Former Dallas Mavericks assistant coach Marko Milic, who left after Luka Doncic was traded to the Lakers, said Americans have a hard time accepting that Luka and Jokic are the best players in the world because they don’t fit their athletic standards. He also added that now that Luka is back to being fit, the Mavs will find something else to say about him.
The Dallas Mavericks’ trade of Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers has already been etched in the history books as one of the biggest—if not the biggest—trades in NBA history.
Luka Doncic
Luka Doncic
Position: PG, SG
Age: 26
Height: 201 cm
Weight: 104 kg
Birth place: Ljubljana, Slovenia
Alongside Doncic, the Mavericks also parted ways with physical trainer Anze Macek, who immediately traveled with Doncic to Los Angeles, and assistant coach Marko Milic, who ended his contract with Dallas.
After many months of silence and a break following the turbulent and unexpected end to his time in Dallas, Milic has now shared his thoughts with the media.
"Even though it’s a job, in the end, you’re still emotional," Milic said via SiOl.
"Those three years with Luka in Dallas were very special for me — we reached the conference finals, Luka was the league’s top scorer, and being part of his coaching staff alongside Anze Macek was truly a privilege and a joy."
"After endings like that, you need some time, but now our focus is already elsewhere,” Milic added.
Although they are no longer directly connected through the club, Milic and Doncic have maintained a strong friendship over the years.
"Luka and I are in constant contact, he always enjoys playing for the national team, so after all these tough seasons, we can be happy to have a player like him."
Credit Slovenia Basketball Federation
Milic also pointed out that Americans have their own set of standards when judging Luka and other European players—and often struggle to accept their dominance.
"For me, it’s important that Luka feels good, regardless of appearances. I’m not like the Americans who follow their own criteria. No matter what was said about him, Luka was the league’s top scorer and had truly outstanding seasons."
"To put it simply, they have a hard time accepting that Luka and Jokic are the best players in the world because they don’t fit their athletic standards," he stated.
"But mentally, technically, tactically, and with a smile on their faces, they dominate the league, and so there’s always something being scrutinized."
Now that Luka has slimmed down, Milic joked that the critics will just come up with a new narrative.
"Surely, now that he looks like a model, they’ll find something else to say (laughs)," Milic joked.
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