The Los Angeles Lakers have officially found the new face of the franchise. Set to follow in the footsteps of some of the greatest players in NBA history, Luka Doncic was acquired ahead of the 2025 NBA trade deadline in a deal that's sent shockwaves throughout the NBA.
Only time will tell what Doncic is able to achieve in Los Angeles, but at 25 years of age, he already has a résumé that just seven Lakers legends can claim to match.
Doncic arrives in Los Angeles as a consensus top-10 player in the NBA with a strong case for top-five status. That's a bold claim, but with a combination of absurd statistics, legacy-altering accolades, and postseason success, it's tough to poke holes in it.
That begins with the fact that Doncic boasts career averages of 28.6 points, 8.7 rebounds, 8.3 assists, 1.2 steals, and 3.0 three-point field goals made per game.
Currently in his seventh season, Doncic ranks No. 3 in NBA history in points per game behind just Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain. He also resides at No. 12 all-time in assists per game, sitting just 0.23 behind Steve Nash for the No. 10 spot.
If you're looking to disregard those statistics until he's played a few more seasons, be my guest. The list of Lakers legends who can match what Doncic has already achieved is still at seven.
Luka Doncic is a title away from rarefied Lakers air
At 25 years of age, Doncic is already a five-time All-NBA First Team honoree. He's also won a scoring title with an average 33.9 points per game during the 2023-24 campaign, which he immediately followed by leading the Dallas Mavericks to the NBA Finals.
For perspective: The only Lakers players who have won a scoring title and earned five All-NBA First Team nods are Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant, Wilt Chamberlain, LeBron James, George Mikan, Shaquille O'Neal, and Jerry West.
The seven Lakers legends to whom Doncic's résumé compares are among the greatest players in NBA history. Each established themselves as dominant scoring forces, as well as great all-around players worthy of regular All-NBA First Team appearances.
Each also won at least one championship in Los Angeles, which is the measure of any all-time Lakers great—a fact Doncic has openly acknowledged.
The encouraging sign for Doncic is that he's already achieved an impressive measure of postseason success at 25 years of age. He led the Mavericks to the 2022 Western Conference Finals and, just two years later, took them to the 2024 NBA Finals.
Along the way, Doncic has compiled career postseason averages of 30.9 points, 9.4 rebounds, 8.0 assists, 1.7 steals, and 3.3 three-point field goals made per game.
Having arrived in Los Angeles with a Hall of Fame résumé, Doncic will now look to take the final step toward etching his name into history alongside those Lakers greats. Unfair as it may seem to outsiders, winning a championship is a prerequisite to legendary status in the purple and gold.
Doncic has already knocked on the door of championship glory, and if he takes the next step with the Lakers, his jersey will be up in the rafters.