Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic added another achievement to his already impressive resume in just six seasons playing in the league.
The 25-year-old captured his first Western Conference Finals MVP award, receiving the Magic Johnson Trophy after the Mavs secured a trip to the 2024 NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics by finishing off the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games.
However, Doncic was ready to hand over the Magic Johnson Trophy to a teammate who had been sensational during their playoff run.
The five-time All-NBA First Team member prepared to give the trophy to rookie center Dereck Lively II on the way to the locker room, who graciously refused to accept it from his hands.
Lively has been crucial for the Mavs as a defender, lob threat, and inside presence. He displayed incredible poise despite being a rookie and did not miss a single shot in the Western Conference Finals.
The 20-year-old has averaged 8.5 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game in the postseason.
Luka Doncic defers praise upon winning Western Conference Finals MVP
Doncic was named the Western Conference Finals MVP after a sensational series against the Timberwolves. In that series, he averaged 32.4 points, 9.6 rebounds, 8.2 assists, and 2.2 steals per game. This performance helped the Mavericks return to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2011.
Despite his stellar individual performance, Doncic deferred praise to his teammates upon receiving the Magic Johnson Trophy.
"This trophy is the whole team man, it's not me... This means a lot, we're going to NBA Finals, just can't believe it," the five-time NBA All-Star said.
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