Mavericks’ arch nemesis finally gives Luka Doncic the respect he deserves

Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic has been one of the best basketball players for many years now. He has made the All-NBA First Team for five straight years and looks primed to extend his streak in the next several seasons.

Stephen Curry, one of the greatest offensive players of all time, once raved about "Luka Magic" being unstoppable, citing the Slovenian's combination of unparalleled scoring and playmaking as a reason he is a tough cover.

The scary thing is that Doncic looks like he is getting better and better. He averaged career highs of 33.9 points, 9.8 assists, and 4.1 3-pointers per game last season. Imagine him playing with an elite floor spacer in Klay Thompson. It wouldn't be a surprise to see the former No. 3 pick perform even better in the 2024-25 campaign.

Dillon Brooks finally shows Luka Doncic some respect

One of those who have taken on the assignment of trying to contain Doncic is Dillon Brooks of the Houston Rockets. And he can only stand in awe of his rival, bringing up Luka's name first when asked recently who the toughest opponents to guard in the NBA are.

Doncic also appears to revel in his matchups with Brooks. He holds a 7-1 edge over the former Memphis Grizzlies swingman and has averaged 29.6 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 7.9 assists per contest in those faceoffs.

Last season, the five-time All-Star took it up a notch, scoring 41.7 points per game in his three meetings against "Dillon the Villain." The first matchup even had the pair chirping at each other, seemingly fueling their rivalry.

Perhaps he was motivated by how their 2023 FIBA World Cup battle transpired.

Some might remember that the quarterfinal bout between Slovenia and Canada was marred by a Doncic ejection. He complained about the officiating after his squad's loss and elimination, even claiming that the referees apparently said they weren't calling a particular foul on Brooks because "he's coming at us." Funnily enough, the Canadian enforcer was also thrown out of that game.

Still, Doncic praised his adversary, saying he respects Brooks even if others don't like him.

Interestingly, there could have been a chance the two are teammates today in the NBA. Last offseason, the Mavs were reportedly seriously bidding for Brooks, who was then a free agent. As it turned out, the former second-round pick opted to go to a different Texas-based franchise.

Stay plugged in for all the latest on Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks.