When Virginia Tech head coach Mike Young plugged in 6’9″ Greek guard Neoklis Avdalas ahead of the 2025–26 season, he knew he was bringing a rare talent to Blacksburg. A former Panathinaikos prospect and EuroLeague contributor, Avdalas brought a blend of size, perimeter playmaking, and international flair that immediately captured the imagination of draft analysts. He was suddenly drawing comparisons to Luka Doncic. But after Avdalas transferred to North Carolina, fans tempered those comparisons.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
That hype exploded during a November 2025 overtime victory against Providence, where the freshman guard erupted for 33 points, 6 assists, and 5 rebounds while knocking down five 3-pointers. Highlights of his step-back jumpers and high-post vision quickly went viral, prompting casual fans, commentators, and reel creators to dub him a “Skinny Luka” or even a “7-Foot Luka.”
The comparison stems naturally from Avdalas’ baseline profile and playing style. Like the Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Doncic, Avdalas grew up playing in Europe, entering the professional ranks at a young age before opting to test his talents on an American stage.
He’s not 7 foot though. The 20-year-old stands at 6’9. While with the Hokies, he had legit big man ball-handler responsibilities. Avdalas became the primary engine for Mike Young’s rotation during his freshman campaign, starting 31 games and averaging 12.1 points and 4.6 assists.
The clips of that game against Providence spurred labels like the ‘New Greek Freak,’ ‘Greek Luka,’ and ‘7-Foot Luka.’
However, before he transferred to the UNC Tar Heels in April 2026, Avdalas had a steep offensive decline after that 33-point game. Avdalas finished his freshman year shooting just 38.6% from the field. At that age, Doncic was about 42.7% in his NBA rookie season.
Moreover, at Virginia Tech, Avdalas was a diamond in the rough or an underdog. At UNC, under former NBA champion coach Michael Malone, he’s evaluated against national championship standards and elite NBA talent.
Given that he’s not done nearly enough, the Doncic comparisons feel a little premature. Fans of the Slovenian icon circulated online, basketball purists on social media were quick to push back on the premature hyperbole.
Hoops fans pump the brakes on the college star’s Luka Doncic comparisons
The internet rarely lets hyperbole slide without a reality check, and college hoops fans were quick to dismantle the idea that this 20-year-old prospect could mirror the elite production of Luka Doncic’s generational talent.
Reclaiming the original standard set by the new Lakers cornerstone, one fan succinctly dismissed the online hype, writing, “There’s only one Luka my guy 🤣, just because someone can copy a move 🤔 does not mean that they are the next 🤨”.
Other fans pointed out that comparing a tall perimeter player to Doncic overlooks fundamental differences in playstyle vs substance. Instead, they offered alternative comparisons, like, “Looks like MPJ imo.”
Most pointed out the dangers of levying such high expectations on collegiate talent saying, “This is what we thought dalton knecht was gonna be”.
The criticism only grew sharper when fans dug into position technicalities and underlying stat lines. Pointing out that Avdalas is neither seven feet tall nor putting up triple-double numbers, a fan stated, “He’s 6’9 and is not Luka check the stats.”
Another user took aim at the skill gaps across mid-tier college bigs and guards, adding, “Not even danny wolf”.
The most damning critique focused directly on shooting efficiency. While Avdalas showed flashes in one game against Providence, his overall freshman season at Virginia Tech saw him struggle from deep, finishing with a 31.4% mark from behind the arc.
Before the comparison gets the better of the young player, someone pointed out. “Can’t even shoot like Luka. Avdalas struggled shooting in college his frosh year. Luka OTOH at the same age ..”
Few think that Michael Malone can develop him into a more efficient big man like Nikola Jokic. But the stylistic mismatch led many to point out that a teen Luka was already capturing EuroLeague MVP honors before entering the 2018 NBA Draft. One fan joked, “Aye 10 year old Luka vs him would be close come on”.
While Avdalas’ size and vision make him an intriguing NBA prospect as he begins his sophomore campaign at North Carolina, fans online made it abundantly clear that copying a step-back jumper is a long way from becoming the real Luka Doncic.