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in 2018 and led his Real Madrid team to a championship, would translate to the NBA. Dončić squashed all those doubts in a resounding fashion. With his spectacular playmaking, he has even entered into the great debate about who is the best all-around player in the league today. Following his rookie of the year season, Dončić then scooped up All-NBA First Team honors in his next four seasons in the league, wedging his way into the NBA record books as the youngest player in league history to nab multiple First Team selections. Dončić started in two straight All-Star Games as well (he’s been the starter in three of his four appearances through 2023), something no other player in Dallas history has done. His league-best 17 triple-doubles in 2020 also garnered him the distinction of being the youngest player ever to lead the NBA in that category. Potent Package Possessing an imposing package of skills, Dončić can hurt teams in myriad ways. For starters, his buttery smooth, step-back three-pointers are impossible to defend. Rising up in his size 16 sneakers and releasing the ball above his six foot-seven-inch frame, the shot is lethal. Dončić also has terrific ball-handling skills, enabling him to navigate in high-traffic areas around the rim. In addition, he’s a passing wizard, already drawing comparisons to some of the best ever at distributing the basketball, as he routinely manages to deliver passes through a maze of defenders with striking efficiency. When future Hall of Fame inductee Dirk Nowitzki retired after a spectacular 21 seasons in Dallas, the franchise was in dire need of offensive production, and it hit the jackpot with Dončić. In the summer of 2021, he signed a hefty $207 million extension that will keep one of the game’s biggest stars in a Mavericks’ uniform for years to come, a comforting thought for the Dallas fan base.

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Chapter 1: Greatest Moments