mobile app bar

“I don’t see the same type of dominance of LeBron James coming from Luka Doncic”: Iman Shumpert disregards the comparisons between the Mavs MVP and the Lakers’ superstar

Advait Jajodia
Published

"Like LeBron James, Luka Doncic is not afraid of contact": Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd is thinks Luka is strong enough to fend off contact

Iman Shumpert denies the LeBron James-Luka Doncic comparisons as the Slovenian doesn’t possess “the same type of dominance” as The King.

After a solid regular season performance, Luka Doncic has put the Mavericks on his back and took them to their first Western Conference Finals appearance in 11 years. In the 13 games the Slovenian has played so far, he’s put up a solid 32.1 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 6.2 assists.

While the 23-year-old has constantly been etching his name in the record books alongside some of the game’s greatest, more comparisons to the likes of Larry Bird and LeBron James have emerged.

Also Read: JJ Redick fends off Max Kellerman’s narrative of Mavs star being a bad teammate

Recently, Iman Shumpert gave a detailed explanation as to why he disregarded any Luka comparisons to LBJ.

“I just don’t see Luka Doncic having the athletic edge that I have seen LeBrons, Kobes, and Mikes have”: Iman Shumpert

Iman has been Bron’s teammate at Cleveland from 2015 to 2018. And knowing how dangerous he plays, Shumpert was quick in dismissing the comparison.

In an interview with VladTV, the NBA champ said:

“I just don’t see him (Luka) having the athletic edge that I have seen LeBrons, and Kobes, and Mikes have. That’s usually your breaking point, where it’s like you can do some freakishly athletic stuff nobody can do (anything) about. I just think after a while, somebody is going to stop the stepback stuff.”

“It’s no way I can watch James Harden do that for that long and not win and then look at Luka like okay you gonna step back with your right hand but yours is gonna work. You can prove me wrong but I don’t see the same type of dominance of LeBron coming from Luka.”

View on Website

Sure, Iman is right about Luka not having the similar type of dominance LeBron has. However, credits have to be given to the Mavs guard where due. At only 23 years of age, Doncic has an incredible offensive skill set and is consistently breaking some or the other record.

Also Read: Mychal Thompson praises Andrew Wiggins’ dunk over Luka Doncic and adds even the Warriors star wouldn’t be able to do it  

Without a doubt, after the likes of LeBron, Steph, and KD hang their boots, Luka Doncic will be one of the future faces of the league.

About the author

Advait Jajodia

Advait Jajodia

x-iconinstagram-iconlinkedin-icon

Advait Jajodia, a seasoned NBA journalist, has had a passion for the game for over a decade. His journey from admiring Kobe Bryant's precision to being in awe of Stephen Curry's long-range mastery instilled a profound understanding of basketball. With a background as a two-time National-level player, Advait uses his experience on the hardwood to offer insightful analysis. Over three years of dedicated sports journalism has equipped the 21-year-old with a unique perspective, reflected in his prolific portfolio of 3,350+ articles.

Read more from Advait Jajodia

Share this article