Doncic takes no breaks, he's expected to play in Olympic Qualifier tune up
Fresh off an All-NBA first-team selection, Luka Doncic is ready to chase Olympic gold. After averaging 35.7 points, 10.3 assists, and 7.9 rebounds in the NBA Playoffs, Doncic is set to play in an Olympic Qualifying tune-up game on Friday. He let Luka, Slovenia, and Mavs fans know he'd be playing via a Twitter video, […]
Fresh off an All-NBA first-team selection, Luka Doncic is ready to chase Olympic gold.
After averaging 35.7 points, 10.3 assists, and 7.9 rebounds in the NBA Playoffs, Doncic is set to play in an Olympic Qualifying tune-up game on Friday. He let Luka, Slovenia, and Mavs fans know he'd be playing via a Twitter video, that showcased him making the jump shot everyone is accustomed to seeing.
An Update on Luka in Slovenia:
In an offseason where a litany of players chose to take a break, Doncic elected not to. It was never in question whether he would represent the Slovenian National. Helping his nation achieve its Olympic goal is the next hurdle for him in his already illustrious career.
"This is my main goal: qualifying Slovenia for the Olympics. I’m going to be heading back to Slovenia and starting practicing, so no vacation," he said.
The official Olympic Qualifying Tournament begins on June 29 in Lithuania. Slovenia has never qualified for the Olympics in basketball. Doncic is chasing history, again.
There are four total tournaments (held in Canada, Croatia, and Serbia, in addition to Lithuania) that consist of 24 teams, with six teams per Olympic Qualifying Tournament. The winner of each event will qualify for the Olympic Games to complete the 12-team field in Tokyo.
A busy week for Doncic:
It's already been a hectic week for Doncic and the Mavs. His All-NBA first-team selection solidified his eligibility for the rookie max extension. Under what is known as the "Derrick Rose Rule," Doncic's contract is worth 30 percent of the projected salary cap this summer. And based on the current cap projections, the contract amounts roughly five years to $201.5 million.
An already big offseason only gets bigger for Doncic. Between leading his native country to Olympic glory, helping Dallas restructure the roster, and signing his rookie max extension, the 22-year-old has his work cut out for him.
Related Mavericks reading:
"Column: the report on Doncic is troubling, but not a concern."
"Dallas Mavericks well represented in Olympic Games this summer."
Feature image via Matti Matikainen/Newspix24/Sipa USA via USA TODAY NETWORK.
