The 2017-18 EuroLeague MVP spoke to Euroleague.net about a few topics
Luka Doncic: ‘I’m confident in Real Madrid’
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Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic is arguably the biggest star to ever come out of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague. He started his career with Real Madrid at age 12 and left seven years later to become a global basketball icon and an NBA superstar.
Doncic made EuroLeague highlights before he set foot in the competition, helping Real win the 2015 Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament and earning Finals MVP honors at age 16. He made his EuroLeague debut in the 2015-16 season, averaging 3.5 points and a PIR of 6.2 in 12 games.
A year later, Doncic was chosen as the 2016-17 EuroLeague Rising Star, posting 7.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists and a PIR of 13.3 in 35 games. It all clicked in the 2017-18 campaign, as Doncic led Real to its 10th EuroLeague title and earned Rising Star, season MVP and Final Four MVP honors. He averaged 16.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.3 assists and a PIR of 21.5 in 33 games.
A lifelong bond with Real Madrid
In his sixth season with the Mavericks, Doncic has made it to the All-NBA First Team in each of the last four seasons. Doncic is in contact with his former Real Madrid teammates but misses the people inside the club – all the players, coaches and staff he grew up with – more than the Spanish capital itself.
"What I miss most about the club is just the teammates, the coaches, the guys that spend a lot of time with, even the medical staff, physiotherapists, all those great people," Doncic tells Euroleague.net. "That's what I miss the most about the club."
The impact of Campazzo’s return
While in Dallas, Doncic reunited with Facu Campazzo for a while. Doncic and Campazzo were teammates when Real won the EuroLeague title in 2018, and they played together again for a few weeks in Dallas before Facu returned to the EuroLeague, joining Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade. Campazzo came back to Madrid last summer by signing a long-term contract at WiZink Center, and Doncic thinks it was a smart move by Real.
"Well, Facu is very important. You know, he's a great player, a lot of energy, great passer, great scorer," Doncic comments. "So I think this was one of the biggest additions to Madrid. And they are going to need him."
Back-to-back chances
Despite being the most successful team in EuroLeague history with 11 titles, Real has not been able to win consecutive EuroLeague crowns since 1967. Los Blancos have another shot at this goal, 57 years later. Doncic believes it is always hard to go all the way again in consecutive seasons, but he’s optimistic about Real's chances to do so.
"For Madrid to win back-to-back titles, it’s going to be very tough. I think there are a lot of teams that are really good," he says. "But I'm confident. They have a great team, great coaching. So I'm confident in them."