Luka Dončić had another great night with 39 points and 10 rebounds as he led the Mavs to a 132-122 win over the Warriors. While the victory was certainly welcome, there was something else that made him emotional post-game. Doncic’s mentor and teammate Goran Dragic’s retirement had the Dallas star recounting fond memories.

Speaking about their time together in the Slovenian National Team, he said, “Amazing journey I had with him … I’m just glad I know him. I’m glad I played with him. And I learned actually about leadership.”

The 2017 EuroBasket was a turning point in Luka Doncic’s life. Named to the All-Euro Basket Team, he played a key role in getting the gold medal that year. He mentions that in the presser, saying how it helped him develop leadership skills.

Dragic, for his part, credited Luka’s father, Sasa Doncic for being his mentor at 15. ‘The Dragon’ says that his relationship with the Doncic family goes a long way. “I have known Luka since he was a baby, a kid. He would be there mopping the floor,” he added. Pretty sure Goran will have a few childhood stories that will give us more insight into Doncic’s humorous character off the court.

The veteran mentor-player relationship is something that the NBA has given much importance to. Let’s take a look at one such example.

A famous mentor-player relationship in the NBA

Known as the “Twin Towers”, David Robinson and Tim Duncan, the top big-men duos of the San Antonio Spurs have had one of the most heartwarming relationships. An eight-year-veteran himself when Duncan moved to the Spurs, it’s normal to expect a little hazing or feel threatened by the skills the younger player possesses.

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Talking to the HoopsHype in 2018, Robinson had said there was nothing of the sort. “I never felt threatened. When you have confidence in yourself, you just do what you know how to do and don’t worry about that stuff,” he assured. He further goes on to explain how helping players who possess the kind of skill set Duncan has only served to better the organization as a whole. He likened the experience to swimming.

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As long as you fight the water, you will end up drowning. Instead, try and be a friend. One would be surprised at the results. “Tim was maybe the best thing that happened to me in my whole career,” he added. Just goes to show the depth of respect and love between two of the best players the league has ever seen.

What do you think of these mentor-player relationships? Now this is just one example; two if you count Luka Doncic-Goran Dragic. So, do drop other duos of the league in the comments below and let us know your favorites!

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