Luka Doncic has spent the summer putting in the work that very few can match. There was quite a bit on his workout platter: resistance bands, deadlifts, agility drills, padel tennis, barring one key task. The Slovenian superstar slimmed down his frame, improved his conditioning, and dominated with impressive stats during EuroBasket 2025, averaging 34.7 points per game. With a fresh $165M contract extension with the Lakers, LA is betting big on LeBron James’ on-court partner leading them into a new era. In the last few hours, though, he’s been in the news for a comment that some fans might deem outrageous.

Luka Doncic was at a Lakers fan activation at UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital. The hoopster humorously made a unique analogy on camera: “I’m a mix between Tom Brady and Lamar Jackson.” As he deemed his hypothetical self “the greatest quarterback ever,” Doncic appeared to throw a pass that ended up being badly off-target behind the camera…

“That’s a bad ball,” Doncic then said in an attempt to keep it real.

Though the earlier analogy was playful, it captured the Slovenian’s hybrid playstyle, which can be seen as a mix of Tom Brady’s precision and Lamar Jackson’s improvisation—how he reads defenses, makes quick decisions while using his mobility and deceleration to create shots out of nowhere. As an NBA fan, though, I can attest to Doncic’s ball IQ and touchdown-style passes over the years, most recently to LeBron. However, a comparison with the Ravens superstar’s speed and agility might be a stretch here. Back in December, Lamar Jackson admitted he was “jogging” during his 48-yard TD run, where he ran 21.25 mph!

Can Doncic get there after his new no-basketball training regimen? We’ll see.

Interestingly, though, he isn’t the only one handing out football analogies. Last season, LeBron James made a revealing statement, saying, “I’m a natural-born wide receiver and he’s a natural-born quarterback,” referencing not just James’ own high school career as a wide receiver, but Doncic’s elite vision and their on-court connection.

For the Lakers, Luka Doncic represents stability in a tumultuous period of transition. The 26-year-old, after arriving in a midseason trade last season, helped secure the #3 seed in the Western Conference, and averaged an absurd 30.2 points per game in a losing effort against the Timberwolves in the playoffs. James, the franchise’s superstar since 2019, is nearing retirement and has opted into his $52.6M player option. And Doncic’s extension has already strongly signaled that the team sees Luka as the primary focus going forward, and Doncic must now carry the leadership of the team both on and off the court.

The Slovenian star’s recent Brady-Jackson comparison also sheds some light on his sharp mindset as the Lakers prepare to enter the 2025-26 season. It shows that Luka Doncic is ready to take full advantage of his conditioning and athleticism, something that might help him recreate the success found in 2023-24, along with possibly leading the Lakers to their first championship in 6 years. However, the 26-year-old seems to have a pretty famous critic in Scottie Pippen.

Scottie Pippen Questions Luka’s Championship Ceiling Amid Era Comparison

Legendary Chicago Bulls forward Scottie Pippen recently contemplated whether Luka Doncic plays in a style that can consistently provide championship-level success. The interviewer wanted to know whether Luka was “capable” or not. The hoops legend confidently said, “I don’t know. His style of play took him to the Finals, but I’m not sure he can do it again. It was a unique feat, but when they got to the Finals, they didn’t have much,” Pippen said, pointing to the Celtics locking down on an injured Doncic in the 2024 Finals.

Pippen also cast doubt on modern stars’, including Doncic‘s, ability to succeed in other eras, saying, “I don’t know if they (Luka and Joker) could dominate… In the ’80s and ’90s, we used to press all over the field. Could Jokic bring the ball up against such pressure? I don’t know. Sure, he can see the floor and pass very well. But I don’t know if he’d be comfortable bringing the ball up from the backfield with that pressure.” The NBA legend’s comments highlight a long-standing belief of European players being ‘soft,’ relying on finesse instead of playing through contact, compared to the Americans.

All in all, it’s quite visible that Luka Doncic has all the motivation and hunger to succeed in this upcoming season. The 26-year-old even reasoned that if he stopped working on his fitness now, then “it was all for nothing.” It’s time for him to level up into the bracket occupied by the NBA elites. So, whether he cements himself as a top-three player in the current NBA or not will fully depend on how far he can take the Lakers this season.