Luka isn’t even in first gear yet.
The Los Angeles Lakers continued to live up to their reputation as the home of the superstar in 2024-25. The latest in a long line of current and future Hall of Famers is Luka Doncic, who has arrived in Los Angeles with the expectation of filling the shoes left for him by the likes of Kobe Bryant and teammate LeBron James.
Doncic has already shown the Lakers the brand of Luka magic that has made him a household name, but he doesn’t feel he’s anywhere near his full potential.
Los Angeles acquired Doncic while he was still in the process of rehabilitating a calf injury that had him sidelined from Dec. 27 until his Lakers debut on Feb. 10. As such, it may not be entirely surprising that he feels as though he hasn’t realized his true potential.
According to Jovan Buha of The Athletic, Doncic had nothing but good things to say about his experience with the Lakers—and revealed that he doesn’t believe he’s had a single good game yet.
Considering the past three games that Doncic played would’ve been career highlights for many, that’s a terrifying quote for the rest of the NBA to read.
Doncic sat out the second leg of the Lakers’ back to back on Feb. 20 and returned to action on Feb. 22. He produced 32 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists, four steals, and a block, leading Los Angeles to its first regular-season win over the Denver Nuggets since 2022.
The next time out, Doncic posted 19 points, 15 rebounds, 12 assists, three steals, and two blocks in a revenge win over the Dallas Mavericks.
Doncic struggled with efficiency, but finished the Lakers’ most recent outing with 21 points, 13 rebounds, and five assists during a win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Feb. 27. For those keeping track: He’s averaging 24.0 points, 12.7 rebounds, 8.0 assists, 2.3 steals, and 1.0 block over the past three games.
Even still, Doncic maintains that he hasn’t put together a good game for the Lakers yet—while most other players are left dreaming of reaching the level he’s performed at.
The frightening truth of what Doncic is saying is that it’s based in reality—based on his gargantuan standards. He won the scoring title in 2023-24 by averaging 33.9 points per game on .487/.382/.786 shooting, and dropped 32.4 points per contest the previous season.
Considering he’s averaging 19.3 points per game in six appearances with the Lakers, it’s understandable for a superstar of his caliber to hold himself to a higher standard.
As Doncic gets more comfortable within the rotation and on his previously injured calf muscle, his production and quality of play should increase. That’s a remarkable thought given his positive impact on the Lakers, especially after the team improved to an NBA-best 16-4 since Jan. 15.
When it comes to superstars of a Hall of Fame quality, however, even incredible performances can fall below their ideal level of play.