Lakers superstar Luka Dončić is a masterful scorer and leads the NBA at 32.7 points per game. He’s been called a generational player whose popularity has grown in the seven years since he arrived in the league.
Despite all of the fanfare and Hall of Fame predictions, Luka is still missing an MVP and a championship ring. He made one trip to the NBA Finals with Kyrie Irving and his former Mavericks squad in 2024, but his LA Lakers tenure has been unfruitful.
Most fans say it’s only a matter of time. Plenty of excuses are made as to why he can’t get the job done. Some have even blamed LeBron James this season for the Lakers’ setbacks and sixth place Western Conference position, claiming the chemistry is better when it’s just Austin Reaves and Luka on the floor.
ESPN’s Jason Williams Doesn’t Think Luka Has Winning Habits To Lead Team To Title
ESPN analyst Jason Williams has the answer for why Luka seems to be coming up short in certain aspects of his career. We know about past problems with his weight and he likes to drink. We know he’s allowed to be lazy at times on the court. His defensive prowess has never been raved about.
“I think Luka is one of the most talented players I’ve ever seen in the history of the game. I think he has losing habits,” Williams said on ESPN’s “First Take” on Friday. “I think he has bad habits…His impact on the game is not aligned with the statistical output. You see the crazy numbers, but I don’t know if it impacts winning.”
“He leads the NBA in turnovers per game. The Lakers are one of the worst transition defenses in the league so that impacts that aspect of it because they are not good at that,” Williams said.
Then Williams pointed to Luka’s low ranking in the category of Team Offensive Rating.
“Of 13 players in the NBA this season who have played at league 30 games and who have a usage rate of at least 30, Luka is tied for last with Kawhi Leonard in impact and this is in Team Offensive Rating,” said Williams, who admitted that the stat shocked him, but supports his claims.
Williams also mentioned high usage players such as Giannis, Steph Curry and Detroit Pistons rising star Cade Cunningham, all have higher team offensive ratings. Meaning they impact winning on a larger scale.
“So at some point I think he’s one of the most talented players, but I don’t think he’s the leader people project him to be to actually match his statistical output. I think they are very different.”
Williams’ opinion isn’t out of the blue. Luka Dončić’s amazing scoring ability has come with little else. He’s not known to be a leader in the locker room. From past narratives and that Western Conference championship celebration, when assistant GM Michael Finley grabbed the beer out of Luka’s hand, the NBA’s scoring leader seems to be a guy others have to keep an eye on.
Fans React To Jason Williams Criticism Of Luka Dončić
Williams had his supporters.
“This is correct. He has a lot of poor habits that were never corrected from Eurobasket to the NBA, yeah he’s gonna score but not knowing good shots from bad shots, knowing when to get teammates going, everything is hero ball? Those numbers become empty after a while,” one fan said.
“His lazy no intensity defense on the most important possession showed it tonight. Standing straight up flat footed letting Allen blow past him with the ease that caused the collapse,” another fan complained on X.
Luka also had his defenders. After all, he is one of the superstars of the league. Some NBA fans don’t feel like having three All-Star caliber players is enough.
“Luka is a winner but he can only do so much and when the personal surrounding him emphasizes his weaknesses,” one fan said while criticizing the Lakers’ roster.
“People forget he took a team with Dwight Powell, Reggie Bullock and DFS in the starting lineup to a WCF, then a team that wasn’t considered a top 4 fave in the West to the finals. A player that leads a lesser team to overachieve beating better squads usually means they can win if…” said another Luka supporter.
Honest eyes, however, know that something is missing. Is Luka like MJ, Kobe, Bron and Curry. Or is he Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, Russell Westbrook and James Harden. Every case isn’t the same, but one group closed deals and the other wakes up every day regretting it (you would think).
“Jason is correct again. The Luka narrative isn’t about team goals. He goes all out on the offensive end of the court but gets cooked on the defensive end. His stats are just like Westbrook’s & Harden’s, individuals playing a team sport,” one fan said on X.
Can Luka Dončić Lead A Team To NBA Championship With Current Style Of Play?
Luka is a great player but the common theme surrounding any criticism of the player, who gets buckets with ease, is his leadership ability. His grit and capability to uplift the players around him. LeBron is no longer a Top 10 player, but he does serve various purposes on the court that other players half his age don’t be willing to do. He also can’t be expected to carry a similar load to that which he’s carried in past seasons.
Everyone is waiting for that Luka moment. For him to stamp himself as a true legend of the game in every phase. People will celebrate his statistical accomplishments, but others are waiting to see him do what the past legends have done.
