The NBA Finals Were Too Late for Dallas’ Luka Doncic to Watch as a Kid. Now, He’s in Them

The NBA Finals Were Too Late for Dallas’ Luka Doncic to Watch as a Kid. Now, He’s in Them
Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic smiles during a news conference after the team's win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5 of the NBA basketball Western Conference finals in Minneapolis on May 30, 2024. Matt Krohn/AP Photo
|Updated:

BOSTON—Luka Doncic didn’t stay up all night to watch NBA Finals games as a kid. They usually started at something like 3 a.m. in his native Slovenia. He had school to get to a few hours later. He’d wake up and find out who won.

Make no mistake, though: Doncic was paying attention.