Luka Dončić Earns All NBA First Team Selection
The NBA announced today that Mavericks guard Luka Dončić has been named to the 2023-24 Kia All-NBA First Team, marking the fifth straight year he has garnered All-NBA First Team honors, surpassing Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki (4) for most All-NBA First Team selections in franchise history.
The 25-year-old joins Kevin Durant and Tim Duncan as the only players to garner five All-NBA First Team selections before their 26th birthday while also joining Larry Bird, George Gervin and Duncan as the only players to earn five-or-more All-NBA First Team selections within their first six seasons since the ABA/NBA merger (1976-77).
Dončić averaged a league-high (career-high) 33.9 points, 9.2 rebounds (15th in the NBA), a career-high 9.8 assists (second in the NBA), a career-high 1.41 steals (eighth in the NBA) and 37.5 minutes per game (third in the NBA) in 70 games (all starts) this year, becoming the first player in NBA history to average at least 33.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 8.0 assists for a season. Additionally, Dončić became one of four players in league history to finish in the top 15 in points, rebounds, assists and steals (Nikola Jokić, Russell Westbrook and Bird).
The sixth-year guard became the first Maverick in franchise history to win the scoring title and the youngest player to accomplish the feat since Durant in 2011-12. Dončić also led the league in 35-point games (32), 40-point efforts (13), 30-point triple-doubles (16), 35-point triple-doubles (11), 40-point triple-doubles (2) and 20-5-5 games (60).
Dončić finished second in the NBA in 30-point efforts (50), breaking his own single-season Mavericks record of 44 set last year, and third in the league in triple-doubles (21), breaking his own franchise record of 17 set in 2019-20.
Dončić shot a career-high 38.2% (284-744 3FG) from beyond the arc, breaking George McCloud’s single-season franchise record (257 3FG in 1995-96) for the most 3-point field goals made, while also shooting 48.7% (804-1,652 FG) from the field and a career-high 78.6% (478-608 FT) from the foul line.
The 6-7 Slovenian poured in a franchise-record (career-high) 73 points (25-33 FG, 8-13 3FG, 15-16 FT), including 41 in the first half, to go along with 10 rebounds and seven assists in Dallas’ 148-143 win at Atlanta on Jan. 26, marking the highest-scoring game in the NBA this year and tying the fourth-highest scoring effort in league history.
Dončić made his fifth All-Star appearance (fourth start) in 2024, joining LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, Isiah Thomas and Anthony Davis as the only players to earn five All-Star nods before their 25th birthday and passing Rolando Blackman (4) for the second-most All-Star selections in Mavericks history (Nowitzki, 14).
Dončić was named the Kia Western Conference Player of the Month in two straight months (February 2024, March 2024), becoming the first player in franchise history to garner the award in consecutive months. He also garnered Western Conference Player of the Week honors four times (Dec. 11 to 17, Feb. 5 to 11, March 4 to 10, March 25 to 31), tying Nowitzki (4 times, 2009-10) for the most in a single season in team history.
Beginning on his 25th birthday, Dončić recorded a streak of seven consecutive 25-point triple-doubles (Feb. 28 to March 11), a run that included an NBA record of six consecutive 30-point triple-doubles (Feb. 28 to March 9) and five straight 35-point triple-doubles (March 1 to March 9).
Dončić helped the Mavericks (50-32) record their second 50-win season in the last three years (52-30 in 2021-22) and capture their fifth division title in franchise history.
Dončić also led Dallas to its second Western Conference Finals appearance in the last three years.
