Chicago Bulls big board for 2018 NBA Draft
By Ryan Heckman
2. Guard Luka Doncic, Real Madrid
Something would have to go horribly, horribly wrong for the five or six teams ahead of the Bulls for them to wind up with Real Madrid guard Luka Doncic. But, still, when we are looking at the top of the first round, Doncic’s name has to be mentioned — crazier things have happened in sports.
Doncic is a real unicorn, quite honestly. At 6-foot-8, Doncic plays comfortably at the point guard position — yes, point guard.
We haven’t seen an elite point guard at that size since maybe Magic Johnson, so if Doncic turns out to be the real deal, he could truly transcend the position we now call “point forward.” Doncic is an incredible scorer and passer and squashes any stereotype of foreign prospects. Doncic may just end up being the best player from this class when it’s all said and done.
In my @CBSSportsNBA article I said Luka Doncic's #EuroLeague production is unprecedented. This is his 2017-18 compared to the final years of similar players who made the EL-to-NBA jump. A lot of variables (role, pace, system, etc.) but this is pretty crazy https://t.co/SICB6Bj6SW pic.twitter.com/TXh8HTdYyW
— Austin Green (@LosCrossovers) June 8, 2018
Doncic is not an elite athlete by any means, but he doesn’t have to be. His style is more of a floor general. He can read and anticipate better than anybody else in this class, period. Doncic, at times, looks as though he predicts the future with some of his passes. Watching tape on this guy makes you wonder what he does to get so comfortable with his current teammates, because his intellect is out of this world.
Some wonder just how effective of a defender Doncic will be at the next level, simply because of his size and question about what position he will play as a pro. I think he would play well next to a quicker and more athletic guard, giving his team some versatility with matchups.