Luka Doncic: 5 Great players he's outperforming as a rookie

Entering the league as the most proven draft prospect in the modern NBA, Luka Doncic had all eyes on him and the Mavericks as the season tipped off in mid-October. After a rough stretch of games to start his career off, Doncic found his groove and exploded for 30 points on 18 attempts against the Spurs, keeping Dallas in the game until DeRozan put the dagger in their hearts in the first head-to-head between the two Texas franchises.

A quarter into his rookie season, Doncic is averaging historically elite numbers for a rookie. Through 20 games, his true shooting percentage of 58.3% is higher than all 5 players we'll run this list down, and he's quite obviously the offensive lynchpin for a team aiming to make the playoffs in a race that is 14 teams deep as of now and looks likely to remain that way for the rest of the season.

Let's take a look at which 5 all-time greats debuting in the last 15 years whom Doncic is outperforming today:

#1 Carmelo Anthony

Rookie season averages: 21.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists on 42.6% fg%, 32.2% 3-pt%

Coming into the league as the consensus best player in college basketball, expectations from Carmelo Anthony were pretty high, and there were well-deserved comparisons being made to LeBron during his early years in the league. In fact, he made the playoffs in each of his first 7 seasons in the league as a Nugget, and he was an important component of their playoff push as a rookie.

However, he was not a willing playmaker in his early years, opting always to seek his shot first rather than play within the flow of the offense. Playing on a team with no featured scorers, it made sense for him most of the time, but the signs of tunnel vision he displayed as a rookie was something he never snapped out of for the rest of his career, always being labeled as a ball-stopper with good reason.

#2 Dwyane Wade

Dwyane Wade dunks all over the Orlando Magic

Regular season averages: 16.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 46.5% fg%, 30.2% 3-pt%

Playoff averages: 18.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 45.5% fg%, 37.5% 3-pt%

Most NBA fans today haven't had the privilege of watching Dwyane Wade play the game at his explosive best during his initial years in the league. In terms of explosiveness, quickness, straight line speed and just overall athleticism, Wade was legitimately the heir to Michael Jordan during his prime physical peak years.

A shooting guard who averaged fewer than 1 3-point attempt per game for much of his career, Wade's rookie year was chequered with memorable dunks interspersed with barely believable blocks, as he set on the path to becoming the greatest shot-blocking guard in the history of the league.

Doncic, however, trumps him as a playmaker - especially in the half-court set. While Luka will never be half as athletic as Wade, his level of finesse and his ability to create separation from his defenders in order to get a sweet, in-rhythm shot off is well beyond what Wade was ever able to display, particularly from downtown.

At this point in their careers, Doncic has also been a vastly superior team defender, as Wade was still catching up to the nuances of playing defense in the NBA.

#3 Stephen Curry

Curry finishes past the Blazers' defense in his rookie season

Averages: 17.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 46.2% fg%, 43.7% 3-pt%

Steph Curry was the best guard in college basketball going into the league. Although the likes of Harden and Johnny Flynn had their own arguments to make, none of them had Curry's limitless range and questions were being raised about the latter duo's ability to make the transition into the league.

Curry more than lived up to his #7 pick status, putting up one of the best sharpshooting campaigns by a guard in any season - not just among rookies. Till date, he is the only rookie in NBA history to average 43% or from more downtown.

The wrinkle to his game that has smoothed over the years is his release, which was quick even then, but is now literally the fastest I've ever seen on a basketball court. This quick release allows him to capitalize on his separation moves after crossing up an opponent.

Doncic isn't the sharpshooter rookie Steph was, but he's a good shooter in his own right, particularly when pulling up. In addition, he's a more dominant inside scorer than Curry was in his rookie season, while also being a better defender.

#4 Kevin Durant

Durant scores against the Cavs as a Sonic

Averages: 20.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 43% fg%, 28.8% 3-pt%

Kevin Durant was the toast of college basketball in his only season as a Texas Longhorn, winning all 6 College Player of the Year awards and generally getting recognition as the best swingman in the 2007 NBA draft class. The Sonics drafted him with the #2 pick in the draft, and KD repaid the faith of the organization in the best way possible during his 9 years with the franchise.

The main issue with KD's play as a rookie was his lack of physicality - the lanky 6'11" small forward with a 7'4" wingspan should have been a much more dominant perimeter defender and rebounder given his other physical tools, but not having an NBA body cost him dear on both ends of the court.

He was also nowhere near as polished a scorer as he is today, relying on volume and in general, opting for heavily contested shots as a rookie, unlike Doncic.

#5 LeBron James

Averages: 20.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 41.7% fg%, 29% 3-pt%

Although he was the Rookie of the Year in a draft class commonly considered a top 3 draft in NBA history, James as a rookie was as far from a finished product as we've seen him in 16 seasons of dominance. He was tasked with leading a terrible Cavs roster as a rookie on both ends of the floor, and after a baptism of fire in his first couple of months, James found his groove as a defender.

Given his length, athleticism and explosiveness, LeBron James was destined for NBA greatness and his passing vision allowed people to envision him as a Magic Johnson with a 40-inch vertical. Much like Magic, his jumper was broken and needed a lot of improvement, as did his shot selection.

His playmaking in his first season, too, was a far cry and watching him run the point was similar to watching Giannis today - he needed to reduce his errant passes and temper his turnover-prone style of play.

Doncic is not only a finished product, but he is also a difference-maker who would probably be averaging better than James' rookie season numbers on offense were he put in the same position with the same responsibilities. His Euroleague opponents will attest to the same.

Edited by Raunak J