It may seem like a strange question to ask, especially since the Dallas area just celebrated Luka Doncic Day on July 6. As the team prepares to hitch its wagon to the young superstar with a max contract, fans should be more concerned about Doncic’s supporting cast—not Doncic.
However, in light of a recent comment, it may be a fair question to ask after all.
During a recent press conference, a reporter asked Doncic to pick between winning Olympic gold with Slovenia or an NBA title. Such questions are typically the kind players avoid answering since there is no right answer, but Doncic responded with:
“I would say gold medal with Slovenia,” Doncic said. “You play for your country, and that’s something that really, really … but I wouldn’t mind both.”
Adding that he would not mind winning both was a smart move. But there are still bound to be some fans who will question his commitment to the Mavericks. They will question his priorities and commitment to the team.
If winning Olympic Gold is so important to him, are we (Mavericks fans) getting his best game?
Then there are the recent comments by ESPN’s Brian Windhorst during an appearance on 105.3 The Fan where he insinuated that players might not want to come to Dallas because of Doncic:
“He’s a great player, but when you watch the Mavericks play, he’s barking at the coach, he’s barking at his teammates, he’s barking at the officials. He’s always barking about something. He can really be an irritable guy.”
Of course, while Windhorst took Doncic’s behavior as a negative, many would just chalk it up to passion. If the team’s leader does not demand excellence, then who will?
As for Doncic’s priorities, fans should not be concerned. In fact, they should be happy that Doncic prioritized Olympic Gold over an NBA title. Winning an NBA title would mean beating the best team in the NBA. Winning Olympic Gold would mean beating the best team in the world.
The best team in the world, Team USA, is comprised of the best players in the NBA.
Winning gold would require Doncic to elevate his game to a level that fans have not seen yet. While Slovenia’s roster has good players on it, their skill does not compare to a roster full of some of the NBA’s best talent.
For Slovenia to beat Team USA and win gold, Doncic will have to play his game in a way that makes the rest of his team better. If Doncic can do that, just imagine what he can do with the roster Mark Cuban puts around him next season.
So—should fans be concerned about Luka Doncic? Absolutely not. The young superstar wants to win and be the best wherever he plays. If he wants to win a gold medal for his country more than an NBA title for Mavericks fans—well, he should be commended for having his priorities straight.
