It takes time to win, and that's a lesson Luka Doncic is learning

Michael Jordan needed seven seasons to win his first title. LeBron James needed nine seasons and two futile trips to the NBA Finals before he became a...

Michael Jordan needed seven seasons to win his first title. LeBron James needed nine seasons and two futile trips to the NBA Finals before he became a champion.

Shaquille O’Neal got swept in his first finals. And the newly crowned champion Boston Celtics lost the finals in 2022 and lost in the Eastern Conference finals last year before breaking through now.

The lesson, as everyone knows: Winning the biggest prize almost always takes time. Not always. But usually.

Such is the reality for Luka Doncic. At 25, he already is one of the best players in the world, if not the very best of the bunch. But he’s not a champion. Not yet.