Part 4/8:
Luka Dončić was drafted third overall by the Dallas Mavericks in 2018, seen as a transformative player who could lead the franchise into a new era. Throughout his tenure, the Mavericks sought to build a competitive team around him, featuring notable acquisitions like Kristaps Porziņģis and Jalen Brunson. However, despite reaching the West Conference Finals and impressive individual performances from Dončić, including a season averaging nearly 34 points per game, the Mavericks had not secured an NBA championship.