Who is Lloyd, the player who defeated Doncic? Once sat beside Kawhi stealing the spotlight, played the role of Curry during the Finals.

On August 29th Beijing time, the contest between Slovenia and Poland culminated in a duel between five-time NBA First Team selectee Doncic and ex-G League player and 2019 NBA title winner Lloyd.

Doncic shot 7 of 14 overall, exploding for 34 points, 4 rebounds, 9 assists, 5 steals, and 2 blocks, becoming the first player in EuroBasket history to record a single game with “30+ points, 5+ assists, and 5+ steals.” However, Lloyd stole the spotlight with an impressive scoring display: he made 7 of 8 three-pointers and scored 32 points, leading Poland to a 105-95 victory over Slovenia.

Within the first two minutes, Doncic stole the ball from Lloyd and scored, marking the start of his dominant performance. Facing a Polish defense that frequently resorted to fouling to contain him, Doncic was almost unstoppable, sinking 17 of 18 free throws and scoring 17 points just from the line.

Nevertheless, Poland took an early lead and trailed for only 97 seconds throughout the entire game, largely thanks to Lloyd, who delivered one of the best performances of his career.

Hailing from Chicago, Lloyd played college basketball at Furman University and the University of Indianapolis. He went undrafted in the 2016 NBA Draft. Afterwards, he competed in the G League and Israeli league before signing a two-way contract with the Toronto Raptors. Although he played only 12 games for Toronto, he left a lasting impression there.

In that iconic photo — Game 7 of the 2019 Eastern Conference Semifinals, after Kawhi hit the buzzer-beater against the 76ers — Lloyd was crouched beside him, waiting for the outcome, his expression notably eye-catching.

Moreover, during the 2019 NBA Finals, Lloyd simulated playing the role of “Curry” in the Raptors’ training lineup, and the Raptors eventually defeated the Warriors 4-2 to claim the franchise’s first and only NBA championship.

After leaving the Raptors, Lloyd shined on overseas courts. He played in leagues across Spain, Serbia, Russia, France, and Israel, winning multiple league titles and individual honors. Earlier this month, Lloyd obtained Polish citizenship, enabling him to represent Poland’s national team — a decision that has already borne fruit.

In this game where Poland defeated Slovenia, Lloyd once again showed flashes of “Curry”: hitting difficult shots from various spots on the floor, nailing threes off screens, step-back jumpers, and pull-up shots in transition with ease. Were it not for foul trouble limiting him to 27 minutes, he could have challenged for 40 points in a single game.

Even so, Lloyd’s 32 points set several records —

Since Zelig scored 33 points against the Czech Republic in 1987, Lloyd became the highest-scoring Polish player in a single EuroBasket game in over 40 years. Throughout the game, Lloyd shot 7 of 8 from beyond the arc, leading Poland’s impressive perimeter shooting: the team made 14 of 26 three-pointers for a 53.8% success rate, a key factor in their upset victory.

Since EuroBasket began tracking related statistics in 1995, Lloyd’s seven made three-pointers in a single game set the record for most threes made in a EuroBasket debut.

Lloyd’s 32 points rank fourth on the EuroBasket debut scoring leaderboard, behind Germany’s Jäkel with 36 points in 1985, Lithuania’s Kanisovas with 35 points in 1995, and Poland’s Jurkiewicz with 34 points in 1969.