He played nine games in Euroleague Basketball’s junior tournament
When Luka Doncic earned MVP honors in his final ANGT game
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These days, Luka Doncic is known right around the world for leading Real Madrid to a Turkish Airlines EuroLeague championship and starring for the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA. But back in the 2014-15 season, European basketball fans got their first glimpse of Luka magic when he was playing for Los Blancos in the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament.
Doncic’s first ANGT appearance came at the U18 Hospitalet event at the age of 15 years, 10 months and seven days old, with the U18 Real Madrid forward finishing with a 10-point, 10-rebound double-double to go with 1 assist and 1 steal in a dominant 38-69 win over U18 CB L’Hospitalet on January 4, 2015. The U18 Real squad went on to win that qualifying tournament, beating archrival U18 FC Barcelona 87-55 in the final, with Doncic scoring 17 points.
His ninth and final ANGT appearance came on the weekend of the 2015 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four in Madrid, Spain, as reigning champion U18 Real looked to defend its title. There was already plenty of noise around Doncic and he was certainly delivering the goods. Aged 16 years, two months and 19 days on the day of the ANGT final against U18 Crvena Zvezda Belgrade, Doncic played 34:41 minutes and recorded a 14-point, 11-rebound double-double, in addition to dishing 5 assists, making 1 steal and blocking 1 shot. U18 Real ended up coming out on top, 73-70, meaning that Doncic secured the first major trophy of his fledgling career. He earned ANGT MVP honors, too.
The following season, 2015-16, Doncic would make his EuroLeague debut for Real’s senior side aged 16 years, seven months and 18 days old on the road at Khimki Moscow Region in Round 1. He played 12 games that season, including twice in the playoffs, before establishing himself as a key member in Los Blancos’ rotation in the 2016-17 and 2017-18 campaigns. His final EuroLeague season ended just like his ANGT career did – with the MVP award and championship trophy under his arm.