Luka Doncic-Larry Bird Comparisons Get a Harsh Verdict by NBA Legend: ?Not Super Athletic but He Beat You in So Many Ways?

The NBA world was introduced to an unlikely superstar named Luka Doncic just a few years ago. Since then, the Slovenian youngster has taken the NBA by storm, dismantling the opposition at will. However, his calm demeanor and soft movements while dominating opponents are not a new playing style to the league. There are many fans in Boston who find his playing style similar to the legendary Larry Bird. Since the Dallas Mavericks guard started performing at the highest level, people have compared him to the Boston Celtics legend. However, recently, an NBA legend decided to put a stop to this comparison with his assessment of the players.

In a recent podcast, the Atlanta Hawks legend, Dominique Wilkins decided to give his two cents on the comparison between the two. According to him, it wasn’t really fair to compare the Boston Celtics legend with a fairly young superstar of the game.

Dominique Wilkins sides with Larry Bird amidst comparisons of the Celtics legend with Luka Doncic

Luka Doncic has unlimited range and easily cuts through defenses with half the speed of other NBA superstars. The qualities do resemble the legendary Larry Bird, as many fans and analysts have pointed out over the last few years.

However, Hawks legend Dominique Wilkins has a strong opinion on the case and doesn’t see the Slovenian youngster capable of matching the Celtics legend, yet. In a recent podcast, Knuckleheads with Quentin Richardson & Darius Miles, Wilkins decided to dissect how Bird was always one step?ahead.

“I hate it when people compare people to Larry, He was a phenomenon.” said the nine-time All-Star. He further added, “I ain’t see anyone like him that’s not super athletic but he beat you in so many ways.”

Furthermore, the Hawks legend narrated a story to prove his point. He mentioned how Bird challenged his teammate, Kevin McHale, publicly announcing that he’d break McHale’s 56-point record against the Hawks. Surprisingly for Wilkins, his team couldn’t stop the legend even when they knew what he set out to do. Bird ended the game with 60 points, fulfilling his promise.

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Understandably, it is unlikely that Wilkins would give the same kind of respect to a 24-year-old in the league. However, Luka Doncic has a habit of proving people wrong, and his performances certainly deserve the adulations that he receives.

Will he ever reach the legacy of the great Larry Bird?

The question is pretty straightforward, but there are many complexities underlying it. Larry Bird’s a blueprint for players like Luka Doncic who will eventually be considered all-time greats in the league. Bird’s astonishing abilities without any visible supreme athleticism set him apart, and Doncic is mirroring those qualities.

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The Slovenian superstar is already a perpetual All-Star, as he recently entered the top-10 list of most Triple-Doubles. Hence, many make sense of his talents by comparing him to the Celtics legend. However, the real question remains as to how Luka Doncic will adapt to the different phases awaiting him in the future.