Dallas Mavericks: Stephen Curry praises Luka Doncic and Dirk Nowitzki

Dallas Mavericks rookie Luka Doncic received some massive praise from two-time MVP Stephen Curry in recent days plus a throwback laud to Dirk Nowitzki.

The Dallas Mavericks are in the midst of a transition phase. Dirk Nowitzki has been the face of the franchise and one of the NBA’s best players for two decades. The legend is nearing the end of his career, but the Mavs have his replacement in Luka Doncic. The Slovenian is playing at a nearly unprecedented rate for a rookie.

Mavericks fans are enjoying the end of Dirk’s phenomenal run and are excited about the future with Luka.

Doncic is catching the attention of everyone in the NBA including Golden State Warriors star point guard Stephen Curry. He is fresh off back-to-back championships as his Dubs continue to take the league by storm. Here is a quote from Curry on the 19-year-old Luka courtesy of Tim Cato.

steph curry on luka doncic: "he's found a way to impose his will most nights. it's going to be good to see him develop into a star."
— tim cato (@tim_cato) December 23, 2018

That is some high praise from the two-time MVP. Doncic is quickly rocketing up the NBA ranks and may be the first rookie All-Star since Blake Griffin in 2011. The 19-year-old continues to impress, and shots like the buzzer-beater to force overtime he sank on Sunday night only further cement his case in a loaded Western Conference field.

Fans will need to get out and vote for Luka in the coming weeks if they want to see his All-Star bid take off. Expect to hear plenty more about that as the voting just opened up on Dec. 25.

Curry’s favorite shooter

Michael Lee posted a throwback Tweet of a Curry quote from 2014. Mavericks fans will be interested in his words here.

Back in the fall of 2014, I asked Stephen Curry - who was about to win his first MVP but was already regarded as the best shooter alive/ever - to name his favorite shooter. His response? Dirk Nowitzki.
— Michael Lee (@MrMichaelLee) December 23, 2018

Dallas supporters are used to that type of praise being bestowed upon Dirk Nowitzki. The fact that Luka Doncic is receiving the same love is incredible. The future of the Mavs is in stellar hands, and it should be a fantastic ride.

Final thoughts

Warriors guard Stephen Curry praised the play of rookie Luka Doncic. Wonder Boy is showing no signs of slowing down. He has played 31 games and is averaging 19.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game. Doncic ranks 34th in the NBA in points per game. The hype is real.

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The Dallas Mavericks have four more games to close out the 2018 calendar year. Oddly, they play a home-and-home against both the New Orleans Pelicans and Oklahoma City Thunder to finish it off. It will be a stellar test to see if the Mavs can keep pace in the difficult Western Conference. Luka Doncic will be the key factor for Dallas, so stay tuned on the rookie’s play.

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