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NBA legend and TNT analyst Shaquille O’Neal sees Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic winning at least one most valuable player award in his career. According to him, the Slovenian sensation has a good chance of claiming the top individual plum this season.
During the episode of Inside the NBA on Thursday, just as they were discussing Doncic’s MVP future, ‘Shaq’ said there is no way ‘The Don’ would not win at least one. The four-time NBA champion said:
“One, definitely one.”
Check out what he had to say below, beginning at 0:42:
Shaquille O’Neal believes Luka Doncic deserves to win MVP this season despite Mavericks’ struggles
In making a case for Luka Doncic as league MVP, Shaquille O’Neal highlighted how the Dallas Mavericks superstar has the stats to back it up despite his team struggling to make it to the half of the Western Conference.
‘Shaq’ said from his end there is no better player right now who brings the same package that Doncic does to the Mavericks, even from the top teams. He defended him from fellow panelists Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith, who had dissenting takes, by saying:
“You all have the same theory, ‘Oh the team is not doing well.’ It’s not a team thing. Most Valuable Player is singular. That man is the baddest mofo in the league.” [1:55 onwards in the above video]
Luka Doncic in the ongoing NBA season
In the ongoing NBA season, Doncic has played in 54 games and currently leads the league in scoring with 34.6 points per game. He is third in assists with 9.8 dimes and 18th in rebounds with nine boards per contest.
But despite his near triple-double efforts, the Mavericks are a bordering playoff squad with a 35-28 record, good for eighth place out in the West.
If the postseason started today, Dallas is outside of an outright playoff spot and would have to go through the play-in phase to barge into the playoff proper.
The Mavericks have only 19 games left in their regular season schedule and need to pick up as many wins as possible to improve their position in the race heading into the playoffs.
On Thursday, they did their push a favor by chalking up a 114-108 victory over the reigning Eastern Conference champions Miami Heat at home.
Doncic ended with his fifth straight 30-point triple-double with 35 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists. He also hit seven threes in the game.
Selected third-overall in the 2018 NBA rookie draft by the Atlanta Hawks, Luka Doncic found his way to Dallas on draft day in exchange for fifth pick Trae Young.
Following Thursday's game, the Mavericks embark on a two-game East coast road trip, beginning on Saturday against the Detroit Pistons.
