There are plenty of talented NBA players, but few capable of leading a franchise. The list gets shorter when comparing the talents that could become the future of the league. Two names that are constantly mentioned include Luka Doncic and Jayson Tatum.
Tatum, 24, is coming off a season averaging 26.9 points, 8.0 rebounds and 4.4 assists and was an integral part of the Boston Celtics earning a trip to the NBA Finals. He earned the first All-NBA First-Team nod of his career in the process.
Doncic led the Dallas Mavericks to the Western Conference before losing to the eventual NBA champion Golden State Warriors. He averaged 28.4 points, 9.1 rebounds and 8.7 assists in what became his third straight All-NBA First-Team campaign.
There are many debated topics where Doncic and Tatum are at odds. The latest: Who will be the NBA’s best player in five years? A survey of 15 NBA coaches, scouts and executives as part of ESPN’s annual survey offered their perspective on the league as a whole, in which Giannis Antetokounmpo (seven votes), Doncic (six votes) and Tatum (two voices) were chosen.
One of the scouts attributed the difference in defensive impact as the basis for picking Tatum over Doncic. While Doncic can sustain an ultra-high usage rate, the scout doesn’t consider this to be more valuable than having a better defender.
“Just because of the defensive component,” an Eastern Conference scout said. “Luka is a stallion, and you don’t have to be a defensive lock guy to be an All-NBA player like him, but to have Tatum’s ability to self-create, his physical tools, and his ability to giving you defensive versatility is pretty special.
“Luka has done a hell of a job carrying this team this year, but the two-way wing creator/scorer is the ultimate archetype, and Tatum is that at 24, and just took this team to the final. I just like his ability to give you something defensively that Luka will probably never be able to do.”
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Another scout who took part in the survey made it clear that he wouldn’t choose anyone other than Doncic in the next five years. Even though conditioning is a mentioned concern, the scout is not hesitant with his choice.
“It’s hard to bet against him,” said an East scout. “There are concerns about whether he will keep up with his conditioning, but I’m not betting anyone on him five years from now.”
Doncic has become a battle-tested playoff performer who puts up huge numbers no matter the game. He produced great results against the LA Clippers’ elite defense with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George in two playoff series. Then he was masterful against Rudy Gobert, Mikal Bridges and the Phoenix Suns, then finally, against a Warriors defense with Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green.
During his NBA playoff career, Doncic is averaging 32.5 points, 9.3 rebounds and 7.9 assists. He trails only Michael Jordan in career playoff scoring average and has averaged at least 31 points per game in each of his three playoff trips.
While some will point to defense when picking other players, Doncic’s ability to lead a half-court offense his size with elite scoring and passing ability is matched only by LeBron James. . A skill set like this is more valuable than a wing goalscorer who doesn’t even guard the opposition’s best player.
You can follow Grant Afseth on Twitter at @GrantAfseth.
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