When the Atlanta Hawks traded down to obtain Trae Young out of Oklahoma, many basketball pundits lauded Dallas’s move to ascend the draft board to obtain Slovenian wunderkind Luka Doncic – giving up a future first round pick in the process.
So far, that move has certainly paid dividends for the Mavs as Doncic – as well as a sturdy supporting cast – has Dallas in vague playoff contention in the stacked Western Conference. Beyond that, Doncic has captured the imaginations of writers, bloggers, viewers and NBA fans worldwide as he is hot on the heels of LeBron James in terms of All-Star votes.