Doncic: Giannis will have biggest EuroBasket scoring game

COLOGNE (Germany) - Luka Doncic is one of the main big-ticket names at FIBA EuroBasket 2022, but amid a series of monster performances by NBA stars the Slovenia leader knows who he would pick to have the highest-scoring game when it's all said and done.

"Probably Giannis, easy answer," was Doncic's response as to whom would score the most points in a single game at this EuroBasket. "I would bet on Giannis."

And when asked why, Doncic said: "Because he's Giannis Antetokounmpo."

The big stars have shined so far at EuroBasket 2022.

Antetokounmpo  scored a sensational 41 points versus Ukraine while Lauri Markkanen picked up 34 points against Czech Republic and 33 versus Israel, Germany's Franz Wagner drained 32 against Lithuania and Nikola Jokic dropped 29 points on Israel.

"BECAUSE HE'S GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO."- Luka Doncic

Doncic put himself in the discussion of the 2022 top scorer after he poured in 36 points to go with 10 rebounds and 4 assists in a big win over hosts Germany.

"I haven't had a good game since I have been here. My teammates helped me a lot. It was a really good game for us. The whole team played amazing. This is how we should play - being aggressive and playing tough," said Doncic, who had had picked up 14 points, 10 assists and 6 rebounds versus Lithuania; 20 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists against Hungary; and 16 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists in the loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Doncic, being the consummate team player, refused however to take all the credit for the big win over Germany. When a reporter mentioned that a German player had been asked what happened and said "Luka happened", Doncic shrugged off the idea, countering: "I think Slovenia happened. Every player was playing amazing, fighting every possession. Luka Doncic didn't happen, Slovenia happened."

 
Still, it hasn't been easier for Doncic to put up his strong numbers in Cologne.

"It's different rules (in international basketball). I would say you have better defenders in the NBA, but here in Europe the team defense is more impressive. Here the team defense is very important," the Dallas Mavericks star added.

Doncic also admitted that it was a challenge getting over Slovenia's disappointment at the 2021 Olympics, where they lost in the last second to France in the Semi-Finals and then failed to bounce back and fell to Australia in the Bronze Medal Game to leave Tokyo empty-handed.

"Really tough. It was our first Olympics. We were fourth, which is the worst place you can be. It was tough to move on. But you learn things, you learn what you should have done, what you shouldn't. You learn from it and you look at it as something positive and learn from it," Doncic said.

What basketball fans meanwhile have learned from EuroBasket is that with the Knockout Phase just around the corner, the big names have been showing why they are the big names - including Luka Doncic.

FIBA