Lou Williams Sets a Condition for Luka Doncic to Be Considered LeBron James’ Greatest Teammate

LeBron James has played with several superstar teammates throughout his career, but it’s possible Luka Doncic will have a better career than all of them. Now paired with James on the Los Angeles Lakers, the Run It Back crew debated whether Doncic could become the 40-year-old’s greatest NBA teammate.

Nearly every future Hall of Famer who has played alongside LeBron has walked away from the partnership with a championship. Lou Williams believes Doncic will at least need to accomplish that before being compared to the likes of Dwyane Wade, Kyrie Irving, and Anthony Davis.

“[Luka] gotta get some hardware, gotta get a ring,” Williams said. “You look at everybody that’s paired up with LeBron James got a championship out of it.”

But the former Sixth Man of the Year did question whether the Lakers would be able to put it all together in time to legitimately contend for a title.

Considering the stark age difference between the 25-year-old Doncic and the 40-year-old James, Williams pointed out how difficult it will be for the pair to put the body of work together, emphasizing that the Lakers’ success will heavily depend on effort.

If Los Angeles is able to come away with a championship, though, Doncic would immediately enter the conversation of the King’s greatest running mates, according to Williams.

Is Luka Dončić the best teammate LeBron's ever had? 🤔@TeamLou23, @ChandlerParsons & @BoogieCousins discuss… pic.twitter.com/LPIyPmqQR6

— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) February 24, 2025

ESPN insider Alan Hahn also touched on the topic, debating which of LeBron’s star teammates fit the best with him on the court.

ESPN insider believes Luka Doncic and LeBron James will be a great fit

Hahn detailed how Doncic’s addition allows LeBron to settle into a more comfortable role as a second option. With Doncic taking over as the lead playmaker, James can utilize his elite strength and transition abilities for easy buckets in the paint.

The pair have already shown off their fastbreak capabilities in their short time together.

Hahn believes James knows the type of transcendent talent he is playing alongside and is willingly letting Luka take the reins of the offense. The 53-year-old underlined his confidence in the new partnership, saying, “You can argue Luka might be the better fit with LeBron than anybody he’s ever played with, including Dwyane Wade.”

"You can argue Luka might be the better fit with LeBron than anybody he's ever played with, including Dwyane Wade." 👀

– @alanhahn

(🎥 @GetUpESPN )

pic.twitter.com/dq8GM2iZGU

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 24, 2025

LeBron and D-Wade were able to bring two championships for the Miami Heat, a likely unmatchable feat for the Lakers’ newest duo. However, Doncic and James have already proven their ability to operate seamlessly with each other on the court, which will likely prompt more statements similar to Hahn’s in the future.