It is no secret that Mavericks fans are still recovering from the Luka Doncic trade. After seeing his progression and physique this offseason, fans felt even more frustration towards Nico Harrison and the Mavs front office.
If that was not enough, Doncic has sparked another uproar after earning his latest accolade.
Ahead of today's quarterfinal matchups at EuroBasket, Luka Doncic was listed as a nominee for Best Defensive Player of EuroBasket. EuroBasket isn't just blowing smoke either. Luka Doncic leads the tournament in steals per game with 3.2 while also averaging 0.7 blocks per game.
Slovenia has Doncic as its nominee, and when fans click the voting link, they’re directed to a ballot of 16 players — two from each team in the quarterfinals — with space at the bottom for write-ins. Doncic and former Washington Wizard Isaac Bonga currently lead voting with 13% apiece.
This hasn't sat well with Mavericks fans, especially coming months after team general manager Nico Harrison cited defense as the reason for trading Doncic to Los Angeles.
That said, it’s clear those comments have fueled Doncic’s determination to prove Dallas wrong. While EuroBasket features weaker competition, Doncic has never averaged 2 steals in an NBA season or registered a season averaging more than 0.6 blocks per game.
Defense is not all Doncic is doing though. Through six games, Doncic leads the tournament in scoring, ranks second in assists and tenth in rebounds.
Mavericks fans will continue to monitor Doncic and his defensive progression as Slovenia take on favorites Germany in tomorrow's quarterfinal matchup.