Luka Doncic has been one of the best players in the NBA since the second he stepped foot on the court in 2018, and fans quickly realized why his name had been floated around as the next overseas phenomenon for years dating back to his childhood.
He was far too advanced at his age to ever need to come to America to play college basketball, but the Dallas Mavericks superstar recently shared what college he would have attended had he decided to play college ball.
In an interview with Overtime, Doncic said he would have played at The University of Arizona if he went to college, saying “They say it’s good there.”
Luka says he would’ve played at Arizona if he went to college in the United States:
“They say it’s good there.”
(via @overtime)pic.twitter.com/jZfwuHyHHA
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) September 22, 2024
That has to hurt a bit for Wildcats fans after years of disappointment in the NCAA Tournament, as maybe Doncic could have gotten them back to a Final Four for the first time since 2001.
It’s a slightly surprising answer, as most would expect him to pick Duke, Kansas, or another traditional blueblood, but Arizona is close to that tier as well and has a storied history that has evolved to bring in many talented overseas recruits under Tommy Lloyd’s regime since he became the team’s head coach in 2021.
Arizona has sent a number of talented non-American prospects to the NBA in recent years, including Lauri Markkanen, Deandre Ayton, and Bennedict Mathurin, so the program’s influence outside of the states is strong.
If Doncic had gone to Arizona, he would have overlapped with Ayton and formed one of college basketball’s most devastating duos ever.
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