section_path: Player profile
section_name: Player profile
paragraph_text: Player profile
  
  " incredible with the ball for a big guy. He's unbelievable in pick and roll play. His court vision is already unbelievable. I couldn't believe what I saw from a 19/20-year-old. He's a good shooter when he has time and I think he's going to be great for for a long, long time... I could shoot a little bit but I never had the court vision... the savviness that he brings to the game... He's going to pick defenses apart and it's going to be fun to watch."
  
  Dončić has frequently been described as a "position-less guard" with attributes of a point guard, shooting guard, and small forward. Standing 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 m) and weighing 230 pounds (104.3 kg), he has been praised for his exceptional size and strength for the guard position. Dallas Mavericks executive Donnie Nelson lauded Dončić's " point forward ability" and sports website The Ringer labeled him a "legitimate point guard with the size of a small-ball power forward."
  
  Since his early years with Real Madrid, Dončić was tabbed as one of Europe's premier talents, with Spanish newspaper Marca giving him the nickname "El Niño Maravilla" (The Wonder Boy). Entering the 2018 NBA draft, Dončić was widely seen as one of the best and most accomplished European prospects of his generation. Slam magazine considered Dončić the "best international prospect ever," and sports website SB Nation called him "most accomplished NBA prospect in decades." An anonymous NBA veteran scouting executive said that Dončić's game was "leap years above anyone" in his draft class.
  
  Dončić is versatile on the offensive end, displaying proficiency in shooting three-pointers, mid-range jump shots, floaters, and shots in the post. His basketball IQ, intangibles, and skills have been considered his primary assets, and Dončić is seen as an elite facilitator, especially on the pick and roll. NBA and EuroLeague coach Ettore Messina called Dončić "phenomenal, especially mentally" for his age. His lack of lateral quickness to stay in front of most NBA point guards and wings has been labeled one of his main flaws. Dallas Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle refuted some of the worries regarding Dončić's athleticism, stating that "for a 19-year-old, he's got a really unusual combination of size, speed, and deceptive quickness." By his second year, Dončić's ability to accelerate off a pick and blow by defenders to get to the basket was seen as one of his strengths. Given the false characterisation of Dončić's abilities and his subsequent success in the NBA, some speculate that prejudiced stereotyping had a role in his negative pre-draft evaluation.
  
  Before his draft, basketball journalist and scout Austin Green compared Dončić to NBA players Paul Pierce and Joe Johnson. Dončić compared himself to Ben Simmons due to his versatility. In his second season, Los Angeles Clippers coach Doc Rivers, when asked about Dončić, stated that "there's a lot of people in him." He likened Dončić's stepback three-pointers to James Harden, his passing ability to Larry Bird, and his court vision to LeBron James. NBA analyst Kendrick Perkins called Dončić "baby LeBron" due to his overall skill and dominance on the court.
  
  In December 2019, San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich called Dončić's playing style " Magic Johnson -like" because "he sees the floor in that same way." In August 2020, head coach Rick Carlisle compared Dončić's playmaking and court vision to Larry Bird and Jason Kidd. Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo called Dončić "one of the most talented guys I've ever played against." During his first career playoff game against the Los Angeles Clippers, TV analyst and former point guard Mark Jackson, reiterated his view of Dončić, calling him "an absolute combination of Magic Johnson and Larry Bird."
  
  In January 2024, former basketball player and Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd stated about Dončić that "he's better than Dirk " and that "he's in the atmosphere of, the best to ever do it, LeBron, Kobe ".
  
  " incredible with the ball for a big guy. He's unbelievable in pick and roll play. His court vision is already unbelievable. I couldn't believe what I saw from a 19/20-year-old. He's a good shooter when he has time and I think he's going to be great for for a long, long time... I could shoot a little bit but I never had the court vision... the savviness that he brings to the game... He's going to pick defenses apart and it's going to be fun to watch."
  
  Dončić has frequently been described as a "position-less guard" with attributes of a point guard, shooting guard, and small forward. Standing 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 m) and weighing 230 pounds (104.3 kg), he has been praised for his exceptional size and strength for the guard position. Dallas Mavericks executive Donnie Nelson lauded Dončić's " point forward ability" and sports website The Ringer labeled him a "legitimate point guard with the size of a small-ball power forward."
  
  Since his early years with Real Madrid, Dončić was tabbed as one of Europe's premier talents, with Spanish newspaper Marca giving him the nickname "El Niño Maravilla" (The Wonder Boy). Entering the 2018 NBA draft, Dončić was widely seen as one of the best and most accomplished European prospects of his generation. Slam magazine considered Dončić the "best international prospect ever," and sports website SB Nation called him "most accomplished NBA prospect in decades." An anonymous NBA veteran scouting executive said that Dončić's game was "leap years above anyone" in his draft class.
  
  Dončić is versatile on the offensive end, displaying proficiency in shooting three-pointers, mid-range jump shots, floaters, and shots in the post. His basketball IQ, intangibles, and skills have been considered his primary assets, and Dončić is seen as an elite facilitator, especially on the pick and roll. NBA and EuroLeague coach Ettore Messina called Dončić "phenomenal, especially mentally" for his age. His lack of lateral quickness to stay in front of most NBA point guards and wings has been labeled one of his main flaws. Dallas Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle refuted some of the worries regarding Dončić's athleticism, stating that "for a 19-year-old, he's got a really unusual combination of size, speed, and deceptive quickness." By his second year, Dončić's ability to accelerate off a pick and blow by defenders to get to the basket was seen as one of his strengths. Given the false characterisation of Dončić's abilities and his subsequent success in the NBA, some speculate that prejudiced stereotyping had a role in his negative pre-draft evaluation.
  
  Before his draft, basketball journalist and scout Austin Green compared Dončić to NBA players Paul Pierce and Joe Johnson. Dončić compared himself to Ben Simmons due to his versatility. In his second season, Los Angeles Clippers coach Doc Rivers, when asked about Dončić, stated that "there's a lot of people in him." He likened Dončić's stepback three-pointers to James Harden, his passing ability to Larry Bird, and his court vision to LeBron James. NBA analyst Kendrick Perkins called Dončić "baby LeBron" due to his overall skill and dominance on the court.
  
  In December 2019, San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich called Dončić's playing style " Magic Johnson -like" because "he sees the floor in that same way." In August 2020, head coach Rick Carlisle compared Dončić's playmaking and court vision to Larry Bird and Jason Kidd. Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo called Dončić "one of the most talented guys I've ever played against." During his first career playoff game against the Los Angeles Clippers, TV analyst and former point guard Mark Jackson, reiterated his view of Dončić, calling him "an absolute combination of Magic Johnson and Larry Bird."
  
  In January 2024, former basketball player and Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd stated about Dončić that "he's better than Dirk " and that "he's in the atmosphere of, the best to ever do it, LeBron, Kobe ".