“He’s not afraid of the stage” - 10x All-Star calls Luka Doncic one of the best players in the world, says he’s very unselfish

Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd has nothing but praise for his star player, Luka Doncic.

Kidd recently appeared on NBA Today with presenter Malika Andrews and former players Matt Barnes and Richard Jefferson. He praised Doncic for living up to the hype and adjusting well to the NBA, despite entering the league aged just 17. They will look to do one better next season after exceeding expectations last time.

The Mavs came off a great 2021-22 season as they reached the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2011.

Kidd, who was a part of the 2011 championship squad, has helped coach a young Mavs team to reach their first conference finals appearance. Leading their group is the three-time All-Star and generational talent, Luka Doncic.

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“He’s not afraid of the stage,” Jason Kidd said.

"He's gonna have the ball the last six minutes or the last three minutes. But I want to be able to use him behind the defense, and I thought he accepted that role for us," Kidd added when asked about the strategy that helped Doncic.

Their season ended in a Game 5 loss against the eventual champions, the Golden State Warriors.

Jason Kidd and Luka Doncic were able to turn things around in just one season

Dallas Mavericks v Golden State Warriors - Game One

After Rick Carlisle stepped down as the Mavs' head coach, the front office went on to hire Jason Kidd to take the reins. Midway through the season, they traded away star forward Kristaps Porzingis to the Washington Wizards.

In exchange, they got Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans. It worked out well for the Mavs as they needed another playmaker to help Doncic run the offense.

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They've been hard at work this offseason as well. They added a frontcourt player, Christian Wood, who could complement Luka Doncic's style of play. They also signed veteran center JaVale McGee.

The Dallas Mavericks look capable of making some noise this upcoming season.

About the author

Reign Amurao specializes in basketball at Sportskeeda, bringing 3 years of experience to his role and a Bachelor's Degree in Communication.

A fervent supporter of the Phoenix Suns, Reign was hooked to their electrifying "Seven-Seconds-Or-Less" offense, which epitomizes high-paced and high-intensity basketball. For Reign, Steve Nash is the ultimate floor general, and he believes Boris Diaw could've been the next Magic Johnson if he had a bit more discipline.

From Reign's perspective, Anthony Edwards is a 90s player stuck in modern times, and Gregg Popovich is an ultimate winner with unparalleled success and leadership in the sport.

Reign's expertise lies in NBA history, particularly the significant moments and trends of the 2000s and 2010s. He prioritizes in-depth research using only credible sources to maintain accuracy in his articles, and avoids misleading topics.

Beyond basketball, Reign enjoys gaming with friends and watches comedy shows and films.

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Edited by Arnav Kholkar