Emma Clement Luka Dončić is legendary.
That’s what NBA fans will tell you about the Slovenian sensation who, since he set foot in the NBA, has been the definition of a superstar.
The 6-foot-8 guard seemed like a perfect player for a perfect time and place — the literal and spiritual heir to Dirk Nowitzki as the international superstar that would lead the Dallas Mavericks to another decade of championship contention. Dončić possesses both the high-level passing, dribbling and three-point shooting skills that make NBA analytics nerds rave, with the mean streak that earns the respect of any old-school NBA fan longing for the days of Bryant and Jordan.
Eight seasons, six All-NBA selections and two scoring titles later, somehow, the man who was so great that he inherited a nickname from Larry Bird and no one challenged it, feels like he’s the furthest he’s ever been from reaching the NBA mountaintop.
Luka Dončić is overrated. He’s an out-of-shape ball hog that will never lead a team to a title.
That’s what some fans and NBA media will tell you now about Dončić, some with nicer wording than others. But what changed? Everyone knows that Dončić’s midnight trade from the Mavericks to the Lo...