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The Wonder Boy

Luka Doncic and the Curse of Greatness

Coming Soon

Contributors

By Tim MacMahon

Formats and Prices

Price

$30.00

Price

$39.00 CAD

ESPN’s Tim MacMahon chronicles the career of the Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Doncic and examines the pressure of building an NBA team around a prodigy.

In 2018, the Dallas Mavericks landed the most hyped European teen prospect in basketball history—Luka Doncic, who has proven to be a generational NBA talent with a flair for sensational playmaking. But that’s only half the story. With The Wonder Boy, MacMahon takes us beyond the highlights to the madness that ensues as the Mavericks try to avoid blowing their golden opportunity.

From the internal power struggles in owner Mark Cuban’s front office during the early years of Doncic’s career, to the new regime’s effort to earn Doncic’s loyalty and put the ruthless competitor in position to win, readers will learn never-before-reported details about the saga’s biggest moments, including:
  • the blockbuster deal for Kristaps Porzingis that blew up in the Mavs’ faces
  • the divorces with coach Rick Carlisle and GM Donnie Nelson
  • Jalen Brunson’s exit after a run to the Western Conference finals
  • the new pairing with the mercurial Kyrie Irving
  • the improbable journey to the 2024 Finals
As the clock ticks on the Mavs’ quest to win it all with their irreplaceable young star, The Wonder Boy pulls back the curtain on a dilemma every NBA team would love to have.

  • "From Doncic's childhood through the Mavericks run to the 2024 NBA Finals, MacMahon unearths fascinating new details about Doncic's unlikely path to Dallas and the challenges of building around a generational superstar. This is a true insider account—a must-have for any basketball fan."
     
    Zach Lowe, NBA analyst and host of the “Lowe Post” podcast

On Sale
Mar 25, 2025
Page Count
368 pages
ISBN-13
9781538740712

Tim MacMahon

About the Author

Tim MacMahon reports on the NBA for ESPN. A native of Dallas, he’s followed the Mavs for decades and currently covers the team.

Learn more about this author