact that there is no defensive three-second rule in Europe. This means that bigs and defensive players don’t have to leave the paint and can protect the rim the entirety of the defensive possession. The result is less space in the key and lower scoring overall, which is also a result of quarters being ten minutes long instead of 12 in the NBA.
“Here in the NBA, it’s easier to score compared to Europe, of course. In Europe, the court is smaller, and here there is the defensive three-second rule. I think it’s easier to score here,” as Luka put it himself.
Many point guards and perimeter players in the NBA watch the defensive players and rim protectors in the paint and then time their drive when defenders are forced to vacate the area. This leaves the paint open at very specific times — something Luka is a master of reading and manipulating.
JJ Redick had a very interesting talk with Luka Dončić about that topic on an episode of “The Old Man and & Three” podcast before Redick became Los Angeles Lakers head coach, as well as about the three-second rule, the decel/slow step and how he learns new moves.
“Maybe it’s because of the IQ,” Luka Dončić says with a smile in this clip.
And that’s one thing to know about him: Just like the best in the game, he is always finding new ways of doing things, new solutions and ways to adapt. A sign of high IQ, people say.
If you’re uncertain how he will adapt to playing on the Lakers, to LeBron James or his new surroundings, just look at his career. He has adapted to anything Real Madrid, the Dallas Mavericks and opposing teams have thrown his way. It’s just a matter of time.
And there’s no doubt that Luka is one of the brightest basketball minds out there. This is just another challenge for him to figure out.