NBA Draft 2018: Biggest questions for draft night

PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 17: Marvin Bagley III #35 of the Duke Blue Devils celebrates a three point basket against the Rhode Island Rams during the second half in the second round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 17, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

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BELGRADE, SERBIA – MAY 20: Luka Doncic at the end of 2018 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague F4 Championship Game between Real Madrid v Fenerbahce Dogus Istanbul at Stark Arena on May 20, 2018 in Belgrade, Serbia. (Photo by Luca Sgamellotti/EB via Getty Images) /

3. Where does Luka Doncic go?

Fresh off the greatest basketball season by any 19-year-old, Luka Doncic is taking his talents to the NBA. Considered by many to be the best prospect in the 2018 NBA Draft, it isn’t a foregone conclusion that Doncic would be taken immediately. The Phoenix Suns are set on DeAndre Ayton and who knows what the plan is for the Sacramento Kings, but the word is that it doesn’t involve adding Doncic to the roster.

For the past few days, there’s been talk that “Wonderboy” could drop down to the fifth overall pick on Thursday night. The Dallas Mavericks would love for this to happen as they have had eyes for Doncic all along — he was potentially the reason Mark Cuban let those tanking comments fly so early in the year. However, a report late Tuesday night from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski stated that the Atlanta Hawks have locked in on possibly making Doncic their guy at number three.

Lloyd Pierce has taken over the head coaching role for Mike Budenholzer, but the Hawks still have a man from the San Antonio Spurs coaching tree at the mantle (Pierce was an assistant in Philadelphia for Brett Brown who coached in San Antonio from 2002-2013). It is very plausible that the Hawks run a system that highlights Doncic’s strengths. Plus, after watching 6-foot-10 Ben Simmons run point guard to tremendous success, Pierce might be more open to letting the 6-foot-8 Doncic play his preferred position at the point as well.

Doncic was unable to work out for teams in the lead up to the draft as he was busy winning MVPs and championships with Real Madrid. There’s long been an international bias from NBA general managers — especially with guards and wings — but whichever team ends up with Doncic will look like geniuses in the long run if he pans out like he is projected to. While the fan bases of the teams that passed over him will likely be chasing their current general manager out of town for passing over him.