Why does Luka Doncic wear number 77? Dallas Mavericks superstar honours basketball idol with jersey | HO

Luka Doncic has very quickly become a superstar in the NBA.

The Dallas Mavericks guard, who was drafted in 2018, is putting up some incredible stat lines this season and is one of the favourites to win the MVP award.

Doncic is one of the best players in the NBACredit: AP
Doncic has averaged almost a triple-double per game and he is now aiming to lead the Mavericks to the NBA finals in the playoffs.

He is one of the stars of the sport and his jersey number is quickly becoming iconic, but why does he wear it? talkSPORT.com takes a look…

Why does Doncic wear number 77? 

Doncic wears the number 77 in honour of one of his idols.

He revealed last year that he looks up to Greek basketball star Vassilis Spanoulis.

Spanoulis had an illustrious career in the European game and spent a season in the NBA with the Houston Rockets in 2006/07.

The 41-year-old is now a coach in Greece but when he was playing, he wore the number seven.

So when Doncic was playing for Real Madrid in Spain, he opted for the same number.

However, after being drafted by the Mavericks, No.7 was already taken by Dwight Powell, meaning he chose 77 instead to still show his respect for Spanoulis.

Doncic wore No.7 at Real Madrid before taking 77 in DallasCredit: Getty
Explaining his number to EuroHoops, Doncic said: “He was really big time for my career. Spanoulis was my idol since I was little.

“I was watching him. It was kind of sad seeing him retiring. That’s why I wear number seven.

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“I mean, I couldn’t wear number seven, cause it was already taken, so I took 77.

“He was really, really big time for me.”

Doncic also wears the number 77 on the international stage for Slovenia.

It has become a staple of his incredible NBA career so far and his jersey is likely to become one of the most iconic in Mavs history.