Is Luka Doncic Already Better Than LeBron, Kobe, and Kevin Garnett?
In his short time in the NBA, Dallas Mavericks forward Luka Doncic has taken the league by storm behind his stellar play on the floor. Doncic has not only emerged as one of the best young talents but also among the top players in the NBA. His blazing start to the 2019-20 season has earned him some early recognition as a strong candidate for the MVP award, which would make him the youngest to accomplish that feat. Beyond that, Doncic has proven that his immediate impact has already outreached that of Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Kevin Garnett at that age.
Luka Doncic’s strong start to NBA career
Since entering the league, Doncic has met all the hype that surrounded him as a Slovenian international star playing for Real Madrid and his country’s national team.
The 20-year-old quickly stepped to provide stellar all-around play with his unique ability to playmake as a passer while scoring among the top offensive talents in the league. That has translated into a quick start out of the gate to the 2019-20 season as he has been the driving force to the team’s strong start.
Doncic is putting up triple-double like numbers with 30.6 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 9.8 assists through the first 16 games. That includes him tallying 12 double-doubles with seven triple-doubles while he owns the NBA mark with 15 triple-doubles before age 21.
His play has also brought into question his status among previous greats at this same stage of his career, which the comparison is staggering.
Luka Doncic already statistically bests LeBron, Kobe and KG
It’s not very often in the NBA, where a transcendent player comes along at such an early age.
Doncic has proven to be just that from the get-go behind his strong production that has already lifted him statistically past three future Hall of Famers in Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, and LeBron James.
The fact that Doncic has surpassed each of these all-time greats this early speaks volumes of his talent. He has shown tremendous ability to impact the game significantly in each of these regards from the start that each of these players finely tooled themselves to become elite in each respect.
It also demonstrates that Doncic is the complete package talent has stepped in firmly as the Mavericks’ cornerstone player in just his second year, something that Garnett, Bryant, and James all garnered in their respective careers. Beyond that, it crystalizes further that he has a bright future ahead of him over the next decade-plus.
Luka Doncic’s bright future ahead
The Mavericks have moved full steam ahead with Doncic as their driving force on the court. He has put the franchise on his back as their next face following Dirk Nowitzki.
Doncic’s play has also elevated him into the MVP conversation, which won’t be the first of many seasons that he will be under serious consideration for the honor. He has also quick garnered the respect and admiration from his peers around the league, including James being among the most vocal about the 20-year-old’s talent.
It may be an overused phrase in professional sports, but the sky is truly the limit for his NBA career. He has already reached a level of play that many players reach well within their respective careers, but he has become a bonafide star in the NBA before the age of 21.
With that stellar play comes a world of expectations that will be put forth ahead of him in the coming years with MVP awards and NBA titles. For the time being, Doncic has proven to be the real deal and could be one of the faces of the league for a long time.
