Mavs Icon Dirk Nowitzki's Hometown Hope For Successor Luka Doncic

Dallas Mavericks Icon Dirk Nowitzki Harbors A Hometown Hope For His NBA Successor Luka Doncic - Well, Two Hopes, Actually

DALLAS - To Dallas Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki - him having lived it - it probably doesn't seem like too-dreamy a desire. But Dirk has a goal for his successor, new Mavs franchise player Luka Doncic.

Well, two hometown hopes, actually.

“At 20, it has been a lot of fun watching him play,'' Nowitzki said during the Laureus World Sports Awards ceremony held in Berlin, per Euro Hoops. "I hope he stays in Dallas his entire career. I hope I can continue having a good time watching him play for a long time.''

That's one hope and it's a lofty one. Given that owner Mark Cuban wishfully projects that Luka plays in 25 more All-Star Games, it would take Doncic into his mid-40's as an NBA player ... and re-set all sorts of marks presently held by Dirk, who played all 21 of his NBA seasons with the Mavs.

Luka is already showing himself to be as special as Dirk was, and is doing so far earlier in his career than did his fellow Euro. In 44 games for the Mavs this season, Doncic is averaging 28.9 points, 9.5 rebounds and 8.7 assists. But for his games missed due to a pair of ankle problems, he'd been even more praised as a potential MVP candidate.

But of course, there is something else that Dirk did ... and something else Luka must do ... to truly take the baton and fill the wish.

“Luka is very young,'' Dirk said. "I hope he’s able to build something and play at a very high level. I hope one day he can bring a championship home.”