Immigrant of the Day: Luka Dončić (Slovenia)

By Erik Drost – This file was derived from: Luka Doncic (51177393625).jpg: , CC BY 2.0, Link

I had the enviable opportunity to go to Game 5 of the Western Conference playoffs last night at the Target Center in Minneapolis. And, like the majority of the folks there, I was fully rooting for the Timberwolves. Sadly, our cheers, while heartfelt, were not enough to manifest success. The Timberwolves lost 124-103, leading various news outlets to call the game a “blowout” to “humiliate” the Wolves. Uh, ouch.

It’s undeniable that Luka Dončić, the magical point guard for the Dallas Mavericks, was a large reason for the Mavs win. He was a (slightly-painful) joy to watch. So fluid. So accurate. He somehow makes basketball look effortless. It’s not shocking that he was named the Western Conference finals MVP.

Dončić hails from Slovenia. He started his professional basketball career overseas with Real Madrid. In 2018, he joined the NBA, playing for the Mavs, and won the NBA Rookie of the Year.

Six years later, Dončić is still with the Mavs and still posting insane stats. And he’s only 25!

He’ll certainly be exciting to watch in the NBA finals against the Celtics. The first game is just a week away — Thursday June 6 on ABC.

-KitJ