Luka Doncic described as the reincarnation of one of the NBA’s all time greats

Luka Doncic has often been compared to Larry Bird, ever since his early years with the Dallas Mavericks, with stark examples to draw upon. He has the body of a small forward in a position he wasn’t designed for—point guard—with fair skin and fluid, articulate movements. Add to that the magic of his hands.

He no longer plays for the Mavericks, but for the Lakers, and continues to set the standard. Ironically, he plays for the arch-rivals of the team that brought Larry Bird glory, the Boston Celtics, three-time champions (1981, 1984, 1986) and embroiled in a generational battle with Magic Johnson. Luka is looking for his first championship in Los Angeles; he hopes it will come soon.

It is hardly unusual for Luka Dončić to be compared with Larry Bird. The parallels have been drawn since his earliest years with the Dallas Mavericks, often with strikingly concrete examples. A forward’s body in a position he was never supposed to occupy – in his case, point guard – pale skin and fluid, almost effortless movements. Add to that the magic in his hands.

Now he no longer plays for the Mavericks. He wears a Los Angeles Lakers jersey and continues to set the standard. There is something almost poetic about him doing so against the Boston Celtics, the archrivals of the team that gave Larry Bird his glory. Three championships (1981, 1984, 1986) and a defining generational battle with Magic Johnson forged that rivalry. Dončić is chasing his first ring in Los Angeles and hopes it will come sooner rather than later.

Right now, Dončić sits firmly on the NBA’s Olympus. The Lakers are being carried on his shoulders. One of the league’s most storied franchises – if not the most important by history and pedigree – depends on him within that ecosystem.

On his most recent visit to Chicago, the land of Michael Jordan’s greatest triumphs, he put up 46 points and 12 assists. Watching him brought to mind a comment from Stacey King, a former Bulls player – and a three-time champion during the first three-peat – who now works as a local television analyst: “Everyone talks about the next Michael Jordan. This is Larry Bird. He’s a reincarnation of Larry Bird. For all the kids who never saw Bird play: the passes this kid makes are Larry Bird–style.”

Dončić is currently among the favorites to win the league’s Most Valuable Player award, an honor that eluded him in Dallas and has continued to do so since he arrived in Los Angeles exactly a year ago to become the franchise’s emblem for the future.

Years earlier, it was another famous Celtic, Cedric Maxwell, a former teammate of Bird’s, who saw Dončić as a “reincarnation” of No. 33: “This would be the Larry Bird of the 2020s. It’s exactly how he would play today. Most importantly, Luka has an arrogance and a swagger that feel like they come straight from Larry Bird’s blood.” The Indiana native, now 69, remains one of the most recognizable figures of the last century and is widely considered one of the 15 greatest players in basketball history. In the regular season, he averaged a double-double – 24.3 points and 10.1 rebounds – and was also a two-time Finals MVP. His résumé includes 1,061 games played, 12 All-Star appearances, three Three-Point Contest titles, his number retired by both his college and NBA franchise, membership in the Dream Team and induction into the Hall of Fame, among countless other honors.

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