Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic recalls first meeting with 'idol' LeBron James

There have been shades of LeBron James in Luka Doncic's meteoric rise to stardom in just his second season in the NBA. The last time the Dallas Mavericks faced off against the Los Angeles Lakers, the Lakers came out on top thanks to a spirited performance from Anthony Davis and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. While Luka Doncic may not have been able to set the Staples Center alight with his usual heroics on the night, the reigning 'Rookie of the Year' recalled how he felt when he first faced off against one of his idols i.e. LeBron James in 2018. 

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Luka Doncic reveals how he felt the first time he played against three-time NBA Finals MVP LeBron James

Speaking to a leading sports outlet, Luka Doncic recalled the first time he faced LeBron James, back in 2018. The Dallas Mavericks star said that he was "nervous" the first time he played against LeBron James, considering that he was his idol. Luka Doncic continued by saying that the feeling was "something different" than what he had experienced. The reigning Rookie of the Year also said that playing against LeBron James since then has been a little different. However, he always feels the pressure when facing off against the 15-time NBA All-Star.

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Luka Doncic following LeBron James' path

Interestingly, the numbers from Luka Doncic's second season in the NBA are somewhat similar to LeBron James' second season in the NBA during his Cleveland Cavalier days. After being in the NBA for two seasons, the then-Cavaliers breakout star averaged over 24.1 points, 6.4 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game. Luka Doncic, now in his second season with the Dallas Mavericks, is currently averaging 23.8 points, 8.4 rebounds and 6.9 assists. Both LeBron James and Luka Doncic will face off against each other at the American Airlines Center on Friday, January 10 (Saturday morning IST). 

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