This week, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban gained notoriety for remarks he made about phenom Luka Doncic. During a guest appearance on Shannon Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay, Cuban expressed his observation that Doncic’s style of play bears a lot of parallels to that of Denver Nuggets player Nikola Jokic. To Cuban, if you saw either Doncic or Jokic on the street, you wouldn’t think that they’re some of the world’s finest players. But everything changes when you watch Jokic or Doncic take the court.

“If you just saw him, you’d be like, ‘Who’s that chubby dude, right? He really can play, oh my god. Cuban chuckled.”However, it’s talent and basketball IQ. You mix your 6’11” height with skill and basketball I.Q. He has three steps ahead vision, the ability to dribble, pass, and shoot. When your game contains those components, he and Luka are practically identical. In the NBA, there’s always room for shooters and strong rebounders. However, you’re unstoppable if you can handle the ball, rebound, shoot, and have a basketball I.Q. that ranks in the top five in the NBA.

Although it was intended as a jest, Cuban’s analysis is accurate. Players like Jokic and Doncic are the greatest in the world for a reason. Because of their distinct skill set, both players stand out on the field and are considered front-runners for MVP this season.