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Luka Dončić
basketball November 4, 2022
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Is Luka Dončić the best player in the NBA? Inside his journey and mindset

After scoring 33 points in a victory over the Utah Jazz (6-3), it is time people start talking about Luka Dončić as one of the best basketball players in the world.

Dončić is only the third player in NBA history to start the season with seven straight 30-point games; the 23-year-old superstar also leads the league in points per game at 36.1.

If the young guard continues on this path, it’s safe to say the Dallas Mavericks (4-3) have an incredibly bright future.  

“I always say, ‘I just wish to play in the NBA.’ This is really a dream for me, I couldn’t be happier to play basketball to be my job, and that’s it. I’m just happy to play basketball, and when we win, it’s even better,”

Dončić told reporters. 

It’s all about your mindset

Though Dončić comes off as a fun and relaxed guy, what makes him so elite is his championship mindset:

“I just know from last year, I had to start [this season] better because the way I started last year wasn’t exactly acceptable. So I tried to learn from that and just be better than last year” he later added.  

Dončić made it his mission to improve over the offseason, and his trainer, Anze Macek, said he wanted to begin working ‘immediately’ after the end of last season.  

“Shortly after the end of the season, he [Dončić] contacted me and said that he wanted to start fitness training immediately… When he went on vacation, he asked me for a work [out] plan… He is also increasingly aware of the importance of physical preparation. That’s why I believe in his progress,”

Macek told SportsKlub Slovenija.  

Life before the NBA

This championship-caliber mindset didn’t just begin for the Mavericks Guard; it is something he has carried with him since he was a young kid. Dončić became a pro basketball player at 13 years old; five years later, he would become the youngest EuroLeague MVP.  

Despite this huge accomplishment, Dončić would continue to work hard to silence doubters who felt any team that picked him was taking a ‘chance’ since he was a European player.  

How he dealt with criticism

“Dončić, at 6-foot-7, will get exposed for all the Dirk [Nowitzki Had]. Dirk’s not a great athlete. Dirk doesn’t have explosiveness. Dirk isn’t physical. Well, that’s what’s going to happen to Dončić because he doesn’t have the one thing nobody can bother or stop,” . 

Skip Bayless said on Undisputed, directly after the 2018 NBA draft. 

Well, Dončić continued to work in silence and prove critics wrong. He would earn the 2018-19 NBA rookie of the year award and average 31.0 points per game in the playoffs a season later against all-stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George and the accompanying Los Angeles Clippers.  

However, after two first-round playoff exits against the Clippers – coming into the 2021-22 season, people were questioning if Dončić had what it took to propel a team deep into the playoffs. 

Only time will tell

Dončić would answer these questions come playoff time, making it all the way to game five of the Western Conference Finals. During this 15-game playoff run, the young phenom averaged 31.7 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 6.4 assists while shooting 45.5% from the field.  

Whenever people have questioned Dončić’s capabilities, he has answered impressively. It will be fascinating to see what questions he will answer this year when he looks to earn his first NBA Finals appearance. 

Aaron Rodgers
aaron rodgers November 1, 2022
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After losing to the Bills, are the Packers still an elite team?

After Sunday night’s 27-17 loss against the Buffalo Bills (6-1), many now wonder – can the Green Bay Packers (3-5) still compete for a Super Bowl? 

The Packers have dropped four straight after losing in primetime, something that four-time MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers is not familiar with. Rodgers coming into this year has only had two losing seasons: 

“We gotta improve the discipline a little bit. Improve the discipline, then just improve the details. You know, the first play of the game, we are going the wrong way on offense and just [making] little detailed mistakes,”

Rodgers told reporters after the loss

Rodgers later added, “I thought we ran the ball well. I thought ‘Jonesy’ [Aaron Jones] had a great game; I thought AJ [Dillion] ran the ball hard. But, we are going to have to push the ball down the field in order to win games in this league.” 

Will Odell solve their issues?

The NFL tradeline is this coming Tuesday, and many “cheese heads” want to see a change on their roster – specifically in the receiving core. Three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. has recently shown interest in joining Rodgers in the cheese state.  

“Odell and I have been friends for a number of years now, so we keep in contact often. We talked various times over the years, and obviously with a player like that, you always [are] hoping that there’s a time where you can figure things out and play together,”

Rodgers told The Pat McAfee Show. 

Whether they take the trading or free-agent route, change must happen if this team wants to contend for a championship. Yes, the Packers rushed for over 200 yards against the No. 1 defensive in the league. However, if you’re going to make it far, you have to air the ball out.  

How did the Packers lose?

Last night, the Packers dug themselves into a 24-7 hole heading into halftime – a lead that is nearly impossible for a team that can’t pass to come back from. Not only did the Packers have to conquer an insurmountable lead, that had to deal with injuries and mental mistakes.  

Wide receiver Christian Watson and linebacker De’Vondre Campbell had to leave the game after suffering injuries.

Not to mention linebacker Quay Walker, who was ejected in the second quarter after shoving a player on the sidelines. Walker’s ejection ended up extending the Bills’ lead before the half.  

What does the head coach think?

“It’s an unfortunate lesson that he’s got to learn. I hope it’s a good reminder for everyone on our football team because that’s the kind of stuff that I have zero tolerance for,”

Packers Head Coach Matt LaFleur told the media after the game.  

“Mistakes are going to happen in this game. But, losing your cool, losing your poise, putting the team in jeopardy – I got no tolerance for that,” Lafleur added.  

What went wrong?

In the 2021-22 NFL season, the Packers finished No.1 in the NFC conference with a record of (13-4). A lot of the team’s success was due to the chemistry between Rodgers and former wide receiver Davante Adams. Together the two combined for the most touchdown passes in Green Bay history, at 68.  

Unfortunately, Green Bay decided they would roll with a heavy rookie receiving core – sending Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders (2-5). Eight games into this season, Rodgers’ struggles with his receivers have shown, already tying his interception count from last season with four.  

If the Packers want any chance of competing in early February, they will need more outside weapons for Rodgers to work with.