Mavericks Sign First-Round NBA Draft Pick Luka Doncic
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - The Dallas Mavericks announced Monday that they signed the third overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, Luka Doncic. The 19-year-old player will make $5.5 million next season and $6.4 million in his second season.
Dallas acquired the draft rights to Doncic from the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for the draft rights to fifth overall pick Trae Young and a protected 2019 first-round draft pick.
Doncic is the reigning EuroLeague Most Valuable Player and EuroLeague Final 4 Most Valuable Player after leading Real Madrid to the 2017-18 EuroLeague title. He was the youngest player ever to garner both awards.
In 33 games with Real Madrid last season, Doncic averaged 16 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.9 assists while shooting .443 from the field, .329 from behind-the-arc and .816 from the foul line.
The guard was the youngest ever to debut with Real Madrid in 2014 when he was 16 years and 61 days old. Doncic was twice awarded the EuroLeague Rising Star and was named the Spanish ACB Best Young Player in 2016-17 and 2017-18.
The Slovenia native is a member of his national team that went undefeated on its way to winning the country's first gold medal at EuroBasket 2017. In that tournament, Doncic was named to the All-Tournament Team and won EuroBasket 2017 Most Valuable Player.