Luka Doncic’s Anticipation Grows Ahead of Dallas Mavericks Training Camp
The NBA has officially confirmed a preseason game on October 10, where Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks will face his former team, Real Madrid, in Madrid. Doncic, reflecting on his time in Spain’s capital, mentioned his personal growth and various achievements beyond basketball during his teenage years, including winning the 2018 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague.
“It means a lot. I have been thinking about this game since they told me I was going to play there,” he said in a press conference following practice on Wednesday.
“That game is going to mean a lot to me,” he furthered, “I was raised there. I was taught there, how to speak English, Spanish, everything, how to play basketball. That is my second home for sure. I am very excited to be back.”
Luka Doncic expects ‘way better’ stuff with Kyrie Irving
The 2023-24 NBA Regular Season will feature him alongside Kyrie Irving. After speeding up the process of forming a partnership midway through the 2022-23 Regular Season, Doncic and Irving can instead work together through the training camp.
“Better, for sure,” he projected the backcourt combined performance, “He came in the middle of the season last year, and we didn’t have much time. We went straight to playing games. It takes time to do chemistry, especially on the court, so we didn’t have the whole training camp, and then I mean, the preseason, too. So I think it’s going to be way better.”
The Slovenian sensation tallied 32.4 points, 8.6 rebounds, 8.0 assists, and 1.4 steals per contest through the 2022-23 NBA campaign. However, the Mavericks did not make the postseason field.
Dealing with injury
Luka Doncic, aged 24, participated in the 2023 FIBA World Cup for Slovenia during the offseason, despite nursing a thigh injury. While he acknowledged improvement in his condition, he refrained from declaring himself completely healed.
During the tournament, Doncic averaged 27.0 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game, contributing to Slovenia’s seventh-place finish. Additionally, he earned a spot in the All-Star Team of the competition, showcasing his individual excellence.
