Nico Harrison’s decision to trade Luka Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks to the Los Angeles Lakers has been as condemned as any trade in NBA history. It made no sense at the time, and as the Mavs continued to fall down the standings, eventually missing the playoffs, that heat only picked up.
Although landing the first overall pick and Cooper Flagg has eased some of that pressure, it was brought back to light when CBS Sports ranked the 25 best players of the 21st century, and Luka Doncic was ranked ahead of Anthony Davis despite being in the league for about half as long.
“Dončić ranking this high [16th] with only seven seasons under his belt should tell you everything you need to know about where his career is headed,” Jasmyn Wimbush wrote of his placement. “This is a guy who has more All-NBA First Team selections than Stephen Curry, has finished in the top five of MVP voting in three of the last five seasons, and is an absolute wizard on the basketball floor.
“You’d be hard-pressed to find many other players who can control a game as well as Dončić can offensively, and the ones who can are ranked incredibly high on this list. His IQ, clutch shot making, and ability to completely rip the soul out of an opponent with his scoring make him someone no team wants to face. The fact he’s only 26 and probably hasn’t reached his peak should be terrifying for everyone else.”
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Apr 9, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Los Angeles Lakers at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
“Whenever Davis has been healthy he has been one of the best players in the league, equally dominant on both ends and impossibly skilled for a man of his size,” Brad Botkin explained of Anthony Davis’ ranking at 19th. “Peak Davis was 2016-18 in New Orleans before he forced his way out, when he was a 28 and 11 guy and probably the best defender on the planet.
“He had some huge years with the Lakers, too, highlighted by the 2020 championship run in which he turned into Kevin Durant inside the bubble, making an absurd 55% of his mid-range jumpers beyond 16 feet. That was one of the craziest outlier shooting performances in history, but it happened, and it largely led the Lakers to their only championship in the LeBron era.”
Apr 18, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis (3) dribbles during the second quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
A big reason why Anthony Davis rushed to return from injury last season (before he was ready) is that he wanted to prove to Mavericks fans that he can lead a franchise to success while being one of the best players in the NBA still. Unfortunately, he re-injured himself in his debut, and that didn’t help to ease the concerns of fans.
With Kyrie Irving out for the first half of the season, Davis will have chances to prove he’s still one of the ten best players in the league. If the Mavericks come out flat and lacking on offense, the pressure will only be turned up more.
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