Following a 124-97 stomping at the hands of the Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr sung praise for Luka Doncic, hailing him as the next Larry Bird. Mavs coach Rick Carlisle nodded but warned he'd stay away from comparisons to allow his cornerstone player to develop into his own.
“That's all legitimate,” Carlisle said after being told of Kerr's comments, according to ESPN's Nick Friedell. “But I stay away from the comparison game because I think it's important that this kid is his own player. And he truly is. So look, each month he continues to develop and learn more and hones certain skills even more, so it's pretty exciting. A very exciting player to watch. I understand the hype.”
Doncic does many of the things Bird did well during his time. He's an excellent shooter, a savvy scorer, a strong rebounder, and a playmaker that can spot his teammates with excellent vision.
The Slovenian wonder is only halfway through Year 2 of his NBA career with the Mavs, which only gives coaches a faint idea of the finished product. Doncic has shown some old-school savvy by forcing defenders into tough positions and an eye for flair, two different virtues that differ from Bird, who was skillfully superior to his competition.
Yet the 6-foot-7 Mavs guard is an avid trash-talker and a rugged competitor like Bird, making the comparison quite fitting — yet it's likely Doncic could develop more into his own star than the next one coming of one from yesteryear, given how the game has evolved over the past decade.
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