Lakers’ Luka Doncic reminds ex-Mavs coach of Magic Johnson and Larry Bird

Luka Doncic is now the unquestioned face of the Los Angeles Lakers after LeBron James left for Philadelphia this offseason. The Lakers fully committed to him by signing him to a three-year, $165 million extension through 2028.

This week, the coach who knew him first put that faith into exclusive company. His praise went far beyond typical coach-speak, comparing Doncic directly to two all-time legends.

Rick Carlisle says Luka Doncic plays like Magic Johnson

Rick Carlisle brought up Doncic during a lengthy sit-down on The Draymond Green's show, recalling the first time he saw him play as a rookie in Dallas practices back in the fall of 2018. Carlisle coached Doncic for his first three NBA seasons before the Slovenian star was eventually traded away to the Lakers in a deal that stunned the entire basketball world.

“He is playing like Magic Johnson. He is rebounding, and he is throwing dimes all over the place,” Carlisle recalled of Doncic’s rookie-year practices in Dallas.

Carlisle did not stop at one comparison. “He’s the most unique player I’ve ever worked with,” he said. “And he’s a killer competitor, too.”

Doncic has already carved out his own place in Lakers history since arriving in the shocking February 2025 trade for Anthony Davis. He passed Magic Johnson for sole possession of tenth on the franchise's all-time list for 40-point games back in November, a mark that keeps climbing as the season rolls along without LeBron James in the fold.

Carlisle puts Doncic in Larry Bird’s company

Carlisle also brought up Larry Bird when the conversation turned to competitive fire, a comparison rooted in his own playing days as Bird’s teammate with the Boston Celtics.

"Luka's got a lot of that," Carlisle said. "He's brash, all that kind of stuff."

Both Magic Johnson and Larry Bird had three championships by the time they turned 27 - the same age Doncic is right now. Whether he can reach that same level of greatness remains the open question, but the Lakers still enter the season among the West's most closely watched contenders as the roster reshapes around him. Sporting News tracked how the Lakers' offseason moves altered their outlook following James' exit.

Doncic and the Lakers open training camp in the coming weeks looking to build on last season's playoff run without LeBron James in the fold. For now, the comparisons to two of the greatest players in NBA history speak for themselves.

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