Fansided

Luka Doncic is getting no respect from his NBA rookie peers

By Brad Berreman

TARRYTOWN, NY - AUGUST 12: Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks poses for a portrait during the 2018 NBA Rookie Shoot on August 12, 2018 at the Madison Square Garden Training Center in Tarrytown, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
TARRYTOWN, NY - AUGUST 12: Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks poses for a portrait during the 2018 NBA Rookie Shoot on August 12, 2018 at the Madison Square Garden Training Center in Tarrytown, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Player votes and surveys provide offseason fodder, and Luka Doncic’s NBA rookie peers have provided some.

Despite being just 19 years old, Luka Doncic will bring plenty of international experience with him into the NBA. He also won a EuroLeague MVP award last season, for a championship team no less. which is obviously a rare feat for a teenager.

The Dallas Mavericks traded up from the No. 5 pick in June’s draft to get Doncic at No. 3 overall, while also surrendering a protected 2019 first-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks. So they clearly have a prominent role in mind for him as a rookie, and it’s easy to place Doncic among the favorites for NBA Rookie of the Year.

Player surveys and votes provide good offseason fodder, regardless of the sport. The NBA has taken one of their turns to get through their slowest time of the year, with a survey of incoming rookies that has recently come out.

Some anecdotes have come from that rookie survey, with votes on Best Defender, Best Athlete, Best Career, Best Shooter, Biggest Draft Steal, Favorite NBA player and Best Playmaker. Players were asked not to vote for themselves, college teammates or NBA teammates, and votes along those lines were discounted.

It’s not too surprising Deandre Ayton and Collin Sexton tied for the top in the Rookie of the Year peer vote, at 18 percent. Ayton was the No.1 overall pick by the Suns, and Sexton might lead all rookies in usage rate for the LeBron James-less Cavaliers.

But tied for third, at nine percent of the vote, is Kevin Knox (New York Knicks) and Doncic. That’s a little bit of disrespect to Doncic, or simply sleeping on him as a legit Rookie of Year candidate. But the vote for “Best Career” among this year’s rookies was a step even further down.

Wendell Carter (Chicago Bulls) led the way with 13 percent of the vote for best career, followed by Knox and (surprisingly) Jerome Robinson (Los Angeles Clippers) at 10 percent. Ayton, Mo Bamba (Orlando Magic), Mikal Bridges (Phoenix Suns), Sexton and Lonnie Walker IV (San Antonio Spurs) came in at seven percent.

Most of the expected remaining usual suspects are under “Other receiving votes”, except one.

"Others receiving votes: Marvin Bagley III, Sacramento; Miles Bridges, Charlotte; Troy Brown Jr., Washington; Hamidou Diallo, Oklahoma City; Donte DiVincenzo, Milwaukee; Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, LA Clippers; Devonte’ Graham, Charlotte; Jaren Jackson Jr., Memphis; Michael Porter Jr., Denver; Trae Young, Atlanta"

Next. Stephen Cury explains why Timberwolves passed on him. dark

It’s possible Doncic violated the rules and voted for himself for Best Career, and a vote for him from fellow Mavericks rookie Jalen Brunson would have also been disqualified. But to get no other acknowledgement from his rookie peers is odd, and Doncic now has some bulletin board material if he needs such a thing for extra motivation.

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