Luka Doncic is one of the most crafty and calculated offensive maestros in the sport of basketball. What led him to owning that status is complicated, and multi-layered, but there is one standout aspect that has undoubtedly helped contribute to his offensive genius: chess.
Doncic, himself, clued everyone in on this fact during a recent interview with The Wall Street Journal Magazine. The Los Angeles Lakers superstar was asked about his one secret to winning a game of chess. The response offered clear parallels to the game of basketball.
"[I'm] just trying to think what the opponent is going to do," Doncic said of his secret. "It's sort of, kind of, like basketball. [You're] just trying to read the opponent, ... guessing their next move."
The similar approaches to Doncic's chess game and offensive leadership are clear. The superstar point guard will read, react, and anticipate his opponents, breaking them down to the point of no return. It is the superpower that has made him a clear generational talent.
Luka Doncic's basketball IQ continues to define who he is
Superstars will always have key traits that set them apart from the rest of their peers. For Doncic, that aspect of his game is unquestionably his basketball IQ. That part of his game is so strong that even his own teammate, LeBron James, has taken clear notice.
In the feature piece for WSJ. Magazine, Doncic's superstar partner chimed in with his thoughts on what makes Luka so special. James emphasized how much he loves the way in which the Lakers point guard approaches and plays basketball.
“Big-time savant of the game,” James told WSJ. Magazine. “I always use IQ as a measuring point in basketball—guys who can think the game. There are so many guys in our league who can play the game, but to be able to think the game as well puts you at another level.”
There is no doubt Doncic takes after his fellow Lakers superstar in being able to dissect opponents. It is a responsibility that Luka has been tasked with for the majority of his NBA career.
From his early days with the Dallas Mavericks, the ball was put into Doncic's hands a ton. The former Mavericks superstar averaged a usage percentage of 35.6 during his time in Dallas. Luka led the NBA on three separate occasions (2020-21, 2021-22, and 2023-24) in that category.
The formula for success was clear: let your superstar provide that special brand of Luka Magic. His style of basketball may have never been possible without a little help from his escapades into the world of chess.