ESPN predicts best players for 2018 season, Dončić the only rookie in the top 100

Goran Dragić came in 61st

23. september 2018 ob 8.46 • Ljubljana - MMC RTV SLO

Luka Dončić has received a lot of attention in the run-up to the new NBA season. Foto: Reuters

Luka Dončić hasn’t played in the NBA yet, but ESPN, the largest sports outlet in the United States, predicts that the 19-year-old Slovenian will be the 63rd best player in the coming season.

Dončić is the only rookie to crack the top 100. The ESPN forecast panel of experts ranked Dončić’s fellow countryman Goran Dragić 61st – down 14 spots from last year’s ranking.

Dallas coach Rick Carlisle had this to say about Dončić: “Anybody who doesn’t jump on season tickets now is going to sorely regret it later.” Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki also declared Dončić a better player than he was when he first arrived in the NBA.

ESPN considers Dončić to be “the most NBA-ready player in the 2018 draft class”. According to ESPN's Tim MacMahon, “the word out of Dallas is that Dončić has often been the best player on the court.”

Dončić ranks ahead of players such as JJ Redick, Josh Richardson, DeMarcus Cousins, Andrew Wiggins, Lou Williams, Andre Igoudala etc. ESPN has been ranking the best players in the NBA for 8 years.

The 2018-19 NBA season is due to begin on October 16.