Luka Doncic has caught a ton of flak this year for constantly complaining to the referees every game. It’s gotten to a point where many believe that it’s affecting the way the Los Angeles Lakers’ games are called, and not in a good way. That’s why Udonis Haslem recently advised the Latvian to stop whining and focus on the game.
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Doncic complains a lot during games. But it also works to an extent. He averages the most free throw attempts per game with 10.4, which has helped him lead the league in scoring. Still, at times, his attitude can leak over within the team.
Most notably, Doncic had an interaction with head coach JJ Redick recently that looked awkward. During a game, the Lakers coach followed him to his seat and looked to say something to his player as he sat down. As Redick walked away, Doncic stood up again to say something before Jarred Vanderbilt got in his path.
It’s this type of behavior that Haslem thinks needs to be addressed face-to-face. On top of this, he wants to see Doncic stop whining and complaining so much.
“The next step of evolution for Luka, stop whining. Stop complaining to the refs. You’re not gonna beg your way to a title or cry your way to a championship,” Haslem said on the NBA on Prime.
They were harsh words coming from the former NBA veteran. But maybe it’s exactly what Doncic needs to hear. After all, even with his league-leading scoring figures, nobody is seriously considering the Lakers as title contenders.
Udonis Haslem compares Luka whining to the refs to a young Jayson Tatum:
“The next step of evolution for Luka, stop whining. Stop complaining to the refs. Your not gonna beg your way to a title or cry your way to a championship…. I remember this with a young Tatum, and he has… pic.twitter.com/oBAofjXwt1
— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) March 6, 2026
At the end of the day, Doncic needs to get better at controlling his emotions during a game. This is something that Haslem has seen Jayson Tatum do as he’s gotten older. He’s a player who he literally once played against in the playoffs.
“I remember this with a young Tatum, and he has evolved and made these changes. When we were in those battles with the Celtics, as soon as he started complaining to the refs, I’d tell our guys, ‘Now we got him,’” Haslem shared.
When the young Tatum began to focus on complaining and not the game at hand, that’s when the veteran knew that his team was going to prevail. It’s sort of what we saw unfold with Doncic when he went to the NBA Finals in 2024. There were moments throughout that series where he let his emotions get the best of him with the refs.
All in all, they were wise words coming from Haslem. Doncic has surely heard it from everyone by now that he needs to tone down the aggressive complaining during games. At 27, some are starting to wonder if he’ll ever kick the habit. It should be interesting to track moving forward as we head into the playoffs.
