Should Luka Doncic be considered on the same level as NBA legend Larry Bird? As most fans should be aware, Luka and the Dallas Mavericks are currently playing in the Western Conference Finals in a matchup against Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves. This is the closest that Doncic has ever come to an NBA championship throughout his career so far.
There is no denying that the Mavs’ current and ongoing success is largely due to the elite level that Luka has been playing at this season. With the exception of an NBA championship, Luka’s resume already appears to be quite solid.
As a result, a few former NBA players believe that Luka Doncic is on the same level as Larry Bird, if not even better. Since this is quite a controversial stance to take, fans must certainly want to take a closer look at the situation and find out more.
Chandler Parsons and Lou Williams give Luka Doncic a lot of credit
While many would struggle to deny the greatness of Luka Doncic, he is quite a polarizing figure in the basketball community. Although he is an elite otherworldly talent and a once-in-a-generation type of player, Doncic has also been criticized for his ball-dominant and foul-call-seeking behavior.
As a result, people are unwilling to consider Luka to be on the same level as Boston Celtics legend Larry Bird. However, former NBA stars Chandler Parsons and Lou Williams did not hesitate to challenge the narrative. In fact, Parsons went far enough to claim that Luka Doncic is already a better player when compared to Larry Bird.
“Luka’s already better than Larry Bird was.”
– Chandler Parsons
(Via @RunItBackFDTV )
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) May 23, 2024
“Luka is already better than Larry Bird was. He doesn’t have the resume. He doesn’t have the championships. But as a basketball player, Luka Doncic can do everything Larry Bird did and more..”
Since Larry Bird is considered to be one of the top 5 players in NBA history, one can only imagine how fans reacted after Parsons claimed that Doncic was already better than Bird at this point in his career.
Fans compare Luka Doncic and Larry Bird
While the older NBA fans may struggle to find any merit in this stance, it is important to keep in mind that the modern generation of NBA superstars are more talented and skilled than their predecessors. Therefore, fans were conflicted on whether Luka should truly be considered a better player when compared to Larry Bird, “This is correct and it’s not close either. The game has evolved like crazy.”
This is correct and it’s not close either. The game has evolved like crazy.
— Aidan LaPorta (@AidanLaPorta69) May 23, 2024
No he’s not lmfao.. Larry Bird is top 10 All-Time
— 30🅿️roblemz (@30problemz) May 23, 2024
From a skillet? Maybe. Bird was a killer tho let’s not disrespect him
— Mr. Unbiased (@UnbiasedHoopsLA) May 23, 2024
In terms of skillset and abilities, one could claim that Luka is better than Bird. However, this claim would have no basis without at least one championship if not several. Fans are left wondering which of the two will be considered better when Doncic’s career comes to an end.